Frozen Steering

[wassachu]

I had the same problem with my old Johnson. I replaced the cable and it worked fine. The next year it was frozen again. The problem is not the cable, it's the tube on the front of the motor. When they replaced my cable they cleaned the tube and greased it, but moisture got in and it rusted again. I couldn't break it loose for nothing. I tried everything. When I disconnected the cable from the motor, the steering from the helm worked, the motor turned free, but reconnecting the cable to the tube, the steering was frozen. The nuts on each end of the tube were allowing moisture to enter the tube and rust up. I'd disconnect the cable and remove one of the tube nuts and try to clean it out. Replace those nuts. BE CAREFULL! The motor could fall off. I had other problems with my motor, overheating, smoking, running rough. I dumped it and replaced it with a new E-Tec. Great move! Great motor!