Frozen gear case bolts

[jcallera]

I want to rebuild the water pump on my 1990 9.9 long shaft. Well, the bolts holding the extension to the exhaust housing are frozen. Likely corrosion between dissimilar metals. I've wrung the heads off of 2 of the bolts. Before I do any more damage, are there any, likely to work, suggestions for getting the bolts out? I tried putting a torch on one, head wrung off. (That was the 2nd one. Maybe I didn't heat it long enough.)

Do I just wring them all off and then drill out and re-tap the bolt holes? What's the best chance for success?

[Joe Reeves]

Use a hand held propane torch with a blow torch tip (hot) to heat the aluminum surrounding the bolt. Do not apply the flame directly on the bolt head.

I've worked with salt water engines for approximately 40 years and the above turned out to be the best route for removing those frozen bolts, screws, nuts. Yeah, I ran into a few that broke anyhow but for the majority of the bolts, they eventually loosed up. Sometimes it's best, in worse cases, after trying for awhile without success, to let it sit overnight to cool off, then try again... the ole expand, contract, expand again game.

[5keepers]

I want to rebuild the water pump on my 1990 9.9 long shaft. Well, the bolts holding the extension to the exhaust housing are frozen. Likely corrosion between dissimilar metals. I've wrung the heads off of 2 of the bolts. Before I do any more damage, are there any, likely to work, suggestions for getting the bolts out? I tried putting a torch on one, head wrung off. (That was the 2nd one. Maybe I didn't heat it long enough.)

Do I just wring them all off and then drill out and re-tap the bolt holes? What's the best chance for success?

One word... PB BLASTER .. let it soak in... DO NOT USE THE TORCH AFTER USING PB BLASTER!!!!!!

CARFUL with the torch... keep a wrench on the bolt - with pressure - heating... carefully!!

Use anti-seize on the bolts when reinstalling.