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NiceAft wrote:Dan,

As you face the stern of the boat, looking at the motor, the choke should be facing you, low on the starboard side. Make certain it is pushed all the way in.

Ray

Ray,I'll take a look tonight.I,m sure I would have noticed it before,so maybe I don't have a manual choke(06 motor)

yup just what it looks like. Autozone has an aftermarket one for $3

I think i will stick with the OEM. I just ordered a couple OE ones from a Honda place online. (you mentioned you couldn't get it. Oh well)

I was thinking of a water separator. Just don't know where I would mount it. Maybe I will see where you put yours

KayakDan wrote:

NiceAft wrote:Dan,

As you face the stern of the boat, looking at the motor, the choke should be facing you, low on the starboard side. Make certain it is pushed all the way in.

Ray

Ray,I'll take a look tonight.I,m sure I would have noticed it before,so maybe I don't have a manual choke(06 motor)

Do you choke the motor to start it? I always seem to have to. I noticed you starting your motor a few times with just a flick of the key.. Apparently there is an automatic verson of the motor.

If yours is..maybe the choke is not pulling off when it should be??

So our motors are kinda like Frankenstien's Monster - a little Accord, a little Insight. No doubt there are many other shared parts. Are the carbs off a 79 Civic?

Dan,

Even though I purchased my M new (05 model) I have an 03 motor. I was told by two different sources that Honda did not change the motor for 04, & 05. I don't know if 06 is the same or not.

As to starting it, I have a choke on my pedestal that I use to start it. Once, I had a hard time and realized that the choke on the motor itself was out. Once I pushed it in, all was well.

Ray

I have an 06 Honda and if I have a manual choke, I didnt even know it was there... will have to check next time I am on the boat. I do not have a choke on the pedestal either ( I do have the fast idle lever ). If there is one I certainly have never used it. Provided I have fresh or stabilized fuel, I have never had a problem starting cold.

Kelly

I believe some the outboard manufacturers stopped dating engines a few years back for this reason. In large parts of the market, engine sales are so seasonal that dating an engine just meant you had to discount it to move it in the following year when in fact it was the same motor.

I actually got a 2003 motor in 2002, kind of like the car year thing...

I went on-line to check out the manual for the Honda 50 (Mine is on the boat) to see what it says about a choke. There is nothing in there about one. What I thought/have been using as a choke, is actually labeled as "fast idle lever". I now need to check this out because I have been using it as a choke If I can't start the engine with one or two turns of the ignition, I lift the fast idle lever all the way, and then the engine starts. I am going to find out if this is a miss labeled choke, or a something else. I suspect that before this happens we may hear from Moe.

Ray

Honda indicates the model year as part of the model number. The digit that comes after "BF50A" indicates the year... 6=2006 etc.

Kelly

I have the fast idle lever Ray mentioned, that is definitely not a choke (although it can aid in starting). If it was a choke it would make the engine run roughly when deployed on a warm engine instead of increasing the RPMs. It is simply a method of revving the engine without putting it into gear.

Kelly

Checked out the motor last night-no manual choke-but there is a blanking plate where it might have been. Paul,you're right,I just turn the key-no choke. Might be the difference between CDN and US motors.

The 16900-SA5-004 looks right,but I'll take a closer look tonight. Started draining the fuel and the carb bowls last night.

I have the fast idle lever also,but it has never seemed to make any difference in starting the motor.

I'm not sure where the water seperator will go. I was planning on using the engine well space to mount a propane tank.

I'm running out of boat to put stuff on-might have to add a porch on the stern!

The lever on our console..you put it up all the way up, you can hear the choke being engaged, you have to hold it to start it.

I know what you mean..,.lots of ideas of what to mount..but no where to mount it! LOL

I had my carbs rebuilt twice on my Yammy 50 and same thing, shakey idle.
I have to go just over 6 mph to smooth out the ride, and lucky the hull shape on my X makes little wake
I guess i'll try the stabil stuff too.
Funny, when I got my boat last year, it ran smooth down to factory idle all last summer.

John.

I just got back from the marina with my manual.

On my Honda, the fast idle lever is classified as "The choke/fast idle lever". Also, it's operation is exactly opposite as that described in the online manual I read. It's use on my motor is lift to start, and then lower after it warms up. To start a warm engine, leave it in the lower position.

I believe we can deduce that the 03,04,05 models are the same, but the 06 and beyond are of a different ilk

Ray

I was told the same issue about gas and hondas. We had similar problem, but also had to adjust the idle. There is a screw that adjust the idle which made a world of difference. I was also told to never let the gas sit too long, as it gets gummy.

From the Mercury Marine website...

In 2006, Mercury
®
stopped using Model Year designations on its
outboards and replaced them with actual manufacturing dates, including
month and year, because Model Year designations were often misleading
regarding engine updates. Replacing the Model Year designation with the
date of manufacture lets consumers know if they are purchasing the most
up-to-date and current products.