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  1. #1
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    2011 optimax 200's, I keep breaking reeds

    Hi all,

    I have a pair of 2011 200 optis, 1300 hours on them now, using for offshore fishing, trolling and idling while sitting over a wreck etc. Over the past two years I have cracked reeds 3 times. From what I understand these are steel reeds and they are getting chewed up by the motor and blown out the exhaust port. I am pretty sure I have another one cracked now, slight rough idle and will stall going into gear every once in a while.

    I have just replaced the entire single reed cage thing each time but should I be doing something more to stop this from happening? My mechanic is good and I trust him (mercury master cert) and he says its best NOT to try and put a set of aftermarket CF or plastic reeds on and that I need to use the entire single reed cage from mercury each time one chips. (~300 bucks each time this has happened) He says just bolting on a reed that the seal will never get right, something like that.

    Basically I am nervous one of these steel pieces is gong to trash my engines, I really need to stretch them to 2000 hours. He said its prob best to replace the entire set of all reeds on both motors, but that is a fortune!! is using a PRO XS reed an option (non steel)?

    Can someone school me on reeds for these motors and what my best path to take is?

    Thanks, picture of last chipped reed attached, I replaced this entire thing each time.


    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
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    I run the Chris Carson Marine fiber reeds in my opti's and have had good luck with them. I, like you had chipped and broken reeds. Call Chris in the fla keys and talk to him to order. Great guy and great product. He is a wealth of knowledge.

    83 V-King, 96 Mariner, 200 hp ff block 2.5 w/a 28p choppa
    We gotta clean this liberal mess up, VOTE TRUMP TO MAGA!
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  4. #3
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    No way I'd replace the entire reed cage along with the red every time one chipped. Cage should be fine. Can be lapped to ensure flat for proper seal.
    Bullet CC w/ 225 Promax - For Sale
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  5. #4
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    If it’s the same reed block I would also fix what’s hitting them. I gotta say that stand open looks large.

    Ccm stock reeds are awesome.

  6. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by XstreamVking View Post
    I run the Chris Carson Marine fiber reeds in my opti's and have had good luck with them. I, like you had chipped and broken reeds. Call Chris in the fla keys and talk to him to order. Great guy and great product. He is a wealth of knowledge.
    This. I run all CCM reeds in all my motors and all my customers. I'm also a certified merc tech. Ask you guy if optis "need" steel reeds why do the high performance motors use fiber?

  7. #6
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    Thanks all, I called Chris yesterday and he explained everything. Going to pick up 2 sets and see how it goes!

  8. #7
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    You'll be glad you did. Might want to think about a different tech also. No way you would need an entire cage assembly to replace a chipped reed. JMO.

    Rock
    Team Junk

    No sparkling wiggles in here, only dump truck grinches.

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  9. #8
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    Merc won't sell reeds anyway but complete with cages .

    83 V-King, 96 Mariner, 200 hp ff block 2.5 w/a 28p choppa
    We gotta clean this liberal mess up, VOTE TRUMP TO MAGA!
    Rebuild thread:
    http://www.screamandfly.com/showthre...-it&highlight=
    http://www.screamandfly.com/showthre...cs.&highlight=
    Videos

  10. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by XstreamVking View Post
    Merc won't sell reeds anyway but complete with cages .
    Yes, this is why I couldn't just get the reeds in the past.

  11. #10
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    Finally put a set of Chris's reeds in my pair of engines and ran it last weekend. Big difference in response! I also found one reed petal gone on one engine and 3 chips on the the other engine.

    One thing I learned was using his reeds + his backing plate caused the stock M3 metric phillips head screws to not be quite long enough. I stripped out 6 holes trying to get to 8in/lb torque on them, they just didnt have enough threads going in the hole. I replaced those with longer M3 screws and everything was fine (I had to dremel down the small area of threads that was too long and coming out the backside by 1/16")

    All was great until I shorted a coil pack 60 miles offshore Didnt figure out how to disable that one coil and put a new fuse in until 5 hours of riding at 7 knots, but that is why I have two engines!

    Thanks for all the help on this, I feel better knowing I have no more steel reeds to swallow up in my engines.

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  13. #11
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    Cant belive u ate a complete leaf and didnt tear anything up. U one lucky feller,,

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