Yes I did pull the motor a few
Yes I did pull the motor a few years ago and had to refinish everything. The previous owner washed the motor with a caustic chemical and totally destroyed everything. All plated or steel parts were chalky white with thick corrosion, and all painted surfaces were stained and streaked - it was an aweful sight! I also used stainless fasteners everywhere I could, with plated steel washers - because stainless and aluminum don't always get along too well. Since I did the motor, I only rarely used diluted simple green and then only on the lower areas of the frame members and gearbox. For everything else I use WD-40. Protect all electrical connections, soak everything down and agitate as needed, and gently spray things down with a hose...with the nozzle set on "mist". This way very little water is used but it will flush out lots of the crud and dirt. I then use an electric leaf blower to blast all the water out. Finally follow up by wiping every nook and cranny with rags and such. It's time consuming but the results speak for themslelves.