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BF30 bogging down

M

Mbett

New member
All of a sudden the engine bogs down a little above idle under load. In neutral, it does start to hesitate at much higher RPMs. I changed the plugs and filter. Fuel is good. Running some sea foam. Spark from each plug wire. Revs high and smooth with full choke.

I have limited tools to check fuel pressure or really work on it in general. I don’t live near the boat where this is the engine on my tender.

I’m guessing carbs. Does anyone have recommendations for the Long Beach, CA area that could do some mobile work? I’ve called dozens with no Luck. Must be 1000 outboard within 30 miles and I can’t find anyone.
 
Alan Hicks is the "multi-carb guru" on this site so, hopefully, you will hear from him soon. He is wise in these set-ups.

In the meantime, do you have a frame number or year model to list?

I have never worked on these but I know that they have a fairly complicated set of tubing for the fuel system. That's probably one reason no one wants to work on them. But, you could easily do a check yourself to look for any obvious problems.

First look over item 42 and items 41 in the link below for any looseness, deterioration or cracking.

https://www.boats.net/catalog/honda...-bauj-1100001-to-bauj-1199999/carburetor-assy

Next, do the same for most everything in this diagram:

https://www.boats.net/catalog/honda...auj-1100001-to-bauj-1199999/carburetor-tubing

Sometimes I have seen reports of a cracked tube being the problem with "runability" issues.

With the advent of fuel injection, most shops don't find much, if any, profit in doing carb work any longer so that may explain your difficulty in procuring any help. Although, as I've seen MANY TIMES in the past, most of them weren't all that much help anyway. The pain of giving over your outboard for weeks to have the carbs "rebuilt" only to get it back after paying a HUGE bill and then it runs WORSE than before must be unbearable.

If you end up trying to tackle the job of carb cleaning yourself, you may need the Honda Marine Carburetion Manual available here:

https://publications.powerequipment.honda.com/marine

Look under "support material" heading. A very good, reasonably priced, resource that could help you immensely. Get it quick before the price increase, that we all know is coming for EVERYTHING, takes effect.

Good luck
 
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jgmo said:
Alan Hicks is the "multi-carb guru" on this site so, hopefully, you will hear from him soon. He is wise in these set-ups.

In the meantime, do you have a frame number or year model to list?

I have never worked on these but I know that they have a fairly complicated set of tubing for the fuel system. That's probably one reason no one wants to work on them. But, you could easily do a check yourself to look for any obvious problems.

First look over item 42 and items 41 in the link below for any looseness, deterioration or cracking.

https://www.boats.net/catalog/honda...-bauj-1100001-to-bauj-1199999/carburetor-assy

Next, do the same for most everything in this diagram:

https://www.boats.net/catalog/honda...auj-1100001-to-bauj-1199999/carburetor-tubing

Sometimes I have seen reports of cracked tube being the problem with "runability" issues.

With the advent of fuel injection, most shops don't find much, if any, profit in doing carb work any longer so that may explain your difficulty in procuring any help. Although, as I've seen MANY TIMES in the past, most of them weren't all that much help anyway. The pain of giving over your outboard for weeks to have the carbs "rebuilt" only to get it back after paying a HUGE bill and then it runs WORSE than before must be unbearable.

If you end up trying to tackle the job of carb cleaning yourself, you may need the Honda Marine Carburetion Manual available here:

https://publications.powerequipment.honda.com/marine

Look under "support material" heading. A very good, reasonably priced resource that could help you immensely. Get it quick before the price increase, that we all know is coming for EVERYTHING, takes effect.

Good luck
Click to expand...

thanks for taking the time. I’m not opposed to buying a newer FI motor but I’d need to sell this one. It was running great so I’d like to sort out its issue so I could potentially sell it in good working condition. It’s a BAWL-serial number
 
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You are welcome but that's why most of us are here...to learn....and to TRY and help.

So, the BAWL indicates it's a 1999 or older (I could get closer with the first 4 numbers). That's good info because there are differences from the 2005 model I previously picked for reference.

Being an older model means, for one, it has a mechanical choke. Not haviing the "auto choke", yours won't have those three hoses (item 42 and items 41 times two) that I referenced in my first reply. Also the other fuel tubing is referenced on the same page as the carburetors but is very similar to the tubing listed for the newer model. It shouldn't change a basic visual inspection much.

Speaking of basic checks, you may know about and have tried this stuff already but I will ask anyway.

Is your fuel supply hose "fresh", supple and crack free?
Same question about the primer bulb.
Does the primer bulb go "soft" when the problem occurs?
Have you tried squeezing the bulb during the issue?
Is the tank vent open and clean of obstructiin?
Do you have or could you borrow another tank and hose to run on as a test?

I'm guessing that your choke is solenoid activated but the tiller model might not be? At any rate, you may want to determine that the choke "blade" is being held firmly in the horizontal position when the engine is warm and it's supposed to be "off".

Other than those things I can't offer much more but will keep trying to think of things you might try.
 
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