boyesen power reeds

[74Baja]

hi i have a 1974 johnson 115 on a 1974 16 foot baja speed boat and i want more speed/power. i have been told to get a jack-plate but i donthave an engine hoist so i cant do that. i saw the boyesen power reed valves. will they give me more speed if so about how much. also what is involved in installing them. thanks!

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: boyesen power reeds

The Boyesen reeds may, or may not give a slight speed increase. What they will do is increase the mid-range punch, and improve the idle. you will need a service manual to install. The largest gain will come from proper set-up. A jack plate will certainly help, along with the correct prop. Does your engine have tilt & trim? If not, you will want that. It's all a matter of how much you want to spend.

 

[74Baja]

Re: boyesen power reeds

i have tilt and trim. i do not have a manual, do you know where i can get one? do you have any other more tips on how to get more speed on a budget of about $500? i now have an 18 pitch stainless steel prop. is this the right prop if i WOT at about 5200-5500? thanks!

 

[MarkHPCA]

Re: boyesen power reeds

What speed are you gettimg now? GPS or radar would be the mosrt accurate. Also what is the ratio of the lower unit? If it is 2.0:1 then the 18 P prop should give you around 45 MPH if set-up right.

 

[Solittle]

Re: boyesen power reeds

I got my manual here:<br /><br /> http://www.theoutboardwizard.bizhosting.com/parts_service_and_owners_manuals.html

 

[crownroyal]

Re: boyesen power reeds

Originally posted by 74Baja:<br /> hi i have a 1974 johnson 115 on a 1974 16 foot baja speed boat and i want more speed/power. i have been told to get a jack-plate but i donthave an engine hoist so i cant do that. i saw the boyesen power reed valves. will they give me more speed if so about how much. also what is involved in installing them. thanks!

Put some boysen reeds in my 60 hp Johnson. Very easy to install(just follow directions). They gave me about 50 more rpm's but the noticeable difference is the takeoff is smoother and idling is great. Worth the money.Took intake off and put reeds in and on the water in less than 2 hrs.

 

[McGR]

Re: boyesen power reeds

I don't have an engine hoist either. Though that shouldn't discourage you from installing the jack plate. You can always rent a hoist that will lift the motor while you perform the installation. This is what I have done a couple of times when I needed to remove a heavy motor. Around here the going rate for a hoist is about $30 a day. Which may in your case be money well spent. Also, the hoists most rental houses carry assemble and disassembly easily for convenient handling. So, you don't need a truck to transport it either.

 

[Snowdrggn]

Re: boyesen power reeds

I have been told by a few career outboard mechanics not to use Boyesen reeds, as they have been known to break up in some instances and the fragments go through the engine. Has anyone heard or seen evidence of this? Or have knowledge of damage caused by the reeds in this case?

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: boyesen power reeds

With these composite reeds, you do not want a lean-fire spit back ( back-fire) The flame from the back-fire will damage the reed. These reed's have been used in performace engines, (racing) for quite some time. Beside's the performance gain, if the reed fails at these elevated rpm's, it will pass through the engine with little, or no damage compared to a stainless steel reed. Those career mechanic's should know this. If you go with these reed's, jet on the rich side of the carb. idle circuit to prevent the low idle spit back. These reeds are probably the best performance gain for the money. I don't know what your Baja weigh's, but a 115 properly set up should perform guite well. A jack plate, prop, and set up will give you the best gain. $500 does'nt give you much to play with. A OMC Raker prop, (and that would be my choice) will eat up that)

 

[Snowdrggn]

Re: boyesen power reeds

R.Johnson,<br /> I have used Boyesen reeds in 2 cycle dirt bikes for many years and never noted a failure, using them in outboards is not an application familiar to me. My intent was not to challenge anyone, but only to gather knowledge of facts and experiences with them. That is what also lead me to question the mechanics I mentioned earlier, both of whom have worked in OMC dealers for over twenty years. I found their answer surprising and contrary to my personal experiences with Boyesen reeds. I took what they told me as being a largely unfounded opinion and not neccasarily proven fact. For my own usage, reliability is of paramount importance, and this is why I question the experiences of people who have knowledge of modifications I am considering. If I can gain performance with "NO" loss of reliability I am willing to go ahead and try it. Some of the remote areas I run in, I will not see another boat on the water for 3 or 4 days at a time, so expecting a tow home is out of the question. I carry a very well thought out selection of tools and spare parts with me, so that anything short of a major powerhead failure or totally destroyed lower unit, I can get back on my way.

