Help! Shift Rod Connector Stuck - 1987 30hp Johnson OB

[Mavenite]

Trying to take lower foot off of my 1987 #0 hp Johnson outboard, so I can change water pump. I can't slide the shift rod connector rod up to remove the keeper .It is seized on the shift rod. Any suggestion how I might get it to slide up?

TIA, Mavenite

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[Crosbyman]

tried some release agent wd40 etc...?

 

[racerone]

Usually as simple as scraping the paint off the upper rod.

 

[Mavenite]

tried some release agent wd40 etc...?

I have tried a couple. No luck!

 

[Mavenite]

Usually as simple as scraping the paint off the upper rod.

There is no paint. Thanks anyway
.

 

[racerone]

Sorry , I could not see / touch your motor.----Then the paint was scraped off some years ago.---Have scraped paint off many of them.

 

[Mavenite]

Sorry , I could not see / touch your motor.----Then the paint was scraped off some years ago.---Have scraped paint off many of them.

I finally freed it up. Clamped ViseGrips on shifter rod above the connecter so the rod could not move up when I positioned plier jaws on connector so as to minimize any thread damage. A couple of whacks with a hammer and it slid up.

I still have a question though. Is there supposed to be a plastic keeper on both the upper shift rod and the lower shift rod?

 

[racerone]

I can not see your parts !----Some did use 2 keepers.------Does your motor have the original lower unit ?----One piece lower shift rod ?-----Any pictures?

 

[Mavenite]

I can not see your parts !----Some did use 2 keepers.------Does your motor have the original lower unit ?----One piece lower shift rod ?-----Any pictures?

There was a keeper on both the lower and upper and it is the original foot. The keepers were slightly different. The lower one was about an 1/8 inch longer. I asked the question because my parts catalog does not show one on the lower rod.

 

[Mavenite]

I finally freed it up. Clamped ViseGrips on shifter rod above the connecter so the rod could not move up when I positioned plier jaws on connector so as to minimize any thread damage. A couple of whacks with a hammer and it slid up.

I still have a question though. Is there supposed to be a plastic keeper on both the upper shift rod and the lower shift rod?

Oops, I forgot one thing I also did to free it up (probably the most important). I heated the shift rod connector with a propane torch.