Reply To: Johnson S45 – Stuck – Which Piston to tap?

[hidditt]

After a couple of months…

The lower unit and rotary valve are now unstuck. The ball bearings in the rotary valve assembly have seen better days. One bearing is (sort of) working as it should, the other is still frozen.

I’m trying to get the drive shaft off with the leg. I have loosened off the nuts that secure the leg to the lower power head crank case, but that leg is not going to come off easily. I am not sure how to get leverage on it to pull it off. Suggestions?

The muffler has been removed and the exhaust ports are covered by the piston. I have been soaking the piston by filling the exhaust ports with ATF. I don’t want to use gas or diesel indoors. I will fill up the crank case with penetrating oil and ATF as suggested. No amount of tapping on the pistons has resulted in any movement so far.

I thought about removing the flywheel and mag plate but can’t find a match for the flywheel puller bolts. Maybe 5/16 – 24 UNF threads? The 5/15-18 UNC threads almost work. Getting some penetrating oil onto the top of the upper crank bearing might help.

Thanks in advance for your advice.