How do I loosen my outboard motors mounting shaft?
• Try to pump in fresh grease. If you can get any in at all you will probably then be able to get it moving. • Try a penetrating solvent. I generally prefer CRC over WD-40 for general use but try either. Apply it to any access points like the top/bottom of the shaft. Once a day, give a little squirt. Be patient. The solvent has to make its way along the shaft, dissolving dry grease as it goes. It will be a big help if you can get any motion at all. • If you have an extra grease gun, especially one of the little ones that you can pack yourself, try putting light oil or kerosene in the gun and pump it into the grease fitting. That will get it in faster than capillary action alone. • Drive out the shaft with force. But remember, never hit a shaft with anything metallic…always use a plastic hammer, or put a block of wood or a wooden dowel on the shaft and hit the block or dowel. I wouldn’t use acetone. It will take time for any solvent to penetrate and acetone will evaporate too fast. On
