I just worked on my friends Blaster that went dead. It turns out that the reason it would not start was that the air filter hold-down screw came undone. It made its way thru the carb and ended up stuck in the reed valve. The reed was damaged (only the reed, not the housing).

My questions are:

1. Is this a common occurance?
2. Any recomendations on reed valves? I'm thinking of replacing it with an OEM.

 

It happened on a 95 we used to have. You have to make sure it is snug before every ride. If it were to get past reeds(longshot) it could be expensive.

 

Try Boyesen Power Reeds...but don't waste the money to get the Pro Series ones.