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2022 BF60 and possible vapor lock?

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FishingEngineer

New member
Engine: 2022 Honda (EFI) BF60 with approximately 60 hours on it. Boat has a water/fuel separator and external filter. Always use non-oxy gas.

Problem: A few times now after running hard for 5 or 10 minutes I have stopped only to find that I cannot restart the engine. It will turn over but sounds like it is not getting fuel. Once it happened at the landing. I got the boat on the trailer and the engine started just fine the next day. It sounds like classic vapor lock. I found out by accident that if I tilt the motor all the way forward and try starting it, it will start.

My question is what is going on in the engine to make it start when tilted all the way forward? I am getting parts to replace the fuel delivery system (fuel hose, filter, etc. ) I have also read about a grommet (insulator) that should be replaced too.

I'm hoping someone more familiar with the VST and other components will chime in and shed some light on this!! Thanks in advance.

(new member here)
 
This is a common problem with Honda 40,50,60 engines. I'm surprised its happened to your 2022, I thought it would have been fixed at the factory by then. You likely have a swelled rubber grommet blocking fuel flow from the high pressure fuel pump. I had this issue with my 60 and I made this youtube video on how to fix it. I have since had more issues similar to this but now its intermittent fuel pump issues, it doesn't always come on when trying to start, other times it will turn on.
If you do the work yourself I suggest changing the grommet and fuel pump at the same time, because I'll be into mine for a second time to change the pump (I did the grommet last year)
 
Thanks for the great reply. And that is an awesome video. Thanks for making it and sharing it with the Honda community.

Can you speculate what is happening when I tilt the motor all the way forward? It has started now several times in that position when it would not in the normal upright position.

I appreciate your comments about doing the pump at the same time, but it does not seem it should be necessary when there's only 50-60 hours on the engine. If there is a factory design defect in the fuel pump I don't want to just replace it with another fuel pump that has a design defect.
 
No problem, I'll need to refer to my own video again when I do the fuel pump this fall, haha.
I never tried tilting my motor forward to start it, especially at the lake I would not do that because then when it starts it will not be pulling any water and could damage the impeller.
Mine is a 2016 so I figure with the grommet issues I had that I was wearing out my fuel pump prematurely. You could also check your main relay, I plan to change mine when all my parts arrive, it turns the fuel pump on when turning the key. Could me another area to look in your case.
 
Good thought on the relay. I know you can hear the fuel pump come on in a car (slight hum). I have not listened close enough on the Honda to see if you can hear it or not.
 
You;ll need a second person to listen for the fuel pump after you turn the key (when the control box beeps)
I found that if you could hear the pump after about 5seconds, then start cranking it would start. If we could not hear the fuel pump, it would not fire up.
 
You might try cycling the key three times in succession before attempting to crank so that the pump increases the "pre-charge" of the fuel rail. It's a trick I've used on cars to get them started when the pump is weak or the check valve is leaking.

I have no experience working on the Honda efi engine though so it's just an idea.

If you do go into the VST, make certain that the fuel cooler is clear. That is a suggestion that ian6766 put forward in one of the threads about this issue.

He also mentioned that on outboards that don't get used much, fuel shellac deposits can cause hard starting too. He has a.shop and works on Hondas often.

Good luck to both of you.
 
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