Honda 2.3 hp outboard

[trouts]

third tip here in the tropics when it rains it rains hard and fast. so you soon learn to find ways to keep water out of the little Hondas fuel tank. so here goes. keep that pure 98 fuel in a 5 litter tote can that you fill in a dry clean place. don't fill the Honda in the rain, took me a while to work this one out, never said I was smart. keep breather on fuel cap closed when it is raining the engine will go quite a while before it starts to slow, just crack the breather for a sec and retighten do this all trou the rain period . and you will keep the water out of the tank .the Honda will run happly like this and will let you know when it needs a little air.

[trouts]

some posts are about corrosion I have herd of rotted out sumps on early models some say this has been fixed on the later models. I have no real knowledge of other peoples engines only mine. on my second engine took of all the top engine covers the black ones, for a look didn't like what I saw. the alloy looked like corrosion way under way. the engine was about 1 year old by then with lots of hours, so I asked the Honda what to put on it to stop the problem answer spray it with silicon spray. so I washed the engine block and fins with alloy brite/bull bar cleaner. this was not serjested by Honda it my idea. so if you do the same be a little carefull not to go mad with the strength of the alloy brite. I then used a mercury product called corrosion guard its a waxy spay can stuff that's legendry. I sprayed it all over the block ,carby every thing. except the engine fins and head. I sprayed 3 coats let it dry then sprayed the silicone spray onto the head and fins. that was about 1000 hrs ago and if I get another 500 hr before the engine needs replacement I will be happy. it did smell and smoke a little for about a week after this had no probs but, and will be doing the same to my next 2.3 strait out of the box.

[trouts]

I will post more tips later if any one wants I am a mechanic with 40 years experience. which means I am old enough to know I don't know it all; and am still leaning. please post your tips on this world beater of a engine I am all ways ready to learn more on my engine of choice. good or bad.

[trouts]

re- starts in gear (no gears as such) you have to turn it around for reverse, louder than my 9.8 2 stroke tohatsu!! dont do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[trouts]

if the idle speed is correct the engine will be in neutral if not see previous post about carb cleaning. as you roll on the throttle the centrifugal clutch will engage so smoothly you wont feel it ,just like the 80 million Honda cubs made so far, and still counting. the reason for turning the outboard 180 deg, is so you have full trust in reverse something the larger outboard's cannot do. unless they have a dual trust propeller and I don't think they match a outboard in forward witch is what turning one of the many little outboards around does. oh I forgot to say ,if engine oil is a little low engine noise is a lot more .I tend to end up with my engine a bit over full, due to the tiny amount of oil involved. i find It hard to get it exact. so by accident I have found a bit overfull makes for less noise seems to be a fair bit less to me. sorry for bad diction I my posts I am a mechanic not a shinny bum. to throughs how find my posts painfully oblivious remember we all got to learn. hoping to see some more posts on my favourite engine so I can learn more. hope this may be of a little use to some one.

[cabo_sailor]

Hello Trouts,

I too am a fan of the little Honda that could. I'm on my second Honda 2 hp. I was teaching my wife to dock when she wiped number 1 off the rail mount into the drink. 😢

She bought a new one the next day when they said it couldn't be fixed. Of course she left the "unusable" motor with them. 😱

Any way I found myself eventually having to clean the carb. I used a small ultrasonic cleaner with a heating element. Ten minutes in a mix of Simple Green and water followed by a good drying with a small air compressor and then put it all back together. Starts everytime on first or second pull.

Those ultrasonic cleaners work great for all small parts. It's the size of a lunch pail.

Rich


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[trouts]

thanks for the tip rich, by the way if your dealer asks you to pay more at a later service so he can check the centrifcal clutch I recommend if its not giving trouble say no. I fell for this on the first engine. cost about 150 more for service, and judging by the extreme hours the second engine has done with the clutch acting the same as when it was new. and the dealers report on his checks on the fist engines clutch, its fine, that will be $150 thanks. I have towed the mother ship 3 or for miles up river on more than one occasion. when the ft 60 yammy needed repairs, eg buggered water pump, u\s computer . I tow slow of cause ,like 1 knot . third to one quarter throttle in reverse dingy backwards pulling from front tow/painter cable .as the engine has full trust with dingy backwards and a even pull, if the tide is against you just slightly. the main boat tows strait,i have not been able to tow any other way ,with any sort of control. but the clutch and gear box,an d gearbox oil are fine after 3 or 4 mile tow, I am Shure that would not be the case if you just wound on the throttle full bore. another case of slow and gentle wins the race. 22222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 22222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 22222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 22222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 22222222222

[Toxophilite]

I'm new here and this has been interesting reading as I'm contemplating getting one of these for my Danica 16 full keel double ender. It's about 950lbs and my longshaft 40 plus (2-3 hp high thrust) will push it at about 3.5 knts

I will comment on somebody else's comment on the British Seagull being air-cooled

"The first that comes to mind is the British Seagull, which I am happy to admit is slightly before my time."

British seagull motors are water-cooled, no air cooled models.
Also you can rub one off the rail of your boat, into saltwater and with a rinse, dry and fresh gas they will be running again in no time, No problem
They can actually handle being submerged up to a day.
I like mine, not for everyone , but reliable as heck , super easy to fix and about 30 lbs with gas. I'm thinking about the Honda but there's so many mixed reviews and they sound kind of finicky. I haven't had one though, so no actual experience.
Any idea how they would handle pushing a 950 lbs full keel 15' sailboat?

