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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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8hp Honda won't tilt

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wm36
1st Mate

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USA
69 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/13/2018 : 19:47:52

I am the new owner of a 95 C250 WB. When I got my new acquisition home and started trying things out (we only had so much time to demonstrate things during our purchase trip), I find that I cannot tilt the 8HP Honda outboard (I think it's a '96). I see the Tilt/Run lever on the side of the motor, and I am able to move that to both positions, but the motor stays firmly locked in the vertical position. The boat is parked on the trailer in my driveway so I am able to experiment with it. Any suggestions what to try?

Wayne & Lynn
Hillsboro OR
1995 C250 WB #151

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4275 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2018 : 20:16:07

Be sure it's not in reverse. All outboard motors I've ever been around are locked down when in reverse to keep the prop from lifting the motor under higher power settings.

~~If that doesn't work... Without starting the motor try shifting it into forward. Put the tilt run lever in the Tilt position and trying lifting the motor.~~

One of these two positions should work.

Or you could call Henk!

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GaryB
Andiamo
'89 SR/WK #5862
Kemah,TX

Edited by - GaryB on 02/13/2018 20:51:16

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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4275 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2018 : 20:38:43

Here's a link to the Honda Outboard Owners Manuals -- https://m.marine.honda.com/owners/manuals

Select "Portable" from the list, scroll down to the BF8, click on the "+", then scroll down to the appropriate "serial number" range that matches the serial number on your motor. Click on it to get the owners manual for your motor in a .PDF file that you can download to your computer.

I looked thru approx. 10 of these manuals for the tilt instructions and they all say to make sure the motor is in neutral, move the tilt/run lever to the tilt position, then grab the handle on the back of the engine cowling to tilt the motor up. Do NOT use the tiller handle to tilt the motor.

Once in the desired position push the tilt/run lever to the run position to hold the motor at the desired tilt angle.

Below is an example in one of the manuals:

4. Tilting the motor
Tilt the motor to prevent the propeller and gear case from hitting
bottom when the boat is beached or stopped in shallow water.
1. Stop the engine and put the gearshift lever into NEUTRAL.
2. Pull the tilt lever toward you, set the lever in the TILT position, and
raise the engine to either the 30�, 45� and 70� tilt position.
J7iiEiq
Do not use the throttle grip to tilt the outboard motor.
3. To return the engine to the normal RUN position, move the tilt lever
away from you until it stops, tilt the engine up slightly, then lower
the engine slowly.
)NOTlCEl
Do not transport the motor in the tilted position; it may drop
suddenly causing damage to the boat or the motor.
30� 49 70�

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GaryB
Andiamo
'89 SR/WK #5862
Kemah,TX

Edited by - GaryB on 02/13/2018 20:50:11

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1297 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2018 : 21:49:09

Welcome to the forum Wayne

This is puzzling... the on-line manual, thank you Gary, does not, in case of problems, seem clear or descriptive at all. It seems logical to ensure that motor is in neutral before lifting. Not having encountered any problems, we are at a loss to resolve this.

Hopefully there is a Honda outboard shop or dealer close by to help solve this or perhaps someone on this forum has had a similar experience

Henk & Johanna
"Floating", a few off your "barnacles".
"Someday Lady" '95 C250WB #151 ('03 - 2016)
"Sea ya" 30ft Bayliner (04-2018 - 09-2018)
"Mariah" '96 C250WB #191 (05-2019 - 15-05-2023)
"Lady J" '00 C250WK #499 (05-2021 - 09-2022)

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2018 : 06:28:04

There are small springs that hook on to small pins in the release mechanism. Could be that one is broken. Happened to me. I also have it I'm my annual maintenance to lubricate the mechanism by spraying some WD-40 all over it.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Edited by - islander on 02/14/2018 06:35:48

wm36
1st Mate

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USA
69 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2018 : 09:18:36

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I did ask Henk about it and he suggested the same thing as the manual. I did find an online copy of the manual and like Gary posted, it should be simple: stop the motor, gear lever in Neutral, move lever to Tilt, tilt the motor. I will experiment some more with the gear lever, and Islander I thought of the WD-40 idea last night. I will experiment with that today. I have also been trying to lift from the shaft end standing on the ground, I will try it more lifting from the motor cover sitting on the boat. Maybe there is something to the pulling-up motion. I have shined a flashlight up into the mechanism and I don't see anything obviously wrong.

Wayne & Lynn
Hillsboro OR
1995 C250 WB #151

dmarion
1st Mate

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Canada
67 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2018 : 09:31:27

quote:
Originally posted by islander

There are small springs that hook on to small pins in the release mechanism. Could be that one is broken. Happened to me.

Same thing happened to me. A $7 spring that was broken.

Daniel Marion
Zendo
Cat 250 WB 2001 Hull #592
Valleyfield, QC,
Canada

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2018 : 18:25:38

The tilt mechanism is complicated. There are levers, springs and springs counteracted by other springs that are adjusted by levers. I've spent quite a bit of time with mine because sometimes I cannot get the engine to move from one click of tilt to vertical even though it'll go from two clicks of tilt to one click of tilt. WD-40 helps plus lube for the detente bearing. Takes a lot of trial and error, mostly the latter in my case. One thing I will warn you on is be extremely careful putting hands or fingers in the area behind the engine. The motor weighs ~100 lbs and there are several pinch points back there to give you a nasty blood blister or you could bust a knuckle. Not fun.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

wm36
1st Mate

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USA
69 Posts

Response Posted - 02/15/2018 : 16:42:46

Those of you have experienced this (Scott, Daniel, Bruce): did you repair it yourself? Or take it to a shop? Any advice for working on it myself?

Wayne & Lynn
Hillsboro OR
1995 C250 WB #151

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 02/15/2018 : 18:07:46

I'm mechanical so to me it was an easy fix. My problem was a broken pin and a weak spring. Ordered the parts online and it was a 15 min. Fix. My suggestion is to look at the mechanism closely and try to understand how it works. If you don't see anything that doesn't look right then it could just be stuck from non use and just needs a good lubrication. You definitely need to have the engine in neutral and the tilt lever in tilt.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Edited by - islander on 02/15/2018 18:17:59

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 02/15/2018 : 21:14:43

...and I would cycle the shifter from F to R a few times to possibly shake loose the reverse lock--then go to N.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 02/15/2018 21:16:55

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2018 : 15:53:48

In my case I lubricated the entire mechanism. I took the parts out, cleaned them with degreaser, wire brushed them then regressed them and reinstalled them. Nothing was broken but there was some corrosion on the parts. The working part, I believe it's called a Pall, slips into grooves in the stationary part of the engine mount. Before it was quite stiff, afterwards it worked fine.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4275 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2018 : 18:45:09

Another case of a manufacturer making something way more complicated than it needs to be.

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GaryB
Andiamo
'89 SR/WK #5862
Kemah,TX

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2018 : 00:30:51

You could say that but when it works (and that�s 99.999% of the time) it works very well. It�s a feat of high quality mechanical engineering.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

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