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BF50D start inhibit & intermitent buzzer.

L

Leftofcentre

New member
I have this intermitent fault with my 2009 BF50D.

Engine usualy starts on the key but when its been run a while and i shut it down, it wont restart and there is a beeping/buzzer going on and off.

Ive read the manual and done some research which suggested the Tilt Sensor. So ive tried unplugging the sensor but it makes no difference.

Apart from that the engine has been serviced this winter.

Any suggestions?
 
Didn't know tilt sensor causing a no start was even a thing.

It won't start? Or it won't crank? As in.... the starter turns the engine over but it won't fire?

I don't know but this sort of sounds like the old "hot soak" issue where you drive to the liquor store for a six pack, run in and, when you come out five minutes later and try to start the car it turns over but won't fire. But wait 20 minutes for things to cool down and it starts like nothing happened.

If it's acting like that then it's definitely temperature related but what it is exactly can be tough to figure out.

Could simply be not cooling efficiently. It's running "on the edge" and, when you shut it down and water stops flowing, the heat trapped in the engine puts it in the overheat zone. Should log a code and turn on the warning though.

Sometimes it's a faulty temperature sensor....but, again, that should probably set a code.

Doesn't happen so much these days with the newer fuel systems but I still hear about vapor lock causing problems like this. Can be hard to diagnose.

And the one that would worry me the most is a problem inside the ECM, like a cracked circuit board or component causing heat related shut down. Hard to pinpoint even with the high tech equipment and usually an expensive proposition.
 
It doesnt crank.

Like something is inhibiting the starting circuit.

Is there a neutral switch inside the remotes? To prevent engine start whilst its in gear/open throttle for example? Does that sound a buzzer?

The warning beep/buzzer is a continuous series of long beeps
 
I don't have SI for that outboard but pretty much all of them have a neutral safety switch and need to be in neutral to crank. I believe that the switch will be mounted under the engine cover, not in the remote control box. I'm assuming that you've tried jockeying the shift lever around with no luck so you're probably going to need to get out a multimeter and test that.

I hadn't heard of the tilt switch inhibiting the starter before but I'm old now and things change.
So, if that's a possibility, then you're going to need better information than I can give you.

Service manuals are expensive but waaaay cheaper than any shop fee and you will then always have it.

The "real deal" Honda one can be found here:

Honda Marine | Shop Manuals Publications | Honda Power Products Support Publications

publications.powerequipment.honda.com publications.powerequipment.honda.com

Good luck.
 
Ok great thank you for your advice.

Does the start inhibit sound and long on/off buzzer that you are aware of?

The red crank/engine light flashes on the Remotes aswel during these episodes.
 
Yeah, that buzzer and light thing confuses me too. Honestly, I don't know why that would happen if this were just a simple neutral start switch problem. But, you have to start looking somewhere so that might just be a first step to solving the mystery. You have to see if the signal is getting to the neutral switch from the ignition switch and then verify that the signal is being relayed through the neutral switch to the starter solenoid.
Without the service manual troubleshooting guide or wiring diagrams, I have no way of knowing if there is, say, a starter inhibit circuit included in the ECM. If there is, then, yes, it could be accompanied by the warnings when activated.
That basic info might also be included with the operators manual.
 
Thinking about this further, you might try cleaning the connections for the main battery cables at the battery AND the engine. Often a problem like this can be as simple as bad contact in a connection. Many times it's a bad/dirty ground connection.

The battery cable ends are easy to access at the battery and the positive cable end at the starter is usually not too hard to get at.
But, the negative battery cable end, where it grounds to the engine or case, can be a chore to access and will likely take the most time and work. But it's important that it's a good connection and can be well worth the effort to get in there and get things CLEAN, SHINY and TIGHT.
 
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