Questions about changing the petal reed and engine problems.

[tferreira]

Hello;
I have a 2012 Mercury, 250HP Pro XS, SN 1B937625 and I will replace the reed petals because they have a high gap.
I have some doubts:
1 - After the exchange, is there any test to be done with any instrument or equipment to check if they will work correctly? Or would it just be a visual inspection to check if the reed petals are in contact with the reed block?
According to the manual, a gap of up to 0.51mm is allowed.
2 - Still in line with the question above, are there any machines to carry out these tests, as is the case with injection nozzles?
3 - If the reed petals are too tight with the reed block, I believe there will be less air intake. Could this cause serious damage to the engine or would it just cause problems with loss of power and difficulty starting?
4 - If the gaps in the reed petals are greater than 0.51mm, what problems could I have with the engine? Is it possible for this gap greater than 0.51m to cause piston problems?


The doubt about piston problems would be due to the fact that a piston had a problem (melted a part) recently.
The oil pump is working.
We did not find any clogged hoses.
The piston that presented problems is number 2 - First, upper left side (Port side).


Thanks a lot!

[JOE54]

oil pump prime is recommended with diagnostic equipment , lap the reed cages as described on this forum ,do a search here form good info, reeds that are to tight or to loose can cause some running problems , when installed correctly and sealing composite reeds will seal fine and improve running quality , injectors can be checked for operation but recommend validated by professional inj service

[SilverFox579]

Lapping cages from the FAQ - REED CAGE LAPPING

[EuropeanAM]

Both above give good advise.

Reeds simply should not be PRE-LOADED, and should have no more than .020" gap at the tip.

Your testing equipment is a feeler gauge set. In some extreme cases MAP reference data may be helpful in diagnosing a broken reed, but that's now what you're talking about here.

What are the reed standoff measurements?

[tferreira]

@JOE54
@SilverFox579
@EuropeanAM

Thank you for your help!

[SilverFox579]

Welcome.

[JOE54]

ive been to MANAUS BRAZIL