Honda BF40 won't turn over

[rigi36]

2010 Honda 40 won't turn over with key

Put key in, turn once, goes "beep beep", turn key fully to engage starter motor and nothing happens.

What are your thoughts?

I should add that this morning we used the boat, it didn't work originally and I had the problem above, we tried again and it worked, I didn't do anything different with the key.

Thanks.

[mick]

Battery

[rigi36]

I don't even hear the motor struggle

I get beep beep on the control panel and at the same time something move on the engine (but not a click, more of a 2 second adjustment of something)

I'm pretty sure the battery is of a decent voltage, seems very strange for it to suddenly do this

Could it be the key itself?

[John Kennett]

Try putting some jump leads on it before you start on anything more complicated.

[mick]

A battery can be good one day and foobar the next try it 1 st and go from there

[bmb779]

Make sure wire from switch to starter solenoid has not come loose,use jump leads to check connect up as normal but instead of fitting positive to boat battery try powering up starter at solenoid starter side using positive lead from other supply,also check all wires are tight including safety switch which stops it starting in gear.

[neil.mccrirrick]

Check the leads on the battery connections. They could be loose or not making contact well. You will get exactly the symptom you describe


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[Last Tango]

I'd lay odds on the "in gear" interlock suggestion

[whisper]

in gear?

[rigi36]

Cheers guys

the people that said gear were right

There is a small bit of play in the gear cable so whilst the control box can be in neutral and the gearbox in neutral, the bit at the end of the gear cable (not sure what it's called) is not properly seated in the neutral detent under the cowling.

Wiggling the gear leaver a little slides it in and the boat starts.

Where is the actual electrical switch that detects this, I couldn't see anything electronic at the end of the gear cable.

How simple is it to remove play in the gear cable?

[Last Tango]

Not sure about the BF40......BF130 it's just a big microswitch (that's a contradiction) on a cam at the top of the vertical shift shaft under the powerhead.

[rigi36]

Should I be worried about this?

[Last Tango]

I wouldn't be. 2010 engine/controls/cables. it's unlikely anything has worn out already. (unless your using the boat to go to work every day of the week.) Don't start b*g*ring about with cable adjustments yet. There is always some play in them (or to be more correct play in the control box) and I think it's more likely something has come loose or is out of adjustment. If the gearbox and control are both in neutral at the same point then it aint a mile out. Check the fixing screws for the interlock switch and check you've not lost an "R" clip out of the cable end fitting.

[rigi36]

It had a service 2 weeks ago - thanks, if there's anything obvious I'll have a go but I'm not going to bugger around with it

[Last Tango]

"It had a service 2 weeks ago"..... Well, that's where my cynical finger of suspicion would point.

[jyasaki]

Take it back and have them readjust it.

jky

[bmb779]

+1 take it back and get them to readjust.