Honda 130 overheating

[mmthomas1983]

I have a Honda 130hp outboard. I believe it is a 2001. It has been sitting for 3 years and I am trying to get her running again. I changed all the fluids and plugs and put some fresh gas in her. She fired right up too and runs good. The problem is it will run for a few minutes on a cold start and then just turn off. It doesn't sputter just shuts off like you turned off the key. It will start right back up and then will turn off again after maybe 10 seconds. I have no lights coming on on the dash and no alarms sounding. But I suspect it is overheating. I have a very strong stream of water coming out the back. While the engine is running the water is ice cold coming out of the back. After it turns off water continues to run out of the back for a few seconds and it instantly changes to extremely warm water. I'm sure this is a sign of something gone bad just not sure what it means. I took the thermostat out and it was very corroded. I replaced it but I am still having the same problem. I got this boat from my grandfather after he died and it lives in saltwater. I don't think he ever flushed it out after use. Anyone have any suggestions? If the water pump has crapped out would it still be shooting a good stream of water out of the back? And why would the water only get hot after the engine shuts off?

 

[chawk_man]

It is not unusual for the water to be hotter after turning off the engine. The water is no longer flowing, and what is running out is the residual water that is absorbing the heat from the manifolds. Furthermore, if it was an overheat situation, the engine would not normally start back up right away. So I suspect that you have a fuel flow problem. I'm not that familiar with the 130, but it probably has two fuel filters - one low pressure where the fuel line goes into the engine and a high pressure filter at the VST just before the fuel is metered into the fuel rail. Change those two filters and drain your VST (vacuum separator tank) for a start.

 

[hondadude]

Ditto to what chawk_man said. Normally, an overheat will cause an solid audible alert and a red overheat light to come on.

One other thing to check is that when you turn your key switch to on....do all four warning lights (you may have only two) come on and the alarm sound for 2 seconds? That is a test to show you that the warning systems are working.

The most important thing.....since it has been sitting for 3 years, the fuel is probably no longer fuel. Get a portable tank with fresh gas and fuel treatment and connect directly to the engine. The open the drain to the vapor separator and flush the fuel system. 130's need good fresh gas to run.

I had one in that was doing the same thing....it would start up for a couple of seconds, then die. It drove me crazy. I checked everything in the world on that motor but only took a quick sample of the fuel. It looked ok and smelled like gas (I had no history of the age of the fuel). The only thing left was the fuel. Flushed system with fresh fuel and it started up and ran good.

The 130's do not like to run unless they have good gas and good spark plugs.

Mike