Modern Vespa

I'm rebuilding a VBB2 motor and have the cases split, engine disassembled. The crank looks good to me, but the flyside woodruff key is stuck tight in the keyway.

I've tried hammering the key out carefully with a nail set/punch, as others have recommended over the years, but no dice yet. I've stopped whamming on it now because I don't want to damage the crank taper or keyway, or distort the crank overall (I am using a crank wedge tool jammed in the webs to try to avoid that.)

I had wanted to remove the key and then decide whether to either reuse it or replace it while I reassemble the motor in the coming days, but now I'm wondering: does the woodruff key actually look ok enough to just reuse it in the crank as is?

I know it is a bit mashed but I don't think it was sheared. Have others been in this spot before during a rebuild? Is the consensus to get it out at all costs, or replace the crank, or it looks reusable so go ahead and leave it?

Photos below!

Thanks

Drill a line of holes as big and deep as you can without hitting the crank either on the side or the bottom of the slot and break it out in pieces if you have to... looks like you have it packed in there pretty good. It's false economy to attempt to save a part such as this..

File off half of the mushroomed bit on one end of the key and with a small chisel of screwdriver or... tap that end of the key into the slot. The key is semicircular and the opposite end will lift out like a see-saw.

If those other ideas don't work, I'd then try spot welding a few beads on the key. That way you can knock it out easier with a punch or chisel.

I had a similar issue where the key had been glued/bonded in the keyway - making it almost impossible to tap out.

For me, gently heating the key and keyway with a gas torch caused the bonding agent to melt sufficiently for me to tap the key out. As mentioned above, the keyway is shaped so that gently tapping on one end of the key in a downward/diagonal pattern should see the opposing end of it 'pop' out from the keyway.

Good luck.

I was getting claustrophobic with it stuck in there. Eventually methods suggested by a few folks here worked (thanks!) -- I think the old key may have had some type of adhesive on it, or it was discolored by minor rust.

A new key now fits just fine in there. Although the keyway looks somewhat uglier than it used to, I don't think it's ruined on this crank.

Thanks for the ideas. My method was drilling a few holes lightly, hitting it with a punch, drilling a tad more carefully. Repeat 'til it moved out.

I'll install the crank with the rebuild, and worse case... I'll eventually replace it if need be.

Pics below, including the new straight key installed, plus the old one after attacking it:

Hopefully, this could help out someone else in the future. Cheers