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Honda BF8A No Spark

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rlawrence

New member
Honda BF8A, SN BZBC-1401877
First I cannot find the exact parts
diagram for this sn. Anyone that can please link; thanks.

I looked for posts here for "spark" but find little on this model. I have the proverbial "no spark" issue. Coil good. Pulled flywheel and everything "looks good", i.e. nothing obvious. Kill switch is ok and working properly. Neutral switch is closed in neutral AND forward, and open in reverse; don't what it is supposed to be in neutral is the first question.
Second question, is... how to test the other components without doing the replacement repair procedure. These old motor repairs can get costly quickly compared to value....
Looking for some valuable knowledge or links, not conjectures.

thanks
 
The wiring diagram indicates that the neutral switch is normally open. Try unplugging one side of the switch and re-test for spark.
 
Thanks!

I completely disconnected it and no spark. Same as kill switch. I do not know how to test other components in the ignition system. Usually in something like this I'd find a bad switch or something obvious. I still think I'm missing something obvious......

How do I know which model to use on that link? What is the "X" in the model? I don't have that on my engine. It stops at BF8A on the nameplate.
 
Has someone been working on this outboard? That's the first "simple" thing I want to know. As in, was something left unplugged or cross-wired?

The fact that the neutral switch is so obviously out of adjustment makes me suspicious right off.

I don't have any experience on that particular model and you said "no conjecture" so I have to say that most ideas I might have would be just that.

This isn't though:
The X in the parts descriptor line is a year break letter. Yours is a 1999...with an X.

If you look up a 1998, it will have a W.



If you look up a 2000, it will have a Y.


Those year breaks won't have any bearing on parts compatibility for that "series" or A model.

But in 2001 Honda introduced the D model and those are different animals with different components.

If you find that you need certain parts for the A model, as in; CDI, carburetor, pulsar or many others you will see that they are not only no longer available, Honda doesn't even list them anymore in some cases.
You will be relegated to finding used (on ebay most likely) or get lucky and find a donor motor nearby.

Sorry, but it is what it is.

Good luck.
 
jgmo said:
The wiring diagram indicates that the neutral switch is normally open. Try unplugging one side of the switch and re-test for spark.
Click to expand...
where do you find the wiring diagram?
jgmo said:
Has someone been working on this outboard? That's the first "simple" thing I want to know. As in, was something left unplugged or cross-wired?

The fact that the neutral switch is so obviously out of adjustment makes me suspicious right off.

I don't have any experience on that particular model and you said "no conjecture" so I have to say that most ideas I might have would be just that.

This isn't though:
The X in the parts descriptor line is a year break letter. Yours is a 1999...with an X.

If you look up a 1998, it will have a W.



If you look up a 2000, it will have a Y.


Those year breaks won't have any bearing on parts compatibility for that "series" or A model.

But in 2001 Honda introduced the D model and those are different animals with different components.

If you find that you need certain parts for the A model, as in; CDI, carburetor, pulsar or many others you will see that they are not only no longer available, Honda doesn't even list them anymore in some cases.
You will be relegated to finding used (on ebay most likely) or get lucky and find a donor motor nearby.

Sorry, but it is what it is.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

good stuff. So the neutral switch issue is just an adjustment? I do think that someone replaced the coil trying to figure it out and then maybe gave up..... looks like not original. but tests ok. No wires are unplugged that I can see....
Yeah, didn't mean not throwing out ideas by "no conjecture".... Sometimes people give ideas that are not even related. As an engineer all my life, I certainly appreciate "brainstorming", which is what I see you have in your mind.. Love the "ideas" threads..... Keep that coming....
Thanks.
 
Ideas?.Oh yeah! I am full of ideas! As a matter of fact, a buddy just told me the other day "dude, you're full of it!".

Anyway....

I don't know about that N switch being out of adjustment or just plain no good. I don't know either if, when in neutral, the switch should be open or closed. You've tested for spark with it disconnected (open) but have you bypassed it and tried completing that circuit to simulate closed?

Other than that, I would either start looking at voltage values from the exciter and pulsar coils or tracing wire runs for opens. In other words, both of those things eventually.

For example, check for continuity on the black/red wire from the emergency stop to the CDI terminal. Same on the black (ground) wire from that switch. It too goes to CDI.

These things have a ton of little bullet connections and any one of them can be unplugged or badly corroded. The CDI terminals are crimped and can come loose and also corrode.

I have an old B100/B75 series (10 and 7.5hp) shop manual and there is a two or three page supplement at the very back for the BF8A so they are very similar to one another. I can look there for some things like resistance and volts values and get back to you.

If you want an owner's manual (has the wire diagram) just Google "honda 8 horsepower outboard wiring diagram" and search down the list that comes up. A little ways down is an old pdf from Honda and has a picture of the owners manual. You don't even have to download it if you just want to open the file and have a look.

Good hunting....and um....fishing.
 
So, FYI, there is no way to check wires to CDI on this unit, as it is potted. :confused: I'm starting to suspect that is the issue....
I guess I have to spring for a $50 manual to find out how to test the pulser and coil. Other than those, the wiring diagram clearly says it would be a CDI issue.... The both have impedance, though I don't know what is proper values yet.
 
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