5 Symptoms to Detect A Bad Reed Valve On Your Outboard
Some automotive enthusiasts consider a reed valve “the backbone of the 2-cycle engines!” Why not as it plays a crucial role in pressing adequate air through the engine so that it can work with consistency. That’s why if you find issues with the AC compressor, fuel, and engine power, there might be something wrong with the reed valve.
Common bad reed valve symptoms include a lack of power, engine hesitancy, excessive fuel consumption, and harsh idling. Apart from these, drivers may also face trouble during acceleration due to a faulty reed valve.
After several hours of in-depth research, I’ve come up with the details of the symptoms, possible causes, and a handy maintenance guide. So let’s dive into the ocean!
How Do You Know If Outboard Reed Valves Are Bad?
Before you get into solving the issues with the outboard reed valve, it’s mandatory to get familiar with the syndromes behind its common bummers.
This is because each problem must be fixed following individual directions. And yes, each symptom will give you different indications on whether fixing is enough or replacement would be the only way to go!
So, without further chit-chat, let’s have a detailed discussion on the possible symptoms:
Symptom 1: Engine Hesitation
Once the outboard reed valve gets damaged or fails to function, it affects the engine performance or outboard motor. During driving or accelerating, the motor will start acting like dying but gradually builds up acceleration. It happens as a failing outboard reed cannot respond to the increased fuel flow.
Symptom 2: Lack of Power
Are you noticing a power reduction for a couple of days? Well, in most cases, it happens for two prime reasons: inconsistent fuel/air mixture and poor reed valve.
Due to the lack of power, users can face significant changes in terms of overall speed. The range of RPM will equally drop for reduced power.
Symptom 3: Excess Fuel Consumption
Note that a bad reed valve is prone to become chipped, break off, and lose its actual straightness. For that reason, an engine requires more fuel than before to get the work done.
And that’s when the rate of fuel consumption goes higher! So, don’t make mistakes by thinking that fuel leakage and clogged tanks are the only culprits behind excessive consumption of fuel.
Symptom 4: Harsh Idling
Generally, a reed valve assists in pressing air via an engine to make the actual combustion required. Thus, it creates the power to operate correctly.
So when a valve becomes fragile, it can’t open and produce the required level of oxygen for mixing with your vehicle’s fuel! Consequently, it results in harsh engine idling!
Symptom 5: Poor Acceleration
Are you facing complications during the acceleration? Last but definitely not least, a faulty bad reed valve will cause your vehicle’s engine not to operate normally! In fact, it doesn’t matter how much fuel you give to the engine, it won’t respond.
In such a case, immediately check the reed valve to see whether slight fixing is enough or replacement is a must.
Possible Causes of a Reed Valve Failure on an Outboard
Many noobs in the field of automotive ask for the actual causes behind a reed valve failure so that they can solve them separately. That’s why here, are some probable causes, which are as follows –
Reed Valve Leakage
Over a period of time, the body of a reed valve tends to get leaked. And that’s when it leans out the mixture of fuel and causes issues with excess overheating.
Moreover, a leaked reed valve body may offer negative effects on the interior of the fuel pump. This is why the rate of fuel consumption can drastically increase.
Applying Poor Quality Fuels
Using bad quality fuel creates carbon dust upon burning the fuel. The dust piles up in the chamber, which later on affects the reed valves significantly!
Moreover, these carbon deposits block the valves from shutting correctly. As a result, the reeds burn and tend to wear out earlier than expected.
Loose Valve Body
After a long period of time, the body of the reed valve becomes loose as its petal is prone to flex countless times! And this will cause reduced performance and inconsistent power.
Aging
Nothing is eternal in this world, and the reed valve is no exception! Even if you keep this component well-maintained, aging can be the reason behind turning it fragile after a specific period of time. And that isn’t in our hands!
Tips for Maintaining the Outboard Reed Valve to Prevent Future Failure
With proper care and maintenance of the outboard reed valve, it’s possible to keep it more long-lasting than usual.
On top of that, you can avoid dealing with future failures if you’re well aware of the reed valve maintenance. So check these out:
- Inspect your reed valve, especially the exterior at least once per month to observe potential leakage and damage.
- Dust accumulation will cause reed valve malfunctioning, so cleaning it up after a certain period is the key to keeping it dirt-free and long-lasting.
- During the replacement, make sure the mechanic has settled it properly. Otherwise, a loose reed valve body will give you a hard time!
- Be aware of the fuel consistency so that it doesn’t offer a negative impact on the reed valve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Didn’t you find the queries you’re looking for yet regarding the reed valve? Well, give all of these question-answers a read to get more education on it:
How often do I need to replace my reed valve if it is causing complications?
There is no strict rule on how often you must change or replace the reed valve. If you notice it turns entirely bad and fixing doesn’t work, only then replace the bad reed valve.
When and how should I access the screws on my reed valve?
When you notice any symptoms mentioned above, pay attention to your reed valve to ensure whether it turns bad or not. If it goes bad, you’ll need to replace it by taking off the carburetor and accessing its two prominent screws.
What if my reed valve is causing harsh idling?
After loosening the actual straightness and efficacy, your reed valve may start harsh idling. In that case, call a mechanic to confirm whether replacement is required or slight fixing will be okay. In most cases, harsh idling often indicates a damaged reed valve.
How much should I spend on replacing the EGR valve?
An inexpensive EGR valve costs around 50 dollars, while the expensive one comes in 280-300 dollars or so. Even the priciest one can cost you an arm and a leg, ranging up to 500 dollars.
How often do I have to replace my outboard reed valve petals?
As a rule of thumb, experts do recommend replacing the reed valve petals every 150 hours, if possible. To do so, you must get access to the necessary screws of the reed valve to take these off and get the valve body out.
Conclusion
Without having plenty of ideas on the bad reed valve symptoms, you can’t deal with any of its issues. On top of that, there is no chance to neglect its necessity because if a reed valve turns faulty, several problems will be noticeable around the engine, AC compressor, and acceleration!
I’d highly prefer you pay attention to the reed valve maintenance so that you can continue running without any issues. Especially, clean it up after a specific period to eliminate stubborn dirt and dust build-up.
Lastly, if you notice any of the symptoms causing leakage, overheating, and such bummers, don’t think twice about consulting an automotive expert.
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