Thread revival!
I finally got around to stripping my recently acquired Mercury S yesterday.
As Phil, the two screws holding the cocking linkage guide were ridiculously tight. Eventually one came out. The other remained more stubborn. As my 14 year old came into the kitchen, I had a "brain wave", asked him to tap the end of the screwdriver for me (acting as in impact driver) and out she came.
However, two bits remain.........it's years since I worked on Mercuries.....an early one and then a Challenger........
What do you chaps use to hold the "locking nut" for the breech bolt? Mine's turning with the bolt. Had a rummage through and I don't have anything that fits. Looks like I'll have to get hold of a 10mm slotted screwdriver and file a 6mm "step" in the centre.
And the back block is very stubborn. It's refusing to budge despite repeated whacks with the rubber mallet (hitting on the fat part near the hole at the front). Does one just keep trying? Would application of WD40/GT85 help? Would heating it help? So far, I've only tried with the action laying on my knees. I guess securing in a protected vice would help to get the thread started.
With the cocking link removed, I realise the piston will remove (once that end block is off!), but I prefer to also remove the barrel so that I can clean out the detent channel, polish the detent, relube and apply moly grease to the breech jaws / pivot.