Volvo Seal, Replaced With PSS.

Dec 31, 2016
319
Beneteau Oceanis 351 Charlottetown
One step closer to launching this year (only another 20,000, 5 minute jobs to do). Replaced the original Volvo seal with a PSS, and Cutlass bearing as well. I had mentioned in another post that I thought I'd have to build up my stern tube, but after checking around found out I ordered the wrong bellows, (the right size is the one on the right in the picture, and wasn't available from my local dealer). so all is coming together, chopped off the pesky nipple that resides aft of the original and filled the hole with epoxy,. I still have a few things to tidy up, as the photo's show, one being the hose that the original po had to lube the Volvo seal, I will plug that. Interesting that the Beneteau cutlass bearing is solid rubber, with no bronze outer casing.
 

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DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Explain why you have the shaft zincs inside the hull? I am no expert, but
I would think that they would have to be exposed to water to be of any value.
 
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Ward H

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Nov 7, 2011
3,645
Catalina 30 Mk II Barnegat, NJ
Looks like he is using it has a lock collar to keep that half of the seal from sliding back.
 
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Dec 31, 2016
319
Beneteau Oceanis 351 Charlottetown
Explain why you have the shaft zincs inside the hull? I am no expert, but
I would think that they would have to be exposed to water to be of any value.
It's a cheap collar lock.
 
Nov 23, 2009
437
Beneteau Oceanis 361 Clipper --
one being the hose that the original po had to lube the Volvo seal, I will plug that. Interesting that the Beneteau cutlass bearing is solid rubber, with no bronze outer casing.
Why plug the hose going to Volvo seal? You still need to lubricate the PSS from somewhere, right?
I believe Beneteau uses solid rubber cutlass bearing because they are easier to remove from the skeg in comparison to bronze ones used on boats with access from both sides.
 
Dec 31, 2016
319
Beneteau Oceanis 351 Charlottetown
Why plug the hose going to Volvo seal? You still need to lubricate the PSS from somewhere, right?
I believe Beneteau uses solid rubber cutlass bearing because they are easier to remove from the skeg in comparison to bronze ones used on boats with access from both sides.
The PSS has it's own vent nipple, I don't see a need for 2.
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Phillip, think that Brian was referring to plugging the hole in the shaft tube where Beneteau installs a nipple for cooling / lubricating water. He will now use existing thru Hull & hose to attach to the nipple on the new PSS shaft seal instead of the old nipple on the shaft tube.
 

4arch

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Jun 29, 2010
101
Beneteau Oceanis 400 Baltimore
What made you decide to replace the Volvo seal with a PSS instead of a new Volvo?
 
Dec 31, 2016
319
Beneteau Oceanis 351 Charlottetown
What made you decide to replace the Volvo seal with a PSS instead of a new Volvo?
After installing it, I asked my self the very same question! All the hype about the PSS, ,you know, "can be installed on a worn shaft ", "years and years of trouble free service", ,all the sales pitch bull. While bent over installing it,(for what seems like hours), I observed the amount of pressure it takes to push the bellows back and have to wonder what effect that is going to make on the transmission, we'll see how it goes. Oh, and my original Volvo seal was leaking, about 1 quart in 8-10 hours last year.
 

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,131
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
After installing it, I asked my self the very same question! All the hype about the PSS, ,you know, "can be installed on a worn shaft ", "years and years of trouble free service", ,all the sales pitch bull. While bent over installing it,(for what seems like hours), I observed the amount of pressure it takes to push the bellows back and have to wonder what effect that is going to make on the transmission, we'll see how it goes. Oh, and my original Volvo seal was leaking, about 1 quart in 8-10 hours last year.
Don't have buyer's remorse, Brian. I have had them on two boats. The current one has 2800 hours and 24 years on one. The only maintenance has been the replacement of the bellows three times. I compare that to the fighting with the packing on my old one and replacing the shaft gland and trying dripless packing before I gave up and installed a PSS and I would not have any other.
 

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
The original po, had installed a shut off on it.
No, it was sold with a shut-off on the shaft log raw water supply. I am asking what you are sharing the thru-hull raw water supply with. I would fix that while I was doing the work you have underway.
 
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Dec 31, 2016
319
Beneteau Oceanis 351 Charlottetown
No, it was sold with a shut-off on the shaft log raw water supply. I am asking what you are sharing the thru-hull raw water supply with. I would fix that while I was doing the work you have underway.
That's interesting info, I didn't know! Thanks!
This is split from the galley sink (raw water foot pump side) and into the original Volvo shaft seal vent tube.
 
Feb 14, 2014
7,399
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
This a picture of how I hooked up my PSS seal purge, per a SealPurge.jpg PYI technician.
The tap was a bronze part from PYI.
It takes a very very small purge from my sea water pump, upstream of the high point siphon break.

3 years with no problems.
Jim...
 
Feb 14, 2014
7,399
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
have to wonder what effect that is going to make on the transmission
Most likely no effect.
The bellows are essentially a "Spring" to hold the seal's compression. Too much compression and the carbon face wears faster.
Too little and there is no seal.

The reason I purge my seal is when the transmission is in Reverse [normally a muddy bottom] I can suck up silt by the bellow expanding. The bellow then compresses again, After I put it in Forward. The purged seal, purges the potential silt from Bellows.
Jim...
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Oh, and my original Volvo seal was leaking, about 1 quart in 8-10 hours last year.
Brian, just wondering how many hours that you had on the Volvo shaft seal and the age of the seal. Mine is about 10 years old with low hours; doesn't leak a drop. So far its been trouble free. Just lubricate it once a year. I am overdue for replacement of the shaft tube nipple and will replace it this fall when I haul the boat.