Logo
FULL SITE MENU

Is there a way to completely bypass a honda 15 hp bystarter?

R

rokakona1

New member
I have a 2009 honda 15 outboard 2009 model. just did an oil change and rolled over 5400 hours. The boat gets used a lot, and several years ago the charging system went out (i replaced the stator twice along with voltage regulator, and the last time the stator burned the windings. So I eliminate the charging circuit and the starter and go to pull start.

now last week on a trip the thing wouldnt idle down so i knew it was the bystarter. bystarter cheked out with 12v applied, so now the heating coil in the stator is gone I guess. I can apply 12v to the bystarter and by pass it that way when running, or does anyone know how to just plug this thing and keep running?

I dont know when this engine will quit, but she doesnt owe me a dime for sure. If i keep eliminating and bypassing things it may be a death by 1000 cuts!!
 
Hi,

I know of no way, other than your "feed it 12 volts" method, to "bypass the bystarter" auto choke.

Although, there is a "manual choke" version of the carb that is, in fact, a bystarter carb with a cable "choke" control. Item 10 in link.


I don't know if you would be interested in the $300 "retrofit" but I do think it would bolt up because the gaskets for both are the same.

I HAVE NEVER TRIED DOING IT so I'm NOT saying with total certainty that it would ACTUALLY work or not.

You would also need to rig up a "choke cable knob holder bracket" on the oil case. So there's that little problem to consider as well.

Just an idea.

I'm gonna hate it if the stator on my BF20D ever let's the smoke out.

Good luck.
 
5400 hours!!!

Has this thing ever had new rings or pistons? I live where it might take me 100 years to put that many hours on an outboard.
 
Thanks for the reply.

The charging system started malfunctioning at about 3500 hours. electrical smell and lost voltage. I replaced the stator and voltage reg. New parts lasted about 400 hours, and this time the stator windings began to burn off and fall around the engine housing, and eventually hit the flywheel magnets and damaged a few. So new flywheel , stator , and voltage reg and go again, this time lasted about 500 hours. I could never figure out why the charging system seemed to be putting out full power to ground and overheating the windings. I cant find a bad ground or short in the wiring harness, and I have replaced the voltage regulator twice. They both ohmed ok upon testing. I am using a lawn tractor batt in this little boat (12 ft Boston Whaler) and the CCA requirements are adequate.

So i cut the charging windings out of the stator, and only left the exciter coil and bystarter coil. The bystarter coil went the other day on a bream fishing trip---engine ran but stuck on high idle and I had to turn the idle screw down to get into gear. It ran but not as well as usual---too rich I guess with the bystarter open.

I have rewired the bystarter leads to a plug in 12v supply, so I can just plug in, start the engine, and she will idle down in a minute or 2 and runs normally. Starts on the first pull like always. So I guess my work around is the "bypass" I can use, besides the manual carb replacement.

When and if the exciter coil goes, I may have to retire this engine since its difficult to buy expensive parts on this thing with so many hours. I am just cancelling things not needed and sticking with the basics that she needs to run. Such as==starter solenoid bad---pull start now. neutral safety switch goes--bypass. Oil warning light on front goes bad--replaced once, lasted 6 months, then eliminated. neutral safety cable for pull start broke--eliminated.

This engine runs a lot and is used mainly in salt water, but gets regular flushing and maintenance and oil changes. I dont know how many hours these things will go, probably because not many of these dingy type engines rarely get a lot of hours on them before they corrode out. I do know this has been a great engine and I will run her til she quits, and then probably give it a burial at sea with a a wreath because it owes me nothing.

Thanks again for the reply and have a great holiday weekend. Feel free to add suggestions or ideas as to why my stator charging system keeps burning up. Is it just me, or do any replacement parts just seem not to last llke the originals?

Thanks.
 
NSDON said:
5400 hours!!!

Has this thing ever had new rings or pistons? I live where it might take me 100 years to put that many hours on an outboard.
Click to expand...
nope. havent touched anything with the powerhead itself. I just use synthetic oil with a splash of Marvel mystery oil in the fuel. The MMO probably doesn't help, but can't hurt, plus I like the smell. :)

I checked the valves once and were so close to spec I didnt even loosen the adjustments. I guess the recipe for longevity is using it all the time and maintenance and flushing. Doesnt use any oil so far and just keeps running. I have put lower unit seals in it and looks like I might need to again on the next oil change.

We fish right off the coast here when the weather allows, and fish inshore when the weather is bad. I feel guilty if it sits in the slip for a couple days without running. Now before this, we had a 15 hp Suzuki which we put 3300 hours on before it corroded thru from the inside, the dreaded white oil. The honda has surpassed it and still going, perhaps due to the heavier cylinder walls and little more weight which takes longer to corrode through.
 
