72'Merc 500, fused/rusted impeller,removal of?

[delvel]

Hi :
Need some help here. I'm trying to replace impeller on my 50Hp merc(72').
All went well until I tried to slide impeller off drive shaft. It won't budge! Put rust buster on for all day and over nite, tapped shaft, tried a channel pliers to get it to move...nothing!
All it did is tear-up rubber on impeller! Seems the brass bushing is rusted/fused to drive shaft...or am I missing something here?
I don't want to force.. any ideas?

[Steve_Kiesel]

Try heating the shaft a little. When all else fails, some heat always seems to help. :TwoCents1:

[delvel]

Heat + Force= Free Impeller!

Thanks Steve:
It worked, Had to also use a small cold chisel and slice into bronze bushing.
Once the heat expanded it she popped right off!

[TheBronze]

Whew!

[Bflaherty]

Thanks Steve:
It worked, Had to also use a small cold chisel and slice into bronze bushing.
Once the heat expanded it she popped right off!

Glad to hear you got it apart ok. Make sure you double check the drive shaft for wear, my merc1000 did the same thing when I first got it and I had cooling issues for a couple seasons until we closely inspected the shaft and realized the water was blowing past the bushing on the shaft instead of going up the water line