Mercury V6 XR2 - Does this Stator looks bad?

[Superjetjim]

If your latest idea doesn't pan out, run the motor for a while, anyway you can, to soil the spark plugs. If they are still clean like new, suspect cooling water getting to the spark plugs during running, steam cleaning them, and killing the power in that cylinder.

Thanks Chris.

Latest theory (new coils). Changed things, but didn’t really improve things. It’s bucking when trying to accelerate past 4K RPM’s now, a very defined miss-fire. To rule it out, I’m making a new loom between switch boxes and coils (mine is original and 30yrs old. Could have an intermittent break in the wiring. Whilst I was at this I pulled the exhaust chamber cover. All clear and looked fine. Pistons sides looking really clean and new.

Interesting what you say about the plugs / water getting into cylinders - all 6 of the plugs are really clean and never seems to carbon up… it might also explain where all my cooling water is going (lack of meaningful flow) - at 4K RPM it’s not even registering 5PSI on the water pressure gauge. What pressure would you expect at that RPM? I’ve just ordered a complete OEM water pump kit with new housing and gaskets. I only changed the impeller last time.

Also, where are the likely areas of water intrusion into the cylinders? Heads gasket is one I guess, but any other likely areas?