My outboard mechanic has just informed me that he cannot remove the leg to service the waterpump. He says it drops down a number of inches then stops. He is reluctant to use any more force - says it slides to a jolting stop. Can you suggest what the problem might be? and possible solutions? thanks Les Fisher

There is a long hole in the alloy housing, that the shaft fits through before the spline slips into the crankshaft. it is no doubt made with little clearance to help align the shaft. There is a section of the shaft just below the top spline that is the same diameter as the spline the rest is narrower. White corrosion had formed in the hole allowing the narrow bit of the shaft to slide through but stoping the wider bit.

Sliding it down so it thumped to a stop made is it stick down, hard to get to go back up and also worried us about braking something.

Solution was for me to pull the gearbox down while the mechanic twisted the shaft slightly back and forth with vice grips. Marking one of the bolts showed us we were getting somewhere little by little. Did this for over an hour, up and down, before it finally came.

Yipee