2003 Honda 225 - doesn't start, no codes

[Seabright Seafood]

I have a 2003 Honda 225 outboard with about 500hrs on it. I ran it hard for 3 years and it then sat unused for a season (the kiss of death, I know). When I went to start the engine back up, I experienced the following:

1. Turn key to auxiliary position - gauges get power, two beeps from the engine
2. Turn key to start position - starter solenoid clicks once and engine does not turn over
3. Turn key to auxiliary position again - no power to gauges, no beeps
4. Turn key to start position - no reaction

After a day or two sitting, the auxiliary position again gets power and the engine clicks one time on the first try, then nothing. Other factors:

1. Tilt/trim does not work from the throttle or the locally on the engine.
2. No codes come off the engine when I try to pull codes
3. Power is good to the key and the solenoid

I would love any ideas anyone has on where to start with this problem. Thanks.

 

[metal-chicken]

Sounds like simple battery failure - it may be getting 12v but maybe not enough amps.
You tried swapping batteries?

 

[chawk_man]

That's my initial thought too. Not getting sufficient power.

If battery checks out and if you have a battery selector switch, flip it on and off several times to clear the contacts.
Pull battery connectors and clean thoroughly and make sure they are very tight.
Use auto jumper cables to bypass the wires from batter to selector switch to engine. If that fixes the problem, replace the battery cables.

If none of that works, start pulling fuses, and check them (with ohm meter) and check for any corrosion. Pay special attention to the big 30 amp fuse to the right as you are facing the fuse box. See attached.

View attachment Fuses.pdf

 

[Skooter]

I had this issue last year on my 2003 200's.. For me it was a combination of poor ground terminals (where they are crimped into the wire). There are 3-4 ground wires that go to the engine block. That was the easy part to figure out..Then kicker here was that I had a faulty neutral safety switch. I hope this helps. The NSS is located on the front of the motor, inside the cowl area near the the release for the engine cover. You can bypass and see if thats the problem. Other things that could cause this could be a faulty starter solenoid. Keep us informed.

 

[Seabright Seafood]

Thanks everyone this gives me a good list for today - batteries checked out so I had moved on from a power problem but it looks like it is worth a revisit.

 

[chawk_man]

It's tough to assess a battery unless you are using a load tester. You might want to substitute a known good battery. I always keep one charge up in my shop for these situations.

 

[aliboy]

There is a simple test to prove that it is a battery cable, battery switch, or battery problem. It is very likely one of those as the symptoms are exactly right.

Take a hand held voltmeter and measure the voltage across the battery terminals. Should be around 12.6 - 12.8v. With only the battery switch turned on, measure the voltage between the main +ve feed on the starter solenoid terminal at the engine and the engine block. Should be the same number as across the battery terminals. If it is noticeably lower, try measuring volts between the +ve solenoid feed and the -ve battery cable connection on the block. If still low, switch the battery switch back and forward a bunch of times as already mentioned. Check the voltage again. If still low, you have a bad battery cable. If the voltage at the Solenoid/block test is OK, hold the meter in place and get someone to try and start the engine. The voltage will most likely drop to some very low number. That is also caused by a bad cable or switch.

So now you have a bad cable or switch but need to know which one. If you have some battery jumper cables, bypass the -ve cabling from the battery to the engine block using the jumper cable i.e. just clip one end on the batt -ve and the pother on the block where the -ve batt cable bolts on. Try to start the engine. If it starts (rolls over at least) then you have a bad -ve batt cable. If it is still not starting, remove the jumper cable and put it on the +ve batt terminal and the +ve cable end at the solenoid. This bypasses the +ve batt cable and the batt switch. Try to start it again. If none of that works, check the voltage across the battery terminals when someone tries to start the engine to make sure the battery isn't collapsing.

If you have a cheap voltmeter and some jumper cables this is a 10 minute exercise. I fixed one of a pair of Yamaha F150s with a bad cable connection using this process a few days back. Less than 10 minutes to diagnose and another 5 to clean a bad -ve connection at the battery.

The confusing thing for people to understand is that a bad connection will let you have voltage when there is no current flow. So you can measure good voltages at the engine etc that disappear when you try to flow current through the start circuit. That is why you need to test the voltages at the engine with the key held in the start position.