Help! Pump shaft will not go back in.

[Paulie]

Hello all,
With much help from all the posts on our amazing forum, I have just finished installing new shift and steering cables and completely rebuilt the pump housings converting to the magic slurry. The port side pump went in without a problem but the starboard side doesn't want to index into the crank. I swapped sides thinking that I may have dinged up the end of the shaft during the rebuild but that wasn't it. If anyone has any ideas I would be much appreciative.

 

[Paulie]

Never mind. Crisis averted. After wrestling and cursing with it for an hour and then stopping to post on the forum, I took a deep breath, slapped some more moly on the tip and it slid right in! With a little bit of a wiggle.

 

[Paulie]

A wise old mechanic once told me, "lubricant is your friend!" Lol!

 

[Bill D]

Glad you got it worked out! I was going to suggest the opposite. One time I slopped too much grease on the end of the shaft and it wouldn't seat completely. I had to clean some out before it would seat.

 

[Paulie]

For sure. I had read that from a few posts so I was trying to go easy on the grease.