Finally unstuck lower unit!

[donzi gt230]

After over a week of fighting with the front stud on my 200 Black Max, it's out. I started out using penetrating oil, heat, prying, hammering, and yelling at it; didn't budge. The last couple days I decided the corrosion needed to be removed, not lubricated. I mixed up some oxalic acid and a couple drops of dish detergent (helps the mixture penetrate) and it finally worked. Within a few hours the corrosion was starting to bubble up and out around the stud. Every chance I got I would hammer on the stud to expel some of the junk and hit it again with the acid, again hammering a few times to help it work it's way down in there. After a couple days of this I could clearly see that the acid had worked its way down some, but couldn't tell how far. I again grabbed the air hammer and went for it. After a few bursts something in the sound changed. For the first time there was movement-WOOHOO!! I kept on with the hammer and it was finally out. Another thing that helped a lot was using the two foreword nuts, the ones that don't come all the way out 'till the LU drops down. I put a small piece of steel above each one and backed them out against the plate to put downward pressure on the LU. This is usually enough on its own to remove most stubborn LUs, mine was a special kinda stuck. The acid and air hammer were key for mine. If you don't want to mix your own acid you can buy rust stain remover from starbrite (I think that's who makes it). It's probably a little weaker than what I made, but should work anyway. After it pops apart a good rinsing and some baking soda will neutralize remaining acid so it wont keep eating at the metal parts, tho it does nearly nothing to them anyway. Today I FINALLY get to do my pumps and other things to get this gem water tested. Can't wait to hear the 12 angry cylinders revved out. Open hub props, engines jacked up, should sound awesome!