These are Gnerally Great Little engines, and are very reliable, however they are not totally infallible.

These engines are getting old now, and have been around since the early 70s so watch out for signs of oil burning - if you're watching an engine running watch for blue smoke, and always check the oil level. Check the spark plugs for oily deposits - don't worry too mcuh about sooty plugs though. As with all Honda outboards, The oil pressure light should be glowing away a nice green, if it's not you have problems. The older engines with Contact Breaker points have a distinct flicker to the light, so don't be alarmed too much by this - it will improve as speed increases. The newer CDI types are better at this.

The main problem I have encountered on these engines is overheating. The Cooling water is drawn through a gauze screen behind the propeller which is easily clogged and doesn't get much water when the prop is turning. Always check to make sure it's clear - a new one is awkward to fit but well worth it. If the engine is running make sure theres a good flow flow from the telltale, and check it's temperature with your hand - it should gradually get warmer then cool down again repeadedly as the thermostat opens.

Early engines have an oil filler neck cast into the side of the engine block - this should give no trouble, but from 1978 they have a horrid black plastic block which also carries the cooling water. These warp over time and allow the oil and water to mix. Later engines have a metal filler body and are much more reliable. I would advise having one fitted on any engine with a plastic filler that is showing signs of being bent, regardless as to whether the oil and water are mixing. A new filler body is £20 Plus vat, and fitting it may be costly - as the whole engine needs to be removed from the case and the leg removed to access it, with the sump pan gasket requiring replacement. It would be a good idea to have the oil sump flushed out and the oil strainer repalced as well whilst your at it - Your car's engine oil filter is usually changed every year, this outboard may have gone for 30 years without it being changed!

Take a good look at the gearcase - look at the plate that the propeller shaft comes out of and check it thoroughly for cracks. They have a tendency to snap around the 2 bolt holes that hold it in place, letting water into the gearbox and putting strain on the gears and bearings. New replacements are around £30 and are only available in silver.

These outboards have gone through a lot of colour schemes, and early 70s item will be white with a blue or red hood, and will have an upright carburettor. Later they are all blue with white hoods, then early 90s they became grey with white hoods. In the late 90s they became all over silver. The 8HP and 6HP are just BF100 and BF75s respectively, just with the power measured at the prop not the engine as it was in th olden days.

It is still possible to find a good one of these - but do be aware that they are getting old and if they havent been looked after they can prove very costly to keep running.