hole in piston

[cwoods]

I had a 1974 150hp mercury. I bought it it 2004 and it always sputtered and smoked when in reverse. It would barely move but it always moved enough. It always would run 60 mph. A person put a camera in plug hole to check pistons and found a hole burned in one. He said it was no good. That was in 2014. I sold it in 2023 and it still ran 60 mph with no problem. Mercury says the forward motion of the motor uses all pistons. I had one that only used 5.

 

[racerone]

Could have gone 63.5 MPH with 6 cylinders working.-----With a lack of fuel / oil it is strange that rod did not fail with hole in the piston.