removal of pinion gear

[14Frisco]

I am trying to get the pinion gear (the one that drives the cam gear) off the pinion gear shaft.  I took off the pinion gear nut and had expected to slide off the pinion gear, but no, it won't move.  There isn't too much room in the cam chest to get your fingers in and get a grip and good leverage on the gear though.  Shouldn't the pinion gear slide right off once the nut is removed?

Several years back I took the pinion gear off and only have some vague memory that it just slides right on/off the shaft.  On re-install I did use some red loctite on the pinion gear nut per the instructions in the SM.  I guess it's possible that some of the loctite spread underneath the gear itself?

This is on a 1994 FLHR.

[wfolarry]

Tap it with a small hammer & it will probably pop loose.

[14Frisco]

Tap it with a small hammer & it will probably pop loose.

Thanks.

First, earlier, tried applying some heat in case the loctite had spread underneath it - no luck.
Then, later, tried tapping with a hammer - no luck.

It should slide right out, right?

What else are my options?  A small puller of some kind?  Older EVOs required a puller for the pinion gear I think - I don't have that tool anyway and I don't know if it would work/fit anyway.  May have to head to AutoZone to see what they have in their rental drawer...

[wfolarry]

Get a small puller on it. Are you sure the flywheels haven't been replaced?

[WML57]

Check and see if the pinion gear is welded to the oil pump worm gear. I've seen this done and if this is the case, you'll have to turn the crank while pulling on the pinion gear.

Mark.

[14Frisco]

Get a small puller on it. Are you sure the flywheels haven't been replaced?

Cases have never been split and nobody has opened the cam gear cover since I was in there last time a few years ago.  And then I did remove the pinion gear nut, pinion gear and oil pump drive gear and put them back on according to the SM.

Check and see if the pinion gear is welded to the oil pump worm gear. I've seen this done and if this is the case, you'll have to turn the crank while pulling on the pinion gear.

They are not welded together on purpose but do you mean by use?
The oil pump drive gear is just keyed, right?, and the oil pump is removed, and thus the oil pump drive shaft turns freely... so even if they were welded together I should be able to pull the oil pump drive gear outwards (causing the oil pump drive shaft to turn), right?

Thanks for the suggestions.

I guess I'll have to find a puller that will fit...

[wfolarry]

More than likely it's just all stuck together on that T shaped key. Get a puller on it.

[14Frisco]

OK, managed to get it off with a Pitman tie rod arm puller courtesy of AutoZone that just barely fit in the gear case.  It didn't really pop loose, it was tough going most of the way out.

It appears that there was a thin film of something between the shaft and the pinion gear and baked on to the shaft.  Most of that stuff might be PB Blaster that I used during my initial attempt.  Subsequent use of a torch might have "baked" that stuff.  Could it possibly be residue from the assembly lube (CRC with moly & graphite) that I used 5 or so years ago?  There was also a sliver of red, probably loctite...  The stuff didn't exactly fall off but with hard scraping with fingernails it got cleaned up.

Now about that t-key...  that key doesn't fall out by itself like the keys on the oil pump drive shaft.  And I remember from last time being in here that I changed all the oil pump shaft keys but not that t-key.  Should I replace it now (I have a new one)?  If so, how do I get the old one out?  Do I try to get underneath the t with a screwdriver or something and pry it up and out?  I don't want to break it trying to get it out...  The one in there is the OEM one from the factory, btw.
And once I get the old one out, how is the new one installed - gentle tapping on it to set it all the way down?  Does it go down easy?  Dry?

Thanks for the help.

[wfolarry]

To get that key out you have to remove the spacer & the oil pump drive gear.
If you want to fix it & make it a little better go over to the homemade tools section & look at the post JIG TO WELD EVO PINION GEAR & SPACER by jsachs. Might save you some trouble down the road.

[14Frisco]

The spacer is not separate on my bike - it is part of the oil pump drive gear and just slides off easily.
The t shaped key sits pretty firmly in its groove.  If I want to replace it, and I am not sure if I should...., do I just pry it up with a screwdriver (if I can get a screwdriver underneath its edge)?

[wfolarry]

That key will pop right out. If it looks good leave it in.

[14Frisco]

That key will pop right out. If it looks good leave it in.

Thanks - it did come out with little light prying with a screwdriver.  And a new one was tapped in.