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BF225's Outboard Overheating in Need of Assistance

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Everglades260CC

Contributing Member
Here is the background. Currently BOTH engines are overheating, need some assistance. Both motors services in April, new impellers and T'stats at that time. Been on 3-4 half day trips, not issues. About a month ago was running a local lake and did get in the shallows, could of sucked up some crap. Have been another 2 trips since then with no issues.

Today, both engines are overheating. Been working with muffs and not getting any where. Dropped it in a local lake and same thing.

The tell-tale (pee hole) works well on the flush circuit. The tell-tale (pee hole) does not work well on the muffs, appears to be clogged???
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What you say? Engines are 2006 Honda 225 4-strokes.
 
The BF 225 will always overheat on muffs. A garden hose cannot supply enough water to cool it properly. If you ran it too long on muffs and overheated, then you are probably going to need to drop the lower units and inspect and possibly change the impellers again. Prior to doing that, pull the two intake screens on the bottom of the engine leg and make sure they are not partially clogged. Next, pull your T-stats and use a rag to seal a garden hose into the each intake opening, one at a time, and flush the engine from there. While doing that, test the T-stats suspended in water that you can heat up. T-stats should begin to open at about 140 F. The should be fully open (3 mm) at 160 F. Also, when you pull the t-stats closely inspect the area around the stat for excessive debris and corrosion. Clean as necessary.
 
chawk_man said:
The BF 225 will always overheat on muffs. A garden hose cannot supply enough water to cool it properly. If you ran it too long on muffs and overheated, then you are probably going to need to drop the lower units and inspect and possibly change the impellers again. Prior to doing that, pull the two intake screens on the bottom of the engine leg and make sure they are not partially clogged. Next, pull your T-stats and use a rag to seal a garden hose into the each intake opening, one at a time, and flush the engine from there. While doing that, test the T-stats suspended in water that you can heat up. T-stats should begin to open at about 140 F. The should be fully open (3 mm) at 160 F. Also, when you pull the t-stats closely inspect the area around the stat for excessive debris and corrosion. Clean as necessary.
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Thanks C-Hawk, thought I was the only one up at these hours. Time to get greasy! I'll try that, was also going to check the two relief valves and the tell-tale valve as well.

The enginess were only ran for a few moments and as soon as temp alarm came on I immediately shut them down. But yea, might as well check everything at this point.
 
Smoked it. The second engine does not look bad. However, another issue, seems as though I have oil dripping down the lower unit rod from the belly of the engine/block. Could be a seal. Another thread to start...
 

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Yep, you did. I've tried to preach the Gospel on this forum about not using muffs on the BF 200 & BF 225. I learned that the hard way, too.

As for the oil drip, that's been addressed several times on this forum. Usually it's the seal on the water tube that comes though the oil pan.
 
On the other hand, my mechanic says the 225's can be run at idle, out of gear, on the flush hose with major pressure, without damaging the impeller. Is he right about this? His expertise is Yamaha and Mercury......a little less on Honda.

I have done this a couple times for a few minutes. The motors pee like race horses, so I assume it's good, but I do wonder how much water gets down to the impeller (and the mid-shaft bushing as well)?
 
"Major pressure" is the key to that. A typical home with 1/2" or 3/4" pipes with regulated community water won't do it. If you have your own well, a top notch pump, and 1" pipes, then you may be OK. I'm on well water with a big well pump and holding tank and 3/4" pipes and I still don't have enough pressure to do the job. Your picture showed about the same thing that happened to me - destroyed the impeller. Fortunately for you and me, no vanes were lost off of the impeller and embedded deep in the engine's the cooling passages.

Build yourself a test tank using a huge garbage can or a stock watering bin from some place like Tractor Supply.
 
Thanks fellows. Got one engine complete today, flushing the block, testing the T'stats. Waiting for new impeller and replace the parts. Second unit I'll tackle later.
 
55 gallon drums work well for testing,just redirect telltale back in drum& run hose continuously in tank for added cooling,exhaust builds up in tank after awhile& water will get warm after extended periods of idling.
 
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