Reed valves bad?

iggyw1

Ensign
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
954
Hi guys,

I have symptoms of bad reed valves in my 1991 Evinrude 6 H.P. motor, model # E6REIA. I rebuilt the carb last year and I am going to rebuild it again this week since I bought OEM parts to do it with. Last year I bought a cheaper off brand kit and it helped but not a lot.

I want to check the reed valves while I have the carburator off as I have the symptoms of bad reed valves. (Very hard to start cold, have to choke it to start when fully warmed up every time, major hesitation when accelerating). The reed valve assembly is no longer available for my motor, anywhere that I checked. The part # for the assembly is 0393959. Does anyone know where I can pick this part up. used? Or, is it possible to just buy the leafs and use my old housing if it is good? Where can I get just the leafs for it, does anyone know a source? of course, the reed valve assembly just may be o.k. when I remove it, but with my luck, I will need the entire assembly.

Thanks!

NOTE: The motor has less than 150 hours on it.
 

oldboat1

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Apr 3, 2002
Messages
9,612
Ignition and carburator issues are more likely. If the reeds are intact and closing properly, I would leave those obsolete parts alone.
 

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,226
We can't sit here and deny that you have bad reed valves, but I say it is very unlikely that you have bad reed valves. In fact, I cannot remember the last time I saw bad reed valves.
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
38,885
Have to agree.-------Reed valves would rarely be bad on that motor.------Some simple trouble shooting needs to be done here !!
 

iggyw1

Ensign
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
954
Sounds encouraging guys. Should I remove the intake manifold to check them at least or would you say to just leave them be??? I did find a used reed assembly on Craigs list that looks brand new in the photo (shiny like new and looks like no openings showing no apparent daylight between them, and it includes the manifold with it for $35 with shipping.
 

iggyw1

Ensign
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
954
Ignition and carburator issues are more likely. If the reeds are intact and closing properly, I would leave those obsolete parts alone.

I am going to rebuild the carb starting tonight. When I rebuilt it last year, I did not soak the carb body or anything else. I just sprayed it with carb cleaner. I now have a gallon of solvent to soak parts overnight, so maybe that will do the trick for me. When you say to "leave those obsolete parts alone", did you mean to NOT remove them to check them out? Is there any other way to check to see if they are good or should I just assume they are o.k. because they hardly ever go bad, especially with the low hours on the motor? It does not seem like it would be too hard to remove the manifold and take a look-see at them (IF I can get a new gasket).
 

Geoffrey Graydon

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Messages
32
If you don't have fuel spitting out of the front of the carb it is unlikely you have a reed problem.Lots of other things to check first especially your "cleaned" carburetor.
 

iggyw1

Ensign
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
954
I will rebuild the carb properly and see what that does. I will report back in a few days or so when I get her done.
 

kbait

Commander
Joined
Nov 13, 2007
Messages
2,476
Use a flashlight to look in intake manifold when carb is off.. individuals leaf(s) on those valves should be visible. If they look seated, they’re likely fine.
 

iggyw1

Ensign
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
954
Another question that is important I think. While tearing my carb apart (Evinrude 6 H.P. Model E6REIA), I noticed a strange looking gasket inside. Part #27 on the carb parts schematic (Nozzle well) has a gasket on it (part #28 on the schematic). I.m sure it started out flat when I put it in last year, and my new one that I just received is also flat. The one I took out today seems to have gotten "sucked in" to the nozzle well and took a shape like it was made to fit inside of the top of the nozzle, therby blocking the little tiny hole that is inside the nozzle well at the top of the tiny suction line (fuel line??). There was no way the gas can get into the nozzle well with the gasket sucked down into the well. Is this typical of this carburator and how do I prevent it from being sucked down into the nozzle well again? I am scratching my head here!!
 

iggyw1

Ensign
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
954
Another question that is important I think. While tearing my carb apart (Evinrude 6 H.P. Model E6REIA), I noticed a strange looking gasket inside. Part #27 on the carb parts schematic (Nozzle well) has a gasket on it (part #28 on the schematic). I.m sure it started out flat when I put it in last year, and my new one that I just received is also flat. The one I took out today seems to have gotten "sucked in" to the nozzle well and took a shape like it was made to fit inside of the top of the nozzle, therby blocking the little tiny hole that is inside the nozzle well at the top of the tiny suction line (fuel line??). There was no way the gas can get into the nozzle well with the gasket sucked down into the well. Is this typical of this carburator and how do I prevent it from being sucked down into the nozzle well again? I am scratching my head here!!

I also wonder with this gasket being sucked down into the nozzle well the way it was, and seeming to block that tiny hole from the small hose coming in from the bottom, is this why my motor would not cut down to trolling idle??? ** My reed valves that I originally asked about in this post look fine when I looked into the manifold with a flashlight. ALSO NOTE: I just discovered the gasket that looks distorted that I removed today actully fits into the bottom of the float bowl which is plastic on my carb, and the nozzle well presses against that when the carb body is installed.....but it still was sucked into the nozzle well and took a shape like it was molded to fit into the well. I want to prevent that from happening again. Do I need some type of permatex under the gasket at the bottom of the fuel float bowl? (I would not think so, but??)
 
Last edited:

iggyw1

Ensign
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
954
Final update on my 6 H.P. Evinrude: I rebuilt the carb, found two "MANGLED" (looked like they were melted out of shape) gaskets. I used an OEM parts kit for the rebuild, soaked the parts in a carb cleaning solvent, and the thing purrrrred like a kitten today out on the lake. I trolled for 4-1/2 hrs straight with0ut a sneeze cough or any other hesitation at all. When I shut it off to drift fish for a while, it started right back up with no choke on the first pull. (Had to always choke it before even if it was warm). Ran like a brand new motor all morning. Thanks for everyones input on it.
 
Top