Honda 20HP Cam Pulley Failure - Page 2

gerry11m · 26 April 2012, 19:02

Hi all, I'm getting a replacement pulley machined up from solid billet of aluminium alloy. The engineering firm making this specialises in belt drives and makes all the stuff for the motorsport firms etc. So hopefully no more failures.

Anyone else interested in this?

Regards
G

gerry11m · 26 April 2012, 19:04

Hi, also does anyone know where to procure a Honda workshop manual for a 2009 BF20D

thanks

actions · 26 April 2012, 20:44

This is where mine came from.

The good news is its in English. Came within 3 days and is the full workshop manual.

HONDA MARINE BF15 BF20 WORSHOP SERVICE MANUAL BF 15 20 | eBay

gerry11m · 18 June 2012, 18:02

Photos show aluminium cambelt pulley versus plastic original rubbish.

Manufacturer was Alan Young Engineering in Broadford, Auldgirth, Dumfriessshire Scotland Timing Belt Pulleys - Specialist Timing Belt Pulley Manufacturer

Really nice finish to pulleys.
They will have the CAD/CAM files in place so will be cheaper for subsequent purchasers.

No more pulley failures!

Danork · 01 July 2012, 15:55

What age is your Honda 20? Is the pulley the same on all the 20s?
Cheers

gerry11m · 08 July 2012, 20:41

Hi Danork, my Honda 20BF was brand new in 2008. Used for about 50 hours.

Plastic cam pulleys with metal hubs are a bit of a rubbish idea!

Regards
G

Danork · 08 July 2012, 22:54

Thanks for that.
I am considering changing my outboard. If I keep it, at the end of the season, I will give them a call and get one made up.
thanks
D

gerry11m · 18 July 2013, 08:40

Hi all, contact details for Alan Young Engineering in Dumfries Scotland is revised to alanyoungeng@btconnect.com tel 01387 740404.

They have been shipping the all metal camshaft pulleys for the Honda BF20D outboard, to destinations as far abroad as Canada and Finland.

Plus I had a query from an Australian BF20 owner.

regards
G

fastlane · 02 February 2014, 07:15

My CAM pulley just failed for the second time. First time at 40 hours and now at 60 hours. Exactly the same problem.

Colink2222 · 27 July 2014, 01:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerry11m

Hi all, contact details for Alan Young Engineering in Dumfries Scotland is revised to alanyoungeng@btconnect.com tel 01387 740404.

They have been shipping the all metal camshaft pulleys for the Honda BF20D outboard, to destinations as far abroad as Canada and Finland.

Plus I had a query from an Australian BF20 owner.

regards
G

Thank you I have the same problem. I will order 2 aluminium pulleys. No more bent valves for me.
I have two BF20 motors on a 40' Cat. One just stopped working after about 25hrs.
I removed the plugs and could feel no compression.
After removing the cam belt cover I found the belt had fallen off and the cam pulley was loose on the shaft.
Turned the cam to close the valves and re checked compression with finger.
Still no compression on one cylinder.
Removed head to find bent exhaust valve.
Replaced valve and pulley and now OK.
Even though it was only 1 year old and still under warranty I could not wait for the repair so I had to fixed it myself. I got the parts under warranty.

Flamair · 21 August 2015, 20:37

God grief... My sympathy to all of you! This is outrageous on such new and little used engines!

It's ridiculous using such a flimsy part as that. Just mere penny pinching.

All credit to the engineering company producing these replacement pulleys. At least a solution is at hand.

I'm glad I own a Yamaha outboard though!

Xk59D · 21 August 2015, 23:52

Yamaha isn't perfect either buddy. Blocks corroding, flywheels needing replaced every 30 hours etc.

Unfortunately all makers have things like this with design flaws in their range. At least in this instance the motor survived.

With the lower weight and emission restrictions these days you have to wonder how long Outboards will last. My local boating area has lots of engines well over 25 years old. It remains to be seen if modern engines will make it that long before becoming economically unrepairable with all the fancy electrical systems these days.

Cheers

ukrsonic · 21 November 2015, 23:41

Hmm, pulley from aluminum isn't good idea.
Aluminum isn't good for steel, when it gets warm, the size of pulley will increase and it will play on steel shaft.

I wouldn't buy it, I would go with steel

paintman · 22 November 2015, 09:35

Appears to be a much better idea than the plastic one

As it's a few years since these became available I wonder if anyone who has fitted them has any feedback & whether the point you make is an issue.
Aluminium timing gears are nothing new as a quick Google will show - seem to be popular with the performance brigade - & if they were that problematic I'd expect lots of stuff on how bad they are.

ukrsonic · 22 November 2015, 13:27

I understand, but I follow on my experience in RC Hobby Cars. All aluminum parts which contact with steel parts brake pretty quick, plastic with steel more reliable. Does any one has blueprints of this pulley, so I could make 3D model of it? I want order pulley here in Ukraine, from steel.

paintman · 22 November 2015, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukrsonic

plastic with steel more reliable.

I'm not being funny, but you have actually read this whole thread & seen that the problem gears are the ones which are a combination of steel & plastic?

ukrsonic · 23 November 2015, 03:42

"plastic with steel works" - I meant as spare parts, not a single combined part (like Honda makes). For example: plastic gear with steel gear works just fine if you ajust correct gap between them.

But for the pulley I would go with steel part anyway

BTW - the reason that Honda makes plastic pulley - the noise, on metal pulley it should be a little more noisy, but you can add some vibroplast to the cover.

paintman · 23 November 2015, 08:36

Wasn't unusual for geared camshaft drives - as in gear on crank drives gear on camshaft through meshed teeth - before the mass usage of cam belts.
As you say, an issue with steel on steel gears is noise so some engines - e.g Ford Essex & Cologne V6 - has a steel crank gear and a cam gear with fibre or nylon teeth. Whilst quieter they could fail, not a problem with an engine where the valves & pistons are far enough apart not to collide but could be catastrophic other wise. Not a lot different to what happens when a cam belt fails - or in the case of these outboards the gear falls apart! (There are aftermarket full steel gears available for the above Ford engine).
For an engine where the cam is driven by a belt there will be no noise issue as there is no meshing of gears.
Other than the weight I can't see a problem with you having one made in steel if that was your preference.

StacyFin · 03 April 2016, 22:56

Hi all, I have a Honda bf20d with a bad timing pulley. I'm trying to figure out the flywheel position for TDC on #1 cyl. The manual refers to lining the shaft keyway up with the cyl bore, but since I don't have to remove the flywheel I cannot see the keyway. Are the keyway and the timing mark in line? If anyone knows, it will save me a bunch of labor. Any info will be greatly appreciated.

Western55 · 21 April 2016, 05:21

I have a 2004 honda 20hp and I usually put a 150 hours on it a year and have not had a failure with the cam pully and I have not replace the timing belt yet. maybe I should get it checked