My kicker is a 2006 Honda 5 hp. I last started it without problems in May. The otherday I pulled the choke out and pulled the rope and it started but was lugging badly. I couldn't push the choke in without it stalling. I changed the fuel filter and cleaned the sparkplug, waited about 15 minutes and it started right up and ran like a top, both in neutral and in gear. I put some Stabil in the gas and ran it for about one half hour. Today when I tried to start it I was back to square one. It just lugged along. Any suggestions before I take it to a real mechanic? Thanks.
Hard starting kicker
- Thread starter dotnmarty
- Start date
No suggestions for the motor not starting. With my YAMAHAS, 100hp and 9.9 kicker - if I am not actively boating, I start them without fail at least once a month and run them up for 20 mins or so. During the winter rainy season I use a remote tank filled with Sta-bil treated gas. I think three months is a long time to leave an outboard motor without starting/running it. On this schedule I also connect a charger and slow charge the batteries. Never had a problem in four years. Hopefully your problem is just fuel and won't result in a real mechanic charging unreal $$$$$.
If it has its own gas tank, check to make sure the tank vent is not plugged. Not too likely that is the problem but you'll sure feel silly if you find out later that it is. Easy to check - just take the fill lid off while its running and see if it improves. Another goofy thing that can give you those symptoms - even intermittently - is a leaky o-ring on the fuel line connector.
Or, it could be you made too fast a run to Coupeville and the little motor hates the big one now.
Or, it could be you made too fast a run to Coupeville and the little motor hates the big one now.
When an engine runs with the choke on or runs better slightly choked and dies when you unchoke: Almost always indicates the engine is not getting enough fuel. Fuel passages in the carb are plugged. Sediment builds up in the float bowl as well. When you add stabil it is quite possible it will loosen the varnish but then the loose stuff just keeps pluggin up the tiny passages. The stabil is a bit after the fact. You now must clean the carb of varnish/sediment build up and then use the stabil to try and prevent it from happening in the future.
Pull off the float bowl and see what is floating in the fuel inside. You can clean quite a bit with a spray can of carb cleaner, a tooth brush and a thin wire.
Give it a try. If you don't want to purchase a manual for your kicker your local library will have several manuals on small engines and outboards that outline the procedure. Yes, the carb may not be identical but they all share common parts and the cleaning is basically the same. This is a common re-occurring problem with carbed engines. Better to learn the cure now and it won't be a big deal or big money in the future.
Good luck
Pull off the float bowl and see what is floating in the fuel inside. You can clean quite a bit with a spray can of carb cleaner, a tooth brush and a thin wire.
Give it a try. If you don't want to purchase a manual for your kicker your local library will have several manuals on small engines and outboards that outline the procedure. Yes, the carb may not be identical but they all share common parts and the cleaning is basically the same. This is a common re-occurring problem with carbed engines. Better to learn the cure now and it won't be a big deal or big money in the future.
Good luck
Marty, don't know if this is any help....but our former C-Dory 16' had a 8 HP Honda kicker on it. For quite some time I had an extremely difficult time getting it to start. Then someone told me "don't touch the throttle prior to starting it as it floods out so easily". After following that advice, the size of my biceps reduced significantly... :disgust .
Update--I did every single thing you all suggested. Then I approached the motor very gently, not touching the throttle or the bulb. I pulled the choke out maybe halfway, pulled the rope ever so gently until I felt resistance. Then I yanked hard once. Shazam!! She ran like a top. After about 45 minutes of running it in the slip in neutral and in gear, we satisfied the last remaining suggestion, the one from Dr. Mike. I spoke to it gently, telling it that it and it alone was going to propel us from Everett across the harbor all the way to Clinton, farther, I told it, than the Muklelteo ferry goes! And so it did, at 4.3 miles per hour. How much money did you guys save me? I called the place I bought the motor from and they said "bring it in, we get $80 per hour plus parts." I called an authorized Honda service place they said "a tune up runs a little over $200." So, again, thanks. I love this site (and my Honda 5hp)
