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Honda BF225 Yearly Maintenance Routine?

E

Everglades260CC

Contributing Member
Hey Guys,
Quick question about 4-strokes and yearly maintenance. What are you guys going? I have 2006 twin 225's and yearly maintenance is what I am planning, but just rolled the bill up to $600 (total for twins). Was wondering what the forum was doing and frequency? I would be over estimating if I had 200 hours on the boat during the year.

The engines went through a complete rebuild (new blocks), new filters, oil, etc April 2016. Is this over-kill?

  1. Fuel Filters
  2. Buffer Plate (Water Separator on block)
  3. Water Separator/Fuel Filter (on boat)
  4. T'Stats
  5. Water Pumps
  6. Block Anodes (has anyone been replacing these, if so what frequency)?
  7. Spark Plugs (again, new April 2016) (has anyone been replacing these, if so what frequency)?
  8. Oil Change
  9. Oil Filter (I assume I don't need a new housing, just the separate filter element?)
  10. Lower Unit Oil

I keep a spare set of plugs, filters, T'Stats and water pumps with me on the boat. Just curious as to what everyone is going and their yearly maintenance routine.

Thanks in advance.
 
Here is my maintenance schedule with just short of 2000 hours on my BF 225.

1. Change fuel filters every season, regardless of hours. Note that the HP fuel filter is critical for smooth operation of these engines.

2. Buffer plate? That's new to me. But the on-board fuel/water separator should be checked/drained every 100 hours.

3. External fuel/water separator. Drain every 50 hours or sooner, depending on quality of fuel. Change element every season.

4. T-Stats - remove and test every 200 hours or so, unless you are getting an over-heat situation. If so, the T-stats are the first thing to check.

5. Water pump - change impeller every 200 hours or so. But that really depends on your operating environment. In fresh water you can probably get by easily with a longer service period as long as you have a strong pee stream. I usually change the entire water pump every 400 hours. Not much difference in cost.

6. Anodes. Weigh them when they are new. Once they lose about 30% of their weight, change them. If your boat is on a trailer or lift, or you are in clean fresh water, it takes a long time for those things to lose 30%. In constant salt water they can deteriorate in a few months, especially moored in a crowded marina.

7. Plugs are good for 400 hours. However, every 100 hours, I remove them a put a light coat of high temp grease on the threads to assure that they don't meld to the block.

8. Oil & filter change every 100 hours - religiously.

10. Lower unit oil. Check every 100 hours for water intrusion and metal flakes on the drain plug. Otherwise, change every 200 hours.

11. Valve adjustment every 400 hours.

12. Compression test every 400 hours.

13. Check/adjust throttle cables and throttle settings every 400 hours. Re-grease cable wheels.

14. Drain VST every 100 hours

15. New grease in all zerk fittings every 100 hours

16. If you use ethanol-laced fuel use an additive to prevent phase separation.

17.If you are doing a lot of trolling or low-speed futzing around, use a decarbonizer/cleaner in your fuel, like Sea Foam or YamaLube Ring Free.

18. Remove prop, inspect for any fishing line or other stuff in there and re-grease splines.


If you plan to do your own maintenance, invest in the Official Help Shop Manual. Don't trust the aftermarket manuals - too many errors and omissions. They are available through eBay and Amazon - about $116 USD. Chapter 3 gives detailed maintenance procedures for almost all of the items you will need to consider.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-BF200...ash=item3a7fecbc1c:g:XHcAAOSw5VFWIuVc&vxp=mtr

https://www.amazon.com/Honda-Marine-Outboard-Service-Repair/dp/B00D8JG6VW
 
Chawk... Have you ever checked or changed the engine block anodes? These are the small, 1/2 diameter anodes that screw into the block near all the plugs. The buffer plate appears the be the mechanism inside the water seperater, just wondering if it needs replacing...

they guy before me and myself run non-ethanol only, but I also use Seafoam.
 
I only know about the four aluminum alloy anodes inside the exhaust. I actually had the dealer change them out at around 1400 hours, and they were still in OK shape, but not great. I operate exclusively in saltwater, if that gives you a benchmark. Those anodes would have probably been OK for another 300 - 400 hours.

As for the "buffer plate" I had to look it up and you are correct - sure enough it's called a buffer plate. To the best of my knowledge, the Helm shop manual does not discuss changing it out as a maintenance item, just testing the float switch, if your engine has that. You can tell that it does if it has two wires coming out of the bottom of the bowl.

One other maintenance item that is NOT in the shop manual, is to check the Intake Air Bypass (IAB) control. When you are about to change out your HP fuel filter, before you unscrew the two screws holding the IAB vacuum diaphragm, unhook the vacuum tube to the diaphragm, take a pair of needle nose pliers and grab the arm coming out of the diaphragm and push it into the diaphragm as if the vacuum had activated it. Then let go of the arm. The arm should rapidly snap back to its original position. If it doesn't, you need to remove the IAB and lubricate the shaft and spring mechanism. If yours is not working correctly, send me an e-mail and I will return the detailed procedure for doing that. [email protected].

Then repeat the same procedure as above, but this time place your finger over the opening where the vacuum tube attached. The IAB arm should move out a little bit, but not all the way closed until you remove your finger. If so, then your IAB vacuum diaphragm is working correctly.
 
Thanks Chawk, appreciate. All filters changed, cleaned out seperator, it only has float in it. Pretty easy and accessible. Lower units are in the garage, I'll do them this week. Reinstall next weekend. Using a buddy's boat this weekend, looking for the Mahi!
 
Good luck on the Mahi. They're just showing up at Hatteras. Trophy rock (stripper) season starts on the Chesapeake on the 15th. Leaving Hatteras tomorrow and hope to get my boat ready for opening day on the lower Potomac and Chesapeake Middle Grounds.

I'll be interested in the results from the IAB diagnosis I described previously.
 
CHawk, IAB and vacuum functioning properly. I mounted lower units this morning. Everything was going well, decided to fill up the 55 gallon drum and start engines. Noticed dropping from high pressure filter. Took apart and I did not install new o-ring. Luckily, I ordered two but didn't use. Installed new orang and everything checked. Repeated on starboard engine, found no leak but small tear on oring. Replaced.

in a few weeks I'll do engine oil and T stats.
 
Roger that. Good to hear about the IAB working as intended. I try to keep a supply of those O rings in the shop. Seems like about every time I change the HP filter, I bugger up at least one of them.
 
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