if it was me, i would replace the reeds. they don,t last forever and a lot cheaper than a motor job.

 

I couldn't find a part number for just the reeds.

 

The reeds appear to be Boyensen fiber reeds and if not broken are fine - yeah, what is material and where did it come from?

Part of the air filter? Something that got or was put inside the air filter during a moment when the air filter was off?

Let us know if you determine what it is and where it came from.

 

Here is a better look at the piece. I will be taking a better look at plastic air cleaner housing. The piece looks like a piece ot RTV gasket material to me.

 

I agree - it kinda looks like RTV or another silicone adhesive product - silicone is not gas or oil resistant and should not be used where exposed to certain chemicals - look to see if someone tried to repair a tear or split in the intake with the chit - even using it as a sealant between the read cage and carb holder can result in your experience.

 

According to schematic there is no gasket between the rubber boot and the reed cage. Guess that doesn't mean someone didn't try to put some in there anyway. Will be inspecting further while waiting for the engine to reed cage gasket.

 

Found where the piece came from. Someone has used some RTV / plastic material to make a repair in the air cleaner box. You can see where the chunk came from.