Honda 2hp mud motor conversion

[Larry J]

Has anyone ever converted (or attempted to convert) one of the newer honda 2hp outboards into a small mud motor. It seems to me that, since it's an air-cooled engine and since it already has a centrifical clutch, it would be relatively easy, or at least less fabricatioin involved than converting a weedeater. With a slightly damaged outboard, it might even be cheaper than the rickshaw motor. Of course, I'm no mechanic, so I don't know what problems might be encountered. Any thoughts on how easy, difficult or practical this might be?

 

[Mark W]

As a comparison, my most recent mud motor cost about $300 or so and only required the fabrication of one bronze bushing With what I know now, even that could be eliminated and the bushing bought off the shelf and then put in place with a special adhesive. I could build it much cheaper now knowing what I know.

Total build time on a weed eater conversion like mine, maybe 3-4 hours total including painting.

Can you send a link to the new Honda 2 hp you are referring to? Sounds like an interesting proposal you make.

Mark W

 

[Rick H]

First of all, Honda 2HP outboards are high priced and are in high demand on the used market. A person would probably be much better off buying a small used mud motor and have something designed for the task. Off season it's much easier to find a deal on one of them than a Honda outboard. Wonderful little motors that they are, it is unlikely the tiny gears engineered for a plastic propeller would hold up to sharp impacts with a steel propeller. Also, in mud and thick weeds the clutch would be subject to a lot of slipage and probably be burned up in short order.