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honda 8 hp in for service

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/25/2004 : 13:43:08

I took my OB in for service. After 50 hours of motoring on my vacation plus 18 months of general use its time for a new impeller, thermostat, timing belt, also having the lower end oil changed, and new spark plugs.

It's killing me already to not be able to go sailing after work. I may have to take my 3.5 HP short shaft Mercury dinghy motor down and see if I can get it down far enough into the water at least to get in and out of the slip (no reverse, thats going to be fun). Maybe I can take a big paddle. I'm only concerned with getting back if the wind dies.

Anybody wants to take me sailing, please let me know. Fish are biting, seas calm, and the wind has been very good in the evenings!

I'm going to pull the boat for bottom painting in the very near future.

BTW - The shop had a high thrust, pull start, Honda 9.9 HP long shaft for $2250, and a high thrust Honda 8 HP short shaft for $1750.

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2004 : 13:48:12

Come on out! (45 minutes from Laguardia.)

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2004 : 13:55:22

Five minutes from MacArthur, and we can pick Dave up at the Pt. Jeff ferry.
Val on Calista # 3936
Patchogue, N.Y

Edited by - on

PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2004 : 13:59:21

Don't let no reverse stop you. Just swing the boat at the slip. Check in Chapmans's or some such for tips. Generally, if there's not much wind at the slip you just use the lines to turn it just out of the slip. The boat turns very easily, I do it all the time when working on alternate sides at the dock. Run a line from the bow all the way around the stern and another line from a cleat aft all the way around the stern. Do that on the side opposite to where you are standing.
Use at least one line on the side you are standing, near the stern is best. Push the boat out until it has room to pivot, pull smartly on the two lines you ran around the stern and she will pivot around. Gently use the two stern cleated lines on both side to pull her back into the slip.
Clean up the lines and you are ready to go. It can be done so that boat turns from bow also, depends on wind and current how you might have to do it.

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2004 : 14:13:31

You can also just gently walk the boat out, slightly turning the stern the right way (assuming your bow-in) and pull yourself up onto the bow at the end of the finger -- no engine or lines needed.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2004 : 16:43:09

ouch - just got the estimate $450 to $550 and its going to take until this time next week. Still, its a great little motor and worth it. Much cheaper than new. She deserves the maintenance.

Hopefully my little 3.5 HP will work. I think I can push the stern out and use a line or two to get going with no reverse.

RichardG - can you imagine powering the big boat with the "old reliable" ESKA? That would be a funny sight and sound.

Guys - I'd love to take you up on the Long Island Sound sailing invite!!

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2004 : 18:16:36

Just hold the 3.5 in the water and turn it around....

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay"
C250 # 618 Currently Under Agreement.
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/C250WB

Edited by - on

jheard
1st Mate

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USA
49 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2004 : 18:27:12

Ack $500! You can do the work yourself. Any boater can do regular maintenance on an outboard. Go down to your local powerboat dealer. It will usually have the shop book for your engine. Buy it along with a tune up kit. You can do all those items you mentioned yourself in one afternoon in your garage. The hardest part is dragging the motor from your boat to your garage and back :)

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2004 : 19:05:02

The Eska's actual specs are 1.6 hp (2.0 cid). I have no doubt whatsoever that it could get me home in a pinch, in which case sight and sound would matter little. Mixing the 25:1 gas and filling the tank every quarter mile would get kind of old though.

I agree with Joshua in that you could lower your bill a tad by doing some of the easy work yourself, but you are probably being prudent to let an expert handle the tougher stuff unless you are absolutely sure you are up to it. I've heard too many stories of guys messing things up by doing it themselves. I'm usually the first in line to try to save a buck, but for my engine I usually pay a well known, full-time outboard mechanic to fix it except for basic, bi-annual lube and plugs stuff.

