Re: Engine won't turn
At the bottom/front of the powerhead, there is a tube.It is between the transom mounts. It has an aluminum colored rod (stainless steel)running thru it, that attaches to the motor, with one bolt. Remove that bolt, and pull it apart. Now try to move the engine back and forth. If it moves free, let's start with that tube.<br />Where the steering cable goes into that tube,there is a big nut. Unscrew and pull back the nut. Pull the aluminum colored rod out of the tube. It should come out very easy. If it does not, the problem is rust inside that tube has decided it wants that aluminum colered rod forever. Remove the nut on the other side of this tube and slide it off. Note that this nut has a felt washer inside. This is to hold the lube inside, and keep the water and debris out.<br />Nothing but gobs of liquid wrench and hammering will free it (if you are lucky). This is where they usually sieze up on your motor.<br /><br />Once you get this aluminum rod out,see if you can move the steering wheel. If you can turn it freely, you can take a shotgun bore, and clean the inside of the tube. It needs to be rust-free and spotless before you re-install the rod. If you don't get all the rust,it will sieze-up next year. Once you have it cleaned up, grease the heck out of it, and re-install the rod. The nut with the felt inside should be clean and dry. I use gasoline to clean all the gunk out of the felt. This felt has to be able to hold fresh grease to complete the job of sealing it off from the elements.<br />I hope this helps. If this is not where it is (you have the rod out, and the steering wheel still wont turn), the helm or cable has frozen.,and will need to be replaced.
