Fouled Honda sparkplugs?

[Alligator]

Can anyone give me some advise on adjusting the carb on my 10hp honda kicker. I put new plugs in and within 4 hours use, it started running poorly. I replaced the soot covered plugs with two cleaned plugs and everythings okay again. I'll keep fresh plugs ready if the motor runs poorly again but I'd rather get the carb setting correct. Other than the jet screw and the idle screw there's only one other adjustable screw. Any help will be appreciated.

thanks in advance.

les

[Bait O' Eggs]

Alligator - I recently bought a shop manual for my honda outboard. Got it at Sportcraft for $22 and so far it is the cheapest thing I have brought home from Sportcraft. :depressed: I got a motor that was taken apart and placed in a cardboard box 4 years ago and I couldnt figure out to reassemble it.

I dont know what year your Honda is but if I remember correctly when I saw it, it is one of the older blue and white models like mine.

I just looked in the shop manual for carburator adjustments and it give the following.

Carburetor Adjustments
* idle speed
(1) Start the engine and run at idle until a normal operating temperature is obtained.
(2) Turn the throttle stop screw in or out as necessary until the specified idle speed is obtained

Specified idle speed is 1200 +/- 100 in neutral.

* Pilot Screw
If the pilot screw setting needs adjustment.
(1) Turn the pilot screw in or out until the highest idle rpm is reached.
(2) Readjust to the specified idle speed using the throttle stop screw.

If you dont know which screw is which, the upper one is the "Throttle Stop Screw" and the lower one is the "Pilot Screw".

I look under spark plugs and found the following. "Note: if the DR-5HS plugs tend to get heavily carboned or wet fouled, try the DR-4HS."

It also says to gap the plug at 0.024 to 0.028.

If neither of these fix your problem you are more than welcome to borrow my shop manual and see if you can find another solution to your problem. It is a really well detailed manual with lots of isometric drawings showing how to completely disassemble the entire the motor.

Good luck

[Jsail]

Alligator,
I was having the same problem all last year. A few months ago I went to get some new plugs and took all the numbers off my kicker with me. The guy checked the plugs I had and said they were wrong; in fact, they were two numbers off towards the cold side.
I got the correct plugs and all is well, problem solved.
Good luck

[Salmonator]

One word: THERMOSTAT! If your motor hasn't had this upgrade I would almost guarantee this is your problem. I had the same problem with both of the hondas i've owned, they run too cold in the northwest and you will not get a clean burn. Thus the fouled plugs. I had mine fixed under warranty at southside marine in corvallis. Ran perfect after fix... Joe

[Salmonator]

Oops two words: THERMOSTAT and HOTTER PLUGS lol... :grin:

[Bait O' Eggs]

Les - Salmonator is correct the Themostat does make a bid difference. I just took the thermostat our of my orginal motor and it was froze in the open position and all gunked up.

I run it in the salt a lot and dont flush it, so it didnt surprise me.

This is really a quite simple repair if you can get the bolts out of the cover plate, my stainless bolts had bonded with the aluminum head and broke off when I tried to remove them, making the repair a much more difficult repair. :depressed:

[SouthCoastStu]

Ditto on the thermostat. My Honda 5 hp was fouling plugs, and in general running poorly, until I replaced the thermostat (my bolt broke off too! :mad: ). Another symtom of a stuck thermostat is a milky look to the oil :shocked: . The motor never gets hot enough to evaporate the moisture in the motor, or burn the carbon off the plugs. For trolling a lot, a hotter plug is the way to go. P.S. I run my motor in the salt most of the time and flush it after each use, it still froze.

[Alligator]

Wow! what a great response.
Okay, I'm going out to check for the proper plug number, which I am pretty sure is the correct one.

Last month I replaced the gaskets and added a thermostat for none was present. No broken bolts :cool: My water in the engine oil problem was fixed.

BOE, Thanks for the carb setting proceedure. The pilot screw is the one I believe is giving me problems. I have adjusted it a few times with no reasioning what so ever used. :whazzup: My plugs were carboned up but not wet with fuel.

I'm going out right now to run and adjust the carb and will be testing the adjustments while catching chinook on the Clackamas tomorrow 5am.

Thanks again for all the help.
les

[Salmonator]

Alligator, make sure the you have the hotter than stock thermostat. Even a brand new stock thermostat doesn't run hot enough in most N.W. waters. The one that south river replaced for me was fully functional, just not suited for around here. You would think they could get it right at the factory...

[Keta]

To prevent broken SS bolts in aluminum grease the the bolt threads (I like DeOx) and they
won't corrode and fuse themselves to the aluminum. Don't use moly or graphite grease.

BOE,
Shame on you! Always flush your motor when you use it in saltwater.

[Alligator]

Salmonator, I would hope that sportcraft sold me the correct thermostat for this area. I have to say the gentleman that helped me seamed to really know his stuff.

Roy, I just finished running my motor and adjusting the carb. Although the Idle was seemingly correct the pilot screw was about two or more turns backed out from the highest idle position. Once I adjusted the pilot correctly I had to adjust the idle screw way down to reach the proper rpm. It sounds and feels smoother like a fine tuned watch. That should stop my rods from vibrating in the holders and maybe my catch record will improve :grin:

Thanks all.

[Small Fry]

Is this problem just with Honda? Or should I be looking to do the same with my Yamaha?

[Mofish]

I to had the same problem when my motor was new.
Went to sportcraft and got hotter themostat and it fixed my problem.

The other thing is you motor new? and if so are you using any oil? It is very inportant that Hondas are broken in correctly or you will contiune to foul plugs.

Most likely it will be Themostat.

Mofish

[Alligator]

Just finished drifting the Clackamas, Carver to Riverside. I used my finely tuned Honda nearly all day. The motor ran at a nice idle all day with out a problem. No fouled plugs. End of story!

Thanks to each who added to this string. :grin:

Oh! I almost forgot, one springer on and one in the boat. Slow Slow Slow :depressed:
Les

[Bait O' Eggs]

Les
I am glad those carb adjustments worked, you gave me a little more faith in the manual.

Now if I can just find those two washers I am missing to assemble this motor. graemlins/1zhelp.gif