removing reed stops???

[fs5]

i have a 2000 59ci 55hp merc that runs the rose petal style reeds.
if i fit a set of boysen reeds can i remove the reed stops and run it without them?
i have heard of guys removing the read stops when running fibre reeds.

thanks for your help

[Mark75H]

The main reason not to remove the "stops" is that they are actually mis-named. They should be called "reed excess flutter dampeners"

There is rarely any performance gain from removing or altering them, secondly, outboards are usually so generously designed with reeds that changing to plastic reeds generally has no detectible performance increase, regardless of the claims in reed maker's ads. The motors generally need significant other performance increases before changing reeds gives any benefit.

[john miffco]

i agree with sams analogy of the reeds

in reality the factory steel reeds have less flutter
has more cranking /base compression because they seal better
main positives going to composite reeds is if a petal breaks off
it does not destroy cylinders
and they bend open more for a tad of rpm gain
so the see saw effect,,,,,lose some bottom to gain some top

there was an independant article a few yrs back in powerboat magazine
they took all the brands of reeds and aftermarket reed blocks and dynoed on
the same motor
conclusion was none to minimum gain from factory hp
some were in the negative

[fs5]

thanks for the replies.
the main reason i wanted to know,is because i was reeding in my manual that the reeds only open .090 (2.286 mm).this dosn't sound like much to me.
these motors are 59ci and only put out 55/60hp.i thought there maybe a gain from opening up the reeds a bit.
any thoughts??

[Mark75H]

As I said in my first response, reeds are generally NOT the main thing keeping an outboard from running faster and changes to the reeds alone are usually not effective.

[tthibodaux]

thanks for the replies.
the main reason i wanted to know,is because i was reeding in my manual that the reeds only open .090 (2.286 mm).this doesn't sound like much to me.
these motors are 59ci and only put out 55/60hp.i thought there maybe a gain from opening up the reeds a bit.
any thoughts??I've seen a ton of those motors cut up in our area and to be honest there really isn't anything you can do to make noticeable hp. I think you will find that you spend a ton of money and all you get is a motor that isn't reliable anymore and still performs the same. There are better motors out there for performance hop ups if thats what your looking for. I think you will find that you are basically stuck with what you have hp wise. Find yourself a 3cyl. omc and then you will have something you can cut and tune and make some power..

Thats not an OMC guy statement thats just really how it is in the case of the small cube mercs.

[Fast Fred]

97 and newer, only the 40hp has reed stops goin by the book.

[Tub323]

I was certain if you put some Boyeson's in the carbon fibre IS the new reed stop, not sure you'd want the old one's in...

The custom reeds make the engine more responsive but do nothing for top end, you'll just get your revs ever so slightly faster....

[JohnsonM50]

I was certain if you put some Boyeson's in the carbon fibre IS the new reed stop, not sure you'd want the old one's in...

The custom reeds make the engine more responsive but do nothing for top end, you'll just get your revs ever so slightly faster....

In the motors I use, OMC 31.8 2 banger Ive done alot of experimenting. You can bore, rebuild only to find a worn out ready to blow used up motor can be found to perform as well as a rebuild. Reeds alone wont do much. I did get some improvement by matcing the cuts of the intake & reed plate, going up a carb size and adapting a hi speed jet to the carb. I tried to bend the dampers, scientifically pushing them with a pencil eraser and they opened noticably easier. It was significant till a petal broke. The broke one was in line with the carb so IF I try again Ill bend them un-even graduating out away from the venturi stream. By the book its one of those never do's but I have motors/parts.