[trouts]

hi all haven't posted for a long time as forget password, so here is some up dates.

old engine died of seized gearbox at a bout 3500 hours due to no oil from fishing line seal damage. engine still started first pull if carbie was clean ,still never had tappets adjusted. just carbie cleans and spark plug once a year or so. and of cause oil changes every 5 to 6 months .

have had new 2.3 for about 2 years it leads a easy life so far, as up to a about 3 months ago no crabbing, so only done 200 hours or so have fitted a hour meter to see how long it will last

was most upset to see it is now made in china not japan. but it has performed perfectly so far. had to clean carbie after about 18 months as it was full of water.

they have updated the fuel cap to a larger size so is easer to remove.

still gets water in tank if rain is heavy and you don't close vent.

I should use the old school trick of fitting a half tennis ball over it so rain don't get in but as its only needed a carbie clean once in the 2 years I haven't bothered. I guess I am better at closing the vent valve now and the new style cap is a little better at keeping the water out. come on Honda surly with your huge teams of engineers you can beat this problem and truly make the little jem.... perfect.

as for the can it push a large boat at sub displacement speeds of cause it can. and should not be spoken of in the same breath as a... god forsaken seagull,.... 2 stroke engine.

both engine would require the same amount of work if they fell into salt water a complete Eng. internal flush including flush of cylinder thru spark plug hole whilst pulling engine over then diesel or similar flush and several over full oil changers in the case of the Honda. carbie cleans for both and complete fuel tank and fuel line flush's/cleans.

in the case of the seagull massive electrical flush as it wont be solid state. so Honda several oil changes seagull eclectics over haul.

there is no engine that can be immersed with the fuel vent open that would not require fuel system flush out and carbie clean. plus internal flushing.

fuel vent closed still a carbi clean.

[Toxophilite]

Um I have owned several British Seagulls and yes I have actually dropped one in the drink inadvertently. A fresh water rinse and then letting it dry and it worked fine. No oil flush no special electric flush etc etc.Have you ever had this happen to you with a Seagull? They are great engines, You can practically strip and overhaul them on the dock. There's also debate about whether a 4 stroke is much better as you still have to change the oil and dispose of it. It doesn't magically disappear. Seagulls have lots of power, I pushed a defunct 24' heavy powerboat with bottom growth and a giant motor still attached to it several kilometers with a Seagull Century (3.5hp) no problem.
Anway Here I go Honda Seagull honda seagull honda seagull..muhahahaha!

[trouts]

dam I just spent half an hour replying to you, and it didn't load.

so I will send a shorter reply, I know someone who still has one .

you where very lucky to have it work so well after a dunking.

they are no longer sold in Australia as they don't meet government air pollution laws.

they will push harder then the Honda as long as gear ratio and prop pitch suit. assuming the 3.5 hp is at the rated at the prop and not the power head as older engines were. as the Honda is only 2.3 hp at the prop. as far as I am aware.

enjoy your seagull... as a man who loves first gen Honda civics to many peoples amusement. I can fully understand other people could love the little seagull.

I could not consider one for a work engine as I need a engine that don't break down year in year out... for thousands of hours.

and have class leading fuel economy the Honda uses less then 1 litre of fuel in two crab pot checks, empty and rebate in the Mourilyan harbour basin. if pots are all on one side of basin. a little more if pots are on both sides. you can check size of the basin on google, its just south of Innisfail q.l.d Australia.

no other engine comes close to the Honda for fuel usage. also as it is air cooled I sometimes 4 wheel drive thru the mud /sand banks with no damage to engine to get to the mud crab pots.

no other engine can do that. other modern 4 strokes from other company's just snap the shear pin on the prop and of cause are water cooled so you shouldn't do this anyway.

for some reason the Honda don't shear the pin,... even thou it has one.


enjoy your seagull

[trouts]

the reason for theprop walking thru mud banks is the little Honda has no shallow water setting you can adjust the shaft angle but that is not shallow water position. still for about 1,200 aus when not on sale what can you expect.

[trouts]

hi for all of you people who want to know I have finally got the weight of my mother ship its 9.7 tonne or 9700 kilograms.

so when you ask will it move my 950 or 1500 pound boat I guess the answer is yes.

seeing as it tows my near 10.000 kilo vessel at 1 knot or so. and can go a little faster.
all ....against a little tide movement.

update on latest engine as I was sad to see it was made in china, well it is still going great probably better then all the previous ones. I have had 3 others, one was stolen. and one was second hand.

as Honda make continual upgrades/ improvements this new one is the best. so far.

it has only done 400 hours or so I haven't looked a the hour meter I fitted to it for a while, as I never need to lift its little engine cover between services.

it needs a carbie clean as there is water in the fuel boal. but I cant find the key for the padlock to remove it from the 3.85 meter tinne its locked on to.

I don't have a 3 meter polycraft tuff tender at the moment so I use the tinne as tender. last one lost to a flood, painter broke so by by little polycraft.

I always seem to do up the drain screw on the carbie, cat, diesel fitter tight. and can never get it open ever again.

never had a Honda that would, after I got to it.

so anyway it seems to me the made in china 2.3 engine is just fine.

the love affair goes on.

but here is a thought, how long before a eclectic motor knocks the little Honda off, as best small outboard.