My boat. Cord is where I connect to 12v for starting and battery charge, and for use of trolling motor when fresh water fishing.


20260524_070922.jpg
20240719_161537_HDR.jpg
 
All those hours running I bet slows corrosion. Corrosion to me needs oxygen, not much oxygen and corrosion happens when running.

No oil consumption and no valve adjustment, amazing.

I am a big believer in synthetic oil and keeping things running at high rpm with good fuel. Keeps everything flushed and hot. I use Sea Fosm in fuel regularly, know lots of antique car people who love MMO.

Nice boat.

Are you using only Honda OE parts?

Have you heard of Yumbo for parts? Only sell OE.

Where are you located?
 
Last edited:
Havent heard of Yumbo but I will check them out. I usually use Boats,net. I have only used Honda OEM parts.

I am in North Carolina near Wrightsville Beach. I have customized this boat try to run with the big boys inshore!!ha All the charter guys know me, and sometimes I get some looks from the USCG when I am out on the 3 mile reef.

I have been up near your way --sorta---went to Montreal on a ship loading supplies for Leningrad USSR and took a few boat deliveries to Maine. I am sure I would need a bystarter for the weather up there.
 
It's a well known fact in the automotive repair world (where I came from before retirement) that the replacement parts "stream" has been going south for a long time.

It.used to be "OEM PARTS ONLY" if a shop wanted to provide It's clients a reliable and long lasting repair.

That has been changing in recent years with many shop owners I hear from complaining about getting poor results even when using parts purchased at the "dealership". Some sources attest to varying "levels" of quality available coming boxed or packaged as "brand name". or "genuine"

But being out of the day to day business of vehicle and equipment repair I'm sure I don't know the half of it and can only go by what I see and read about the industry.

I do know that many have left or want to leave the business due to the increasing complexity and cost of maintaining a profitable repair facility staffed with knowledgeable technicians.

Like a fine cut diamond, there are many facets to running a reputable repair shop that provides a trusted place for people to get help these days. Crap parts just throws a big 'ol wrench into that already complex equation.

Is that a "Whaler"?
 
Install an electric primer valve as used on Johnson / Evinrude motors for many years.----Learn how it works.---Learn how to use it.----Hard starting will be history for you !!
 
jgmo said:
It's a well known fact in the automotive repair world (where I came from before retirement) that the replacement parts "stream" has been going south for a long time.

It.used to be "OEM PARTS ONLY" if a shop wanted to provide It's clients a reliable and long lasting repair.

That has been changing in recent years with many shop owners I hear from complaining about getting poor results even when using parts purchased at the "dealership". Some sources attest to varying "levels" of quality available coming boxed or packaged as "brand name". or "genuine"

But being out of the day to day business of vehicle and equipment repair I'm sure I don't know the half of it and can only go by what I see and read about the industry.

I do know that many have left or want to leave the business due to the increasing complexity and cost of maintaining a profitable repair facility staffed with knowledgeable technicians.

Like a fine cut diamond, there are many facets to running a reputable repair shop that provides a trusted place for people to get help these days. Crap parts just throws a big 'ol wrench into that already complex equation.

Is that a "Whaler"?
Click to expand...

Agreed on parts these days. They just dont seem to last, and I hate to think that OEMs are doing nothing more than rebranding the Amazon knockoff parts and selling them as OEM.

That is what is left of a 1977 11 1/2' Boston Whaler. I bought a 46' sportfish which had this boat sitting on the bow. First thing I did was take this off the big boat and gave it to my labrador retriever since it was trashed anyway. He muddied it up and trashed it on the trips to the beach. It had an old corroded out Evinrude 2 stroke with a solid prop.

I Fixed the big boat up and used it 5 years and sold it. Then decided to fix the Whaler. Tore the deck out, got rid of saturated foam, glassed in a stringer system to reinforce the hull and new deck, built that bench seat that goes to the bottom of the boat for battery and storage, insulated cooler in the bow that drains, built in 8 gallon fuel tank, added the wood toe rails and teak decks, plus chine extensions on the hull to plane faster and run a little drier. Picked up 2 knots doing that. Then Awlgripped it and put a new Suzuki 15 on it.

Some guy traveling with a custom boat at a local marina saw it and tracked me down to the marina we had it stored in and wanted to buy it. He owned a 60 ' Merritt custom and I thought he wanted this boat on the bow as a tender. He wanted to take the engine off, put 4 legs on the boat and cover it in a big piece of Lucite and use it as a coffee table in his waiting area of his Miami office. So i told him I was going fishing, and that was 3300 Suzuki hours and 5400 Honda hours ago.

I bet that Whaler never figured it would run so much while it was rotting away on the bow of that Sportfish.
 
Back
Top