Edited by - RichardG on 08/25/2004 19:48:21

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2004 : 20:24:09

jheard postulated: <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">You can do all those items you mentioned yourself in one afternoon in your garage. The hardest part is dragging the motor from your boat to your garage and back <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Ah....easier said than done, wrench-breath. I was laboring under the same misconception myself until attempting - WITH the help of a genuine $31.00 Seloc outboard repair manual sitting opened by my side - to remove the lower unit on my 8hp Honda 4-stroke long-shaft outboard. It was as the head snapped off the second of four bolts that I needed to remove (leaving the bolt itself still screwed in and me just screwed) that I decided this was not a job for Joe Average Boat Guy. I had an epiphany: God invented the Yellow Pages for people like me.

$282.00 later, my little outboard has freshly cleaned and tuned carbs, a new water pump and impeller, newly lubed lower unit and, most importantly, my fingers are still intact with no stitches and I have confidence that the job was done right. Life is good. Besides, I don't even have a garage.

Steve

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2004 : 21:11:09

I'm sure I could do the work. However, I can't afford to break any seized bolts off. I completely ruined a Nissan 8 HP dinghy motor trying to get the head off in the past. I'm willing to do a carb rebuild, change plugs, fix wiring, or replace the CDI. I am a little worried about a cooling system that is partly blocked somewhere. I simply can't afford to screw this motor up.

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2004 : 23:35:47

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JimB517
 
I am a little worried about a cooling system that is partly blocked somewhere. I simply can't afford to screw this motor up.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

This is the price you pay to have your boat in salt water instead of a fresh water lake or river. Most of the people in my sailing club have never had their boats anywhere but in Folsom Lake, and some of them have Honda 7.5's and 10's that are 25 years old and have never needed any service but an oil change once a year, and maybe one new water pump impeller in the whole 25 years. Of course, lake sailing gets stale after a while, and most of us yearn for broader horizons to point our bows at someday.

Edited by - on

sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2004 : 01:32:13

Well here goes. After reading the forums for some years now I'm jumping in. Just brought home a 15hp Honda longshaft to replace the Chrysler 9.9 which still is on the boat and running well but... It at first sounds as if I picked the right motor with the extra long shaft but now the cost of keeping it up sounds expensive. I have kept the 9.9 up by using the manual but this Honda has much more to do. Why do you have to change timing belt and thermostat? Is it suggested? Hope you get to sail.

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2004 : 07:54:35

I have found once the bonnet is off most services on my Honda 8 are easily performed. You certainly can inspect the timing belt, change plugs and fuel filter, change engine oil and lower unit oil. As for the thermostat and impellar, still a good stream coming out of the
tell-tale water discharge line. I may try the thermostat this fall.
Our season in upstate N.Y. has about a month left until the Great Sacandaga Lake is drawn down to where sailboat trailers have just enough water left to easily pull sailboats out with out man handling.
Been a very wet and cool summer up here...."Bear"

Edited by - on

cvwall
1st Mate

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USA
56 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2004 : 08:23:56

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by lcharlot
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JimB517
 
I am a little worried about a cooling system that is partly blocked somewhere. I simply can't afford to screw this motor up.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

This is the price you pay to have your boat in salt water instead of a fresh water lake or river. Most of the people in my sailing club have never had their boats anywhere but in Folsom Lake, and some of them have Honda 7.5's and 10's that are 25 years old and have never needed any service but an oil change once a year, and maybe one new water pump impeller in the whole 25 years. Of course, lake sailing gets stale after a while, and most of us yearn for broader horizons to point our bows at someday.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> And, we salt water types only worry about low water at spring tides or when the moon is at perigee

Edited by - on

Doug
Captain

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USA
457 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2004 : 09:42:55

And salt water tends to go much, much farther...

