Stuffing box question.

[RevenantDan]

Good morning, everyone. New to this forum.
So, quick question, if I may. I have a 1987 Watkins 33 and this relates to the stuffing box. More specifically, the prop shaft where the adjustment nut is before it enters the stuffing box. Since I have had the boat (about a year), the drip was very consistent, 1 drip every 16 seconds. Last time I took her out, the drip was about 1 per second. This lasted about 2 weeks and is now slowed to a crawl. I timed 3 drips yesterday morning. The first took 37 seconds, the second 24 and the third 42. Any ideas on what that is all about? I was just about to adjust the nut to tighten it up when I noticed this. So, now pretty baffled. Thanks in advance for any assistance in this matter!

 

[twodzusfittings]

Have you been measuring the timing of the drips at equal times? In other words, have you measured the drips after lets say 30 minutes of being under load after a ten minute warm up of the engine. One must take into consideration the warmth of the shaft which will expand ever so slightly. Nothing you can see, but the shaft will expand with heat, therefore the drips will drop at a slower pace. This is my opinion only, not anything I have read or have documents to prove the theory. Be careful not to over tighten the packing as more resistance will build up heat.

 

[garymalmgren]

RE: Last time I took her out, the drip was about 1 per second.

There are lots of variables here, so, don't panic.
Was that ( 1 per second) with the engine running (shaft rotating) or stopped?
Was that after the engine had been running and the packing had warmed up?
How long had the engine been running?

Re: I timed 3 drips yesterday morning. The first took 37 seconds, the second 24 and the third 42.
If that is with the engine running it is not enough to actually cool the packing ( as twodzusfittings has mentioned.)
I work on at least one drop per 15 seconds (roughly) with the engine running. A little more is better.
Take her out again and make adjustments till you get to around that rate.

Rate of drops when cool and no engine rotation.
There are differing opinions on this. Mine is that properly adjusted the drip rate for in motion and stationary should be pretty close.

gary

 

[RevenantDan]

Thank you for the responses! So the 1 drip/16 seconds was on a normal nonrunning day. When I first got the boat I would check on the drips every so often to ensure it was nice and consistent.
As for the 1 drip/second, that referred to the last time I took her out. It stayed like that for several days of nonrunning. I don't know when it slowed down to the very slow rate it is now. Sometime in the last 10 days.
I have not ran the engine since I noticed the excessive dripping.
Just wondering why it would have a normal drip, then excessive (tbh, I don't know if it would increase to that high of a rate after normal running. Something I will have to experiment with), then to the drastically reduced rate it is now. Just trying to figure out if this is relatively normal or something indicative of a more serious issue.

 

[RevenantDan]

Have you been measuring the timing of the drips at equal times? In other words, have you measured the drips after lets say 30 minutes of being under load after a ten minute warm up of the engine. One must take into consideration the warmth of the shaft which will expand ever so slightly. Nothing you can see, but the shaft will expand with heat, therefore the drips will drop at a slower pace. This is my opinion only, not anything I have read or have documents to prove the theory. Be careful not to over tighten the packing as more resistance will build up heat.

No, I have not, but the dripping increased in pace with the shaft turning and engine running.

 

[jssailem]

The only time the stuffing box needs to drip is when you have the shaft rotating in the stuffing box. The drips are considered the sign that you have water up to and in the stuffing box. Keeping the flax seal cool. When the boat is sitting still no shaft rotating, there need not be any drips as there is nothing to cool.

 

[RevenantDan]

The only time the stuffing box needs to drip is when you have the shaft rotating in the stuffing box. The drips are considered the sign that you have water up to and in the stuffing box. Keeping the flax seal cool. When the boat is sitting still no shaft rotating, there need not be any drips as there is nothing to cool.

So, I need to tighten the adjustment nut a scooch

The only time the stuffing box needs to drip is when you have the shaft rotating in the stuffing box. The drips are considered the sign that you have water up to and in the stuffing box. Keeping the flax seal cool. When the boat is sitting still no shaft rotating, there need not be any drips as there is nothing to cool.

Ah, I had thought that it should always drip at a slow rate of about once per 15 seconds or so even at rest.
Sooo... tighten the adjestment nut a quarter turn and see where I am at while running from there?

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Only one thing to consider ............................. what is the temperature of the gland nut when running at operating speed ? Adjust accordingly.

