Mercury’s legendary 2.0L, 2.4L and 2.5L V6 two-stroke outboards have powered everything from recreational performance boats and bass boats to tunnel boats, offshore racers and championship Mercury Racing engines.
 
Whether the powerhead carries Mercury Marine or Mercury Racing decals, the reed valves are a critical part of the induction system because they control the air/fuel charge entering the crankcase.
 
At high RPM, the reed petals open and close hundreds of times every second. Worn, chipped, fatigued or poorly sealing reeds can reduce throttle response, weaken acceleration and create inconsistent cylinder filling. Boyesen’s Dual-Stage design uses a lighter primary reed over a firmer flow-through reed so the two stages respond differently as crankcase pressure and engine speed change.
 
Boyesen describes this design as providing broader intake control, increased intake velocity and improved throttle response throughout the powerband.
 
Buckshot Racing #77 offers three Mercury V6 reed configurations so the kit can be matched to the actual reed-cage and front-half design rather than simply ordering by horsepower or engine decal.
 
Option 1 – MercRace Yellow Composite - B265Y
 
The MercRace Yellow Composite Reed Kit is our standard race-oriented Boyesen Dual-Stage option for compatible Mercury 5-petal horizontal reed cages. It is intended for many Mercury Marine and Mercury Racing 2.0L, 2.4L and 2.5L V6 powerheads that have been equipped with the factory-style 5-petal cage.
 
Applications can include numerous 135, 150, 175 and 200 HP carbureted and EFI engines, along with performance configurations such as XR4, Bridgeport EFI, Laser EFI, 200 EFI and modified Mercury V6 racing powerheads using the correct 5-petal cage.
 
This version provides a strong combination of throttle response, durability and high-RPM performance for recreational performance boats, bass boats, lake-race boats, offshore boats and competition engines.
 
Option 2 – MercRace Yellow Composite - B265SP
 
The MercRace Yellow Composite SP Reed Kit is the premium version for serious racing and sustained high-RPM use. It retains Boyesen’s Dual-Stage operating principle while adding the special rubber-coated composite reed construction used in the SP version.
 
The coating is intended to improve sealing against the reed cage and provide a more controlled contact surface during repeated cycling.
 
Better reed sealing helps preserve crankcase pressure and airflow consistency, making the SP version especially attractive for highly modified Mercury V6 engines, drag applications and competition powerheads that spend substantial time at elevated RPM.
 
For builders looking for the highest-specification 5-petal option, the MercRace Yellow Composite SP is the preferred choice.
 
Option 3 – Vertical Reed V6 - B265V
 
The third option is for Mercury V6 engines using the earlier vertical-reed front-half and reed-cage arrangement rather than the later horizontal 5-petal configuration.
This is an important distinction because not every Mercury 2.0L or 2.4L V6 uses the same intake layout.
 
Early Mercury V6 engines were produced with vertical reed systems, and those engines require a reed kit designed specifically for that cage and front-half geometry.
 
The Vertical Reed V6 Boyesen Dual-Stage Kit is intended for compatible early Mercury and Mariner V6 two-strokes where the reed cages are arranged vertically behind the intake. These applications are commonly associated with earlier 2.0L and 2.4L carbureted V6 engines and should be identified by the actual intake and reed-cage configuration before ordering.
 
This vertical-reed option is also important for period-correct restorations and older performance builds where the original front half has been retained. Boyesen continues to catalog complete six-cylinder reed sets for specific Mercury Racing applications, including SST-140, and notes that its standard SST-140 kit is a complete six-cylinder set while 5-petal reeds are treated as a separate drag-racing configuration.
 
That is why reed-cage style matters more than engine name alone. A rebuilt or modified Mercury V6 may have had its front half, intake manifold or reed cages changed during a previous performance build.
 
What’s Included
 
Each complete Boyesen V6 reed kit supplied by Buckshot Racing #77 includes the components required to rebuild one compatible six-cylinder reed system. The 5-petal kits include twelve Boyesen reed sets, twelve reed stays, sixty mounting screws, installation instructions, and one official Boyesen decal.
 
The exact contents of the Vertical Reed V6 kit can vary by Boyesen part number and cage design, so the correct engine and reed configuration should be confirmed before ordering.
 
Choosing the Correct Reed Kit
 
The safest way to select the correct Boyesen reeds is to identify the engine’s actual reed-cage style before ordering.
 
If the engine uses a Mercury 5-petal horizontal cage, choose either the MercRace Yellow Composite or the higher-specification MercRace Yellow Composite SP. If the engine uses the earlier vertical-reed V6 front half, choose the Vertical Reed V6 option.
 
Do not rely solely on horsepower, year or model name. Mercury V6 engines have been modified and rebuilt for decades, and many powerheads no longer retain the induction system they originally left the factory with.
 
Whether rebuilding a stock 2.0L, 2.4L or 2.5L Mercury Marine V6 or refreshing a high-performance Mercury Racing powerhead, matching the Boyesen reed kit to the correct cage design helps restore throttle response, airflow control and consistent crankcase filling across the operating range.
 
For technical help identifying your reed cage or choosing the correct kit, contact Mike Hill at +1-714-697-1716 or mike@buckshotracing77.com.