half-moon key stuck...#*&#!!!!

[FISHON]

Help...half-moon key stuck on drive shaft,I'm hesitant about using heat because of the seals.....any ideas. The motor is a yamaha F-150. Last water pump service was done by a yamaha tech one year ago, 150 hours.

 

[Bryan 2530]

Put an awl or tapered punch on the top and tap it down. I had to soak mine in PB blaster but it freed up eventually.

 

[FISHON]

Thanks for the reply, I've been working on that key for an hour now, I'll walk away and let it soak for awhile.I'm tempted to escalate that tap-tap with small hammer to a bam-bam with a single jack. I'll let you know what I break,hopefully I don't push that drive shaft down thru the bottom of the lower unit. :shock:

 

[Brent]

try a pneumatic die grinder or wheel grinder to split it

 

[FISHON]

I'm going to let it soak over night, and if the tap-tap does'nt do it the grinder will be next. Thanks for the ideas, its time for a barley pop.

 

[speckmiester]

TAP DOWN ON ONE END OF IT TO BREAK IT LOOSE, TRY TO USE BRASS ASNOT TO MUSHROOM. BUT IT CAN BE REPLACED CHEAP

 

[SOUTHWINS]

just did mine,used brass ,put a new key in sand it down to fit easy so next time it will come out

 

[Bryan 2530]

put a new key in sand it down to fit easy so next time it will come out

That is a good tip, I read that samething online somewhere, so I did the same. We'll see what happens next go round.

I also put Dale's favorite Blue grease on it too.

 

[speckmiester]

use neversieze on the key

 

[Bryan 2530]

Some never seize products have copper in them, not good for salt water and stainless steel.

http://www.neverseezproducts.com/antiseize.htm

 

[esfishdoc]

Propane torch and heat up the shaft from the opposite side of the key...then do the above... I've used a lot of heat one time and never had any problems.

Remember.. don't force it.. get a bigger hammer!

 

[FISHON]

Finally the key was dislodged with a small punch and a firm rap with a hammer. Water pump maintance complete, thanks all for the suggestions.

 

[big tuna]

Big nipper pliers work every time. Actually, I've only done it once so far, but they worked perfectly.

 

[highstickin]

mine was pretty tough too but what finally worked was I placed a claw hammer on it as if it were a nail. then I gently smacked the face of the hammer with a rubber mallet to push it onto the key. this action allowed me to use the leverage of the hammer to pull the key like pulling a nail. worked like a charm