I bought this boat/motor five years ago with a melted #1 piston. The guy I bought it from was the original owner. He was up front about the damage, and said no major work had ever been necessary on the motor, just preventative maintenance. I relocated the indicator port per sb, installed new impeller, new piston, re-sleeved the cylinder, and ran the heck out of it for three years, no problems. Two years ago my wife mentioned to my cousin that we were selling the boat, and my cousin bought it. The boat was run very little over the past two years. Early this summer, just after professional carb rebuild and impeller install; melted #1 piston, again. We brought it back to the mechanic for a look. His opinion is bad gas left over from fall. But theres no indication of burning on #2, and #3 pistons, just #1. If it were bad gas, wouldn't there be evidnece of burning on the other pistons? He also said it could have been caused by lugging the engine, but again, why just the #1 melted?