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2004 : 11:03:21

If that's the price for salt water, I'll pay it. I get so many rewards from sailing the Pacific. Its one reason I have the C25 - all you have to do is unbolt the motor and take it for service. Compare that to servicing a 20 year old, salt water cooled in board Yanmar diesel (you're talking $4000 or $12000 for replacement). Plus I love the fact that I have basically no throughhulls - everyone on my dock with an inboard is also having some kind of leak somewhere - stuffing box, rudder post, holding tank, ....

I'm replacing the timing belt because it seems a little loose and is just slightly frayed. A new thermostat is recommended every time you change the impeller. By the way - welcome to the forum Sweetcraft. Another reason I have this boat besides easy maintenance is this great group of people.

This is the first service the motor has had in 3 or 4 years. As you know, I use it nearly every day (which, I believe is actually good for an outboard).

Sometimes water flows out the "pisser" sometimes not. The motor has never overheated, but is running very hot to the touch.

Edited by - JimB517 on 08/26/2004 11:07:44

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2004 : 11:25:47

Welcome Jim. I apologize for my fellow pig forum members for ignoring you...

Fair winds, and enjoy this most helpful exchange. My Honda manual says nothing about impeller, thermostat and timing belt changing. It only mentions fluids, filters, zincs, plugs, starter cords etc.

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay"
C250 # 618 Currently under agreement.
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/C250WB

Edited by - Oscar on 08/26/2004 11:27:46

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2004 : 12:42:09

My 3.3HP short shaft Mercury OB gets into the water deep enough to move the boat - just barely. The anti-cavitation plate is under the water about 1/2" but only when I'm sitting directly over it. So its enough to move the boat out of the slip and down the fairway. I wouldn't trust it to move the boat more than 100 yards at about 2 knots.

It was a real different experience to sail last night in very light and variable winds essentially without a motor. Conditions where I certainly would have powered up and headed in if I had the option found me working each puff to try to get 100 yards farther on. Sitting in the boat at the end of the day and sailing through Mission Bay Quivira basin towards home at 1 knot in gathering darkness and total silence was a special experience. Sailed all the way into the slip.

Truth be told, I was afraid to go out far into the ocean in such light air. The experience doubles my resolve to have an anchor ready. Karen suggested I take a paddle or two along.

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2004 : 17:55:35

Dirty Harry says: "A man has got to know his limitations"
Therefore I took my Honda into the shop when it refused to run last fall. Water in the carb from not closing the tank vent, and the water messed up some needle valves. It seems the new engines have little tolerance for contamination as a result of meeting EPA regs.
So if you have an older engine, take very good care of it (but of course you do)

Edited by - on

JJM
Navigator

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USA
170 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2004 : 18:37:25

I've got a Honda 8HP longshaft and use it in the salty Pacific. I believe that a good preventive maintenance program will reap long term rewards. So, I purchased a flush kit for my engine and flush out the engine for about 10 to 15 minutes everytime I return to my slip. My dealer told me that not too many owners would do this. I must be weird.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2004 : 19:21:21

I'm going to add the flush kit from our Tech Tips page to my engine when I get it back from the shop.

I don't flush very often (once per month?) but I think I am going to try to get it done more often - I think the kit will help make that easy.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2004 : 21:59:04

"flush out the engine for about 10 to 15 minutes everytime I return to my slip. My dealer told me that not too many owners would do this.
I must be weird."

Then I'm a wierdo too. 4 strokes run hotter internally than 2 strokes... salt 'cooking' and deposits are a major problem if you don't keep on top of them.

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2004 : 22:53:18

What about adding a blaster pump to handle washdown duties and flushing. You could use the fresh water tank to supply it and help keep the water fresh in the tank. Can you tell I have been thinking about this?

Edited by - on

JJM
Navigator

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USA
170 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2004 : 23:07:33

Okay, I am a newbie - what is a blaster pump and how does one go about using it???

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2004 : 23:21:10

"Okay, I am a newbie - what is a blaster pump and how does one go about using it???"

A small 12V pump that provides a pressurized sream of water for washing down the boat.

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