Best place to buy reeds?

[Barnacle_Bill]

I don't see them listed here, so where is the best place to buy a new set of reeds for a 83 Merc 150? I don't want Boysen.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Best place to buy reeds?

mercruiserparts.com<br />seatemp.com<br />ishopmarine.com<br />iboats.com<br />your local dealer<br />ebay.com<br />outboardparts.com

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Best place to buy reeds?

May I ask why you don't want Boyesens???<br />Are you looking for stock reeds??

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Best place to buy reeds?

Originally posted by walleyehed:<br /> May I ask why you don't want Boyesens???<br />Are you looking for stock reeds??

I'm not the original poster, but have read with interest reed posts - thinking ahead to when I might need them. And in spite of what I write below, I believe I'll probably give Boyesens a try. The following is based on what I've read so far about Boyesens, not personal experience. I apologize in advance if I'm totally FOS!!<br /><br />What I've read so far is that first and foremost they are (?) more expensive. Also, there is not unanimous agreement whether the benefit is worth while on any given engine or user - the performance change, may or may not be significant to a given boater. They are more subject to damage with certain backfiring or sneezing conditions. Yes, I know those conditions should be fixed, but they often exist, and I understand Boyesens are not as robust under these conditions. Finally they require change in carb jetting, which a lot of us may or may not want to get into. All this is to say that if someone is happy with the performance of their engine, and is just looking for the least expensive and simplest reed job, I believe they'd opt for standard OEM type reeds.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Best place to buy reeds?

I prefer stock reeds as I'm not interested in higher performance. In fact I don't need a 150 HP motor but the price was right.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Best place to buy reeds?

High performance is not only speed, guys...<br />Lowering your Idle another 200RPM, and smooth as silk at Idle is one benefit. Better mid-range acceleration, and better fuel economy is the main reasons for fiber reeds, and if a reed does break, it doesn't hurt the internals of the engine. Changing the Idle jets/bleeds is a small price to pay for what they will do.<br />Top-end gain is very marginal in most cases, so they aren't just for "Race" engines. I'll never have an engine that I don't install Boyesens in a carbed engine..

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Best place to buy reeds?

I didn't mean to imply anything about high performance equating to speed. I do understand that there's a variety of things that fiber reeds might improve. My only point is that for the person who wants the cheapest, easiest reed replacement, and is satisfied with current performance (in any of the categories you mentioned), stock reeds are probably the way to go. Changing jets is probably a trivial thing to you, but a lot of people just wouldn't want to mess with it. Not to mention the expense.<br /><br />But like I said, I'll probably give them a try myself because (1) I am indeed interested in acheiving the stuff you said, (2) am enjoying tinkering (e.g. changing jets) and (3) am willing to spend some extra $ in the name of tinkering. I just understand that an average user wouldn't be interested in it.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Best place to buy reeds?

Walleyehed, I respect your opinion and you make some good points. If I were to go with Boysen, what all would I have to change? Besides the obvious like the reeds, gaskets and jets?

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Best place to buy reeds?

You need to richen the Idle circut 4-5 sizes (jets) intake manifold gasket, reed box gaskets, carb mounting gaskets, some loc-tite thread locker and you're good to go.<br />Changes will be slowing the Idle speed (Timing) and that's about it. If you don't have any problem what-so-ever with lean Idle sneeze, go 3 sizes richer on Idle circut....If it sneezes back once in awhile, start 4 sizes richer.