Johnson powerhead

I am after ideas for getting a powerhead off a leg that doesn't want to budge. Its a 1972 johnson 50 2 cylinder. The row of studs that secure the power head to the leg are frozen in the aluminum. I have thought I might hang it upside down and and squirt wd40 on the studs and hopefully it will makes its way down . But I thought maybe you blokes might have experience with this problem. I had to cold chisel all the nuts loose. They were badly corroded.

 

I have had those 2cyl OMC engines but never re-built one. Are you talking about set screws, and if so, why do they need to come out ?

 

Its the row of studs that atach the engine to the leg. The studs are in the powerhead but are frozen solid to the leg. I am talking about lifting the whole powerhead off not individual studs.

 

A lot of outboard wrecker types swear by the utility of heat in releasing frozen fasteners. Failing that you might use a drift on those studs that is softer than them, and not going to burr the end of them. If you hit them you might crack and loosen the corrosion surrounding them, which I assume is all that is preventing the separation of the block from the trunk.

 

Yes heat is a good idea. Already tried the brass drift and hammer. I am sure there is nothing but these studs stopping the powerhead coming off. I won't get back home till next sunday so I will have to try the gas burner then.

 

If the driveshaft is frozen into the crankshaft end, it won't budge. Try dropping the gearcase to make sure.

 

It looks like the gearbox has been off recently but I will drop it off to make sure.

 

yep gearbox off and upside down heat cold stuff
you did get the single nut at the rear?
thats electric shift one ya?

 

Thanks p. I stripped this motor of the gearbox and all the ignition and fuel components and used some of them on my 73 motor. Now I have a 50 that runs very nice and I don't need to worry about getting the powerhead off this one.