 

[lark2004]

Re: boyesen power reeds

why not get another reed plate from an outboard wrecker. If you put the boyesen reeds in, you can carry an original set as well. IF the boyesen reeds fail, just swap the reed plate. just a thought.

 

[OBJ]

Re: boyesen power reeds

Snow.....I've run Boyesen in my 84' 50hp John now for close to 7 yrs. without a hitch. I've also installed them in my 86' 90hp Rude two years ago. I would not want anything else. That's how big the difference is. <br /><br />Reed cage prep is very important as they must be dead flat for the reeds to perform. And as R. Johnson pointed out, jetting must be right to prevent blowback particularly on engines with more than two cylinders. Follow the instructions to the letter that come with the reeds. The reeds will last a long time just like anything else, if installed right and the engine is treated right. <br /><br />Just my $.02 worth.

 

[Snowdrggn]

Re: boyesen power reeds

Lark, I run a smallish inflatable, I can only carry a limited amount of spares with me <br /><br />OBJ, I'm powered by a '89 15hp Evinrude. I usually leave the low speed a bit to the "fat" side to help alleviate an slight flat spot coming off idle through transition.<br /><br />Carrying a spare reed plate is an idea, but a guy can only do so much to a motor in rough water in an inflatable, or on the beach with a bear staring at your back, trying to figure out what you are up to. <br /><br />Although the motor is not run at idle for extended periods (mostly in the 60-70% throttle range) I was wondering if installing Boyesen reeds would help smooth the idle a bit or make any difference as the throttle went through the transition ports? (it tends to be a bit "Fuzzy")

 

[OBJ]

Re: boyesen power reeds

Yes, the reeds will smooth the transition out. I've installed the reeds in several 9.9's and 15's with real good results. Engines typically picked up 100 to 200 rpms and the idles were really smooth.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: boyesen power reeds

Perhaps the reeds you mechanics were thinking of were the fiberglass ones OMC installed in some motors a few years back. They were not Boyesens but were often confused as such. OMC made no bones about it and told you right up front they were good for 10-20 hours. When they did break they caused no damage. <br /><br />I only know of one motor that kept breaking Boyesen reeds. It took us a while to figure it out (we were shipping the reeds, not doing the installation ourselves). The customer was reusing the stock reed stops even though the instructions said not to. Once he followed the instructions everything was cool.<br /><br />I'm like the other guys, the only thing that hurts a Boyesen reed is a lean condition at idle. It will burn the tips. I've had Boyesens in motors for years with no problem.

 

[Snowdrggn]

Re: boyesen power reeds

Thank you for straightening me out....<br /><br /> *grin*

 

[74Baja]

Re: boyesen power reeds

right now i get about 45mph with my baja but that is with the boats speedometer which i dont think works well. the previous owner said that he got 56mph. does that sound right? i think i will go with both the jack-plate and reeds. what is the best prop size and type for me if i got a jack-plate. i dont know the lower end ratio. thanks

 

[74Baja]

Re: boyesen power reeds

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[fast_c_class]

Re: boyesen power reeds

Heres my 2 cents.<br /><br /><br />$500 can go along way<br /><br />1. spend your money on a jackplate, itll get that hull out of the water which robs speed. figure $150 new $60 used. <br /><br />2. get yourself a good prop assuming you dont have one,my experiance is michigans and stock omc props are ok as all around props. i highly recommend an omc raker, excellent props, they can carry a bow high (where you want it), and can tolerate surfacing applications. i bought a 22 pitch raker on ebay in great shape for $150. find a prop shop that will "work" on a prop (add cup, thin the blades, ect) youd be supprised what this will do. <br /><br />3.setup, if you have a bow tank move it to the back. reduce weight were possible (dry cell battery, folding aluminum anker). <br /><br />4.get yourself a water psi gauge and slowly raise the engine up on the jackplate 1/2" at a time to the point where the prop ventalates or water psi starts to drop. then drop it back down alittle. (you wont be able to go that high without a raker or other performance prop)<br /><br />remember that big hunk of aluminum called the lower unit is alot of drag (just try sticking you fist in the water at 35mph)<br /><br />btw 5200 is really on the low end for that motor, you want to be on the high side without any load in the boat and around 5500 with peaple in the boat.

 

[74Baja]

Re: boyesen power reeds

thanks!!! any more ideas