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Stuffing box dripping too much when stopped
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jcs707
#1 Posted : Saturday, August 22, 2009 11:38:21 AM(UTC)
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When I went to the boat today I noticed about 5 gallons - 10 gallons of water in the bilge. Last week when I left it was dry. On further inspection I noticed my starboard stuffing box dripping about 1-sec! I have no experience with stuffing boxes and sense this should be left to a professional. However, I would like to understand more about what the possible fix is. How serious is this? is just an adjustment needed? Also note, there is no vibration when running - very smooth.

/Clint
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fastjeff
#2 Posted : Saturday, August 22, 2009 11:58:22 AM(UTC)
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If you have lots of patience and are "handy", this is a job that can be done in a hour. The stuffing box will leak a bit after the packing nut is backed off, but nothing that the bilge pump can't handle. A rag wrapped about the shaft reduces it further.

Getting the old packing out of the nut is the toughest part. I made a tool from a long deck screw with a Tee handle welded to the end. Once the old crap is out, cut a new ring that fits neatly around the shaft. (Using an object the diameter of you shaft--like a socket--makes that easier.) Put that one ring in the nut and screw the whole works together nice and tight, then back it off and add another ring. Repeat the above. Finally, try to get a third ring in there as well. (If you can't run with two.)

Finally, adjust the packing nut so the shaft turns freely by hand but only drips a few drops a minute. Then cinch the locknut to keep the packing nut from backing off (or tightening on its own). This is important with packing glands that have the packing inside the nut.

Have fun!

Jeff
"...reality is not nearly as lovely as the world of Liberal Land. No wonder so many people want to go there." - Tom Sowell
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jcs707
#3 Posted : Saturday, August 22, 2009 12:46:59 PM(UTC)
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Thanks Jeff, ... between now and the time it's repacked - does using the boat increase the rate at which the packing is deteriorating? I suspect it will take me a couple of weeks to get someone out to take care of it - it's beyond my level of handiness. Sorry for the newbie questions ... but I've never owned an inboard boat before ... my 70ft houseboat had stern-drives ... no stuffing boxes to worry about.

/Clint
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old32
#4 Posted : Saturday, August 22, 2009 3:08:45 PM(UTC)
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clint it's not a major problem you can back off the lock nut and tighten the gland nut to slow or stop the drip. teflon shaft packing is only 2 a foot .it's a cheap easy fix.


tim
72 32' express
"http://www.theboaters.com/boats/Powerboat_Express_Cruiser_marinette_1972_anticipation"
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jcs707
#5 Posted : Saturday, August 22, 2009 10:34:23 PM(UTC)
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Referring to this tutorial as a reference - http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box
Once I back off the lock nut - will there be a increase in water flowing in from the male end of the stuffing box? I can certainly see that if I were backing off the gland nut to repack ... there would be ... but if I'm just tightening the gland nut ... should I expect and on-rush of water? Also, once the lock-nut is backed off, should I be able to tighten the gland nut by hand? And how much do I tighten? 1/4 turn and re-check - if it's still dripping - 1/4 turn and re-check?

And last but not least, on a 32 is there some trick to making access easier? Jeeezzz ... even for an avg size person this requires gymnast like flexibility :-(

/Clint
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fastjeff
#6 Posted : Sunday, August 23, 2009 2:10:38 AM(UTC)
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Told you it wasn't gonna be easy!

The lock nut tends to move the packing nut at the same time as you back it off, and that tightens (not loosens) the packing nut.

A word on really old packing: The lubricating ability of the packing is shot! That means shaft damage if it's tightened too much, or even normally. Better to let it leak until you can replace it.

Jeff
"...reality is not nearly as lovely as the world of Liberal Land. No wonder so many people want to go there." - Tom Sowell
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GB49
#7 Posted : Sunday, August 23, 2009 2:30:17 AM(UTC)
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You can take all that packing and put it where the sun does not shine. I have fiddled and fiddled with that stuff to no end. You get it to drip correctly at dock and after a run it either is dripping too frequently or not enough.

As for loosening that packing nut, its no big deal. The water that comes in is not that much as Jeff mentioned. I had even gone for a run one time and realized the nut came off and was sliding around on the shaft.

You will never get it perfect, it may drive you nuts trying. The real answer is to go with packless.

-Karl
1986, 32' Sedan, twin 360ci, 275hp Chrysler's w/ K&N flame arrestors
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Barkleydave
#8 Posted : Sunday, August 23, 2009 5:41:17 AM(UTC)
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Not so fast on giving up with packing shafts.

The very best packing I have found is GFO. This stuff is fantastic. I repacked 4 years ago and I am in the water 12 months a year. My bilges are bone dry and shafts run COOL! It tends to be a little thicker than the old flax packing so do not be worried if you only get 2 rings in.

When underway it will drip only slightly and after a short easy run in it will require very little adjustment if any.

http://www.gfopacking.com/

safe boating,

dave
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bruegf
#9 Posted : Sunday, August 23, 2009 6:17:42 AM(UTC)
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I agree w/ Dave. I've been using the GFO packing on my last few boats and its nearly maintenance free. Mine barely seeps when under way and is bone dry at rest. And its a lot less money and effort than installing a dripless packing. I'd never go dripless after using GFO packing.

Fred
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trontek
#10 Posted : Sunday, August 23, 2009 6:31:41 AM(UTC)
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Another ditto....
Jim

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dougrose
#11 Posted : Sunday, August 23, 2009 10:16:07 AM(UTC)
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Conventional packing has nice failure modes: drips too much, drips not enough, and so forth.

I took a guy off his sunken boat in the Bahamas some years ago (he sank in 6' of water, lucky) because his dripless shaft seal had a major failure: the smooth bearing surface grabbed and ripped the rubber bellows off the shaft - major leak.

Now that's not a nice failure.


1975 32' Flybridge Sedan, twin Perkins 6-354 diesels, 1:1.53 velvetdrives, 16 X 19 props. Merritt Island, Florida
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mark
#12 Posted : Sunday, August 23, 2009 2:29:49 PM(UTC)
mark

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clint i was worried about repacking my shafts untill i talked to these guys ,when i took the nut off i was ready for a hurricane of water and in the 1 hour it took to do both shafts i got less than 3 gallons inthe boat GFO best packing on the market no drips and cool shafts
mark
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jcs707
#13 Posted : Sunday, August 30, 2009 12:20:07 PM(UTC)
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Does every 32 use the same packing size? ... if so ... is it 1/4 or 5/16? ... I've seen mention for both.

/Clint
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old32
#14 Posted : Sunday, August 30, 2009 12:27:26 PM(UTC)
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my 72 express 32 uses 1/4 " and has 1 inch shafts .thats all i know

tim

72 32' express
"http://www.theboaters.com/boats/Powerboat_Express_Cruiser_marinette_1972_anticipation"
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fastjeff
#15 Posted : Sunday, August 30, 2009 1:10:17 PM(UTC)
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My 32 footer with 1 1/4 shafts also uses 1/4 " packing.

Jeff
"...reality is not nearly as lovely as the world of Liberal Land. No wonder so many people want to go there." - Tom Sowell
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