Hard starting Honda 90

[MacCTD]

I have a '05 Honda 90, carbed not FI. The motor is hard starting after sitting for a week, takes about 3 or 4 minutes of on off cranking to get it started. I pump the bulb till hard before starting, I have tried no throttle with choke no choke, half throttle, choke no choke. Once started it runs great and starts right up for the rest of weekend. The motor was tuned and carbs syncronized last year, been used about 25 hours since. The boat is new to me so I do not know if this is normal, I have found some information saying the carbed Honda 90s are known for being hard starting.
Any ideas or techniques to make that first restart easier?

My carbed 75 is the same
i find i pump the ball a bazzare amount of times(you will think your flooding it)
i pump till i can smell fuel then it starts right up and i pull the choke all the way
after that i'm good to go for the weekend
kinda wierd but it works
i think the carbs must drain the fuel back
after sitting awhile

[dogrodder]

My carbed 75 behaved the same way. You may want to ask the person that worked on it what he did with the carbs. My Honda mechanic told me my carbs were dirty. He said that the choke circuit on the Honda carbs has very fine jets that are prone to plugging. I hired him to remove and clean the four carbs. I've cold started it at least 30 times since the cleaning and it now starts cold in seconds every time. It runs great and I plan to keep fresh stabilized fuel in it at all times. His recommendation was not to drain the carbs for the winter. He told me to keep fresh stabilized fuel in the boat and pump the primer bulb a few times over the course of the winter to keep the bowls filled with fuel thus voiding the carbs of air to prevent corrosion. I'm also planning to install a remote fuel filter just for good measure from tank source contaminants.

[MarkG]

My carbed Yamaha 4 stroke was very hard starting the same way after sitting,, even though it has an electronic automatic choke. A tip someone gave me was that after priming it,pump the throttle to max 3 times before trying to cranking it, then back to the idle or start position. Then crank it. Starts right up. Cured the cold start problem. May help yours.

On a tiller just twist the throttle handle. On a wheel boat would have to do it with the idle lever on the control box.

[MacCTD]

Thanks for the tips, I will try them this weekend and report back.

[Phil T]

Be careful not to flood those carbs. If you do, you'll have time for at least a couple cups of coffee while the excess gas evaporates. I've had one of those engines since '97. You'll learn a method that works for you.
The carbs are probably dry after setting for a week in hot weather. You're kind of starting like it's the first trip of the year.

[Flip Silverlake]

When was the last time the valves were checked. I have a motorcycle that does the same thing until I set the valves, then it starts and runs great.

Mines a 99 75bf like I said i a previous post Had valves lash done and carbs cleaned also
In my case it made no differance still got to prime it like crazy Nature of the beast I guess
I still wouldn't trade the engine for anything Runs sweet at cheap on fuel

I don't mean to hijack this thread but while I got Honda guys on here I thought I'd ask
Do they make an after market Stick extension (Tiller) Thats My mane problem is the Handle is away to short
I Notice the 50 hps have a long handle but was told there not interchangeable
Any Fixes for this Or Ideas

[dogrodder]

Originally Posted by bf 75

Mines a 99 75bf like I said i a previous post Had valves lash done and carbs cleaned also
In my case it made no differance still got to prime it like crazy Nature of the beast I guess
I still wouldn't trade the engine for anything Runs sweet at cheap on fuel

I don't mean to hijack this thread but while I got Honda guys on here I thought I'd ask
Do they make an after market Stick extension (Tiller) Thats My mane problem is the Handle is away to short
I Notice the 50 hps have a long handle but was told there not interchangeable
Any Fixes for this Or Ideas

Mine also requires a good priming (probably ten pumps) to get a good firm bulb but I don't have to prime it after that. Cannot help you with the handle.

[MacCTD]

Originally Posted by MarkG

My carbed Yamaha 4 stroke was very hard starting the same way after sitting,, even though it has an electronic automatic choke. A tip someone gave me was that after priming it,pump the throttle to max 3 times before trying to cranking it, then back to the idle or start position. Then crank it. Starts right up. Cured the cold start problem. May help yours.

On a tiller just twist the throttle handle. On a wheel boat would have to do it with the idle lever on the control box.

Tried this today, worked great, motor fired right up. Thanks for this tip.