Reply To: 1956 15 hp Evinrude driveshaft stuck in powerhead

[Don]

If you have no luck with these suggestions, it is best to remove the powerhead. You will need to find someone with a decent air hammer and big ol vise. Find a way to clamp the driveshaft in the vise with the powerhead facing down, but close to the bottom of the vise. Find a way to wedge a pry bar between the powerhead and vise, while someone works the air hammer on the driveshaft as close to the powerhead as possible. Once the driveshaft moves out a bit, you can spray oil on the splines, then tap the driveshaft back down into the powerhead and repeat the air hammer process…
Be careful to have support for the powerhead so it doesn’t fall to the floor, use a flat steel plate between the powerhead and pry bar to ensure the powerhead base isn’t damaged from the pry bar.
Once the driveshaft is out, spray the splines and keep working the driveshaft in and out of the crank until it moves in and out freely and most of the rust is removed. Be sure to coat the driveshaft splines with the OMC moly lube before reinstalling the gearcase during final assembly.