 

[RevenantDan]

Only one thing to consider ............................. what is the temperature of the gland nut when running at operating speed ? Adjust accordingly.

I honesltly don't know, still learning as I go. Will have to check.

 

[jssailem]

Check carefully. A rotating shaft can and will grab anything that is near it. Best to turn the engine off so the shaft is not spinning when you test the temp of the stuffing box with your hand.

Using an infrared temp gauge is a useful tool to test your engine temps.

Those are my experiences with the stuffing box.

 

[RevenantDan]

Check carefully. A rotating shaft can and will grab anything that is near it. Best to turn the engine off so the shaft is not spinning when you test the temp of the stuffing box with your hand.

Using an infrared temp gauge is a useful tool to test your engine temps.

Those are my experiences with the stuffing box.

What temp range am I looking for?

 

[jssailem]

Less than 100ºF. Depending on your water temp. I saw no more than 75º in the middle of summer. Our PacificNW water temps never get much above 60ºF. I think MaineSail suggested 15 to 20 degrees above the water temperature was the target.

I had my box tightened so no water came out at all when shaft was still. When the shaft was rotating about 5 drips a minute was the norm.

 

[RevenantDan]

Less than 100ºF. Depending on your water temp. I saw no more than 75º in the middle of summer. Our PacificNW water temps never get much above 60ºF. I think MaineSail suggested 15 to 20 degrees above the water temperature was the target.

I had my box tightened so no water came out at all when shaft was still. When the shaft was rotating about 5 drips a minute was the norm.

Thanks! I'm in Texas. Will get a temp gun and check it out. Appreciate it!

 

[jssailem]

If you get temps above 150º then you are having a serious climate issue… or there is a need for more drips. When the shaft is not rotating you should be able to grab the stuffing box.

 

[FastOlson]

Great suggestions. For the future, consider a PSS "face seal" with no drips at all . We installed one in '95, and replace the bellows (just a precaution) about once a decade.
As a surveyor once told me : "no good comes of water inside a boat!"

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

As a surveyor once told me : "no good comes of water inside a boat!"

ESPECIALLY when it's in your whiskey .

 

[High Current]

As others have stated, drip rate is measured while spinning and is ideally zero at rest. 1 per second sounds like a problem.

I had some issues with mine dripping excessively at rest (enough to make the bilge pump cycle daily). I could change the drip rate by rotating the shaft. Long story short I ended up re-packing because I couldn’t stop the drips, and also found it to be overheating no matter how much I tightened or loosened it. With the nut off, I found some corrosion on the (bronze) shaft. That explained the overheating (excess friction). I was able to clean it off with scotch brite, which I wouldn’t normally bring near a bearing/sealing surface, but if the patient’s already dying…. In my case it worked like a charm.

That said I’m pulling my shaft for other reasons this spring and will be installing a PSS while it’s out. The less salt water in the boat, the better.

 

[RevenantDan]

As others have stated, drip rate is measured while spinning and is ideally zero at rest. 1 per second sounds like a problem.

I had some issues with mine dripping excessively at rest (enough to make the bilge pump cycle daily). I could change the drip rate by rotating the shaft. Long story short I ended up re-packing because I couldn’t stop the drips, and also found it to be overheating no matter how much I tightened or loosened it. With the nut off, I found some corrosion on the (bronze) shaft. That explained the overheating (excess friction). I was able to clean it off with scotch brite, which I wouldn’t normally bring near a bearing/sealing surface, but if the patient’s already dying…. In my case it worked like a charm.

That said I’m pulling my shaft for other reasons this spring and will be installing a PSS while it’s out. The less salt water in the boat, the better.

Thank you and I appreciate the knowledge. I've seen and heard from two distinct camps here are my local marinas: those who favor dripless seals and those who are adamantly opposed. Thanks to you and everyone.
Now I have another project, lol. Was able to buy a 1976 Freeport Islander for $500. It floats and doesn't leak, so that's a plus.

 

[kappykaplan]

Now I have another project, lol. Was able to buy a 1976 Freeport Islander for $500. It floats and doesn't leak, so that's a plus.

Pictures?

 

[RevenantDan]

Pictures?

Needs some work, to be sure. There was a squatter on it, but at least he wasnt a crackhead and didn't tear the boat up; just left it messy as heck. Just wont the auction yesterday morning so cleaning as best I can, the gonna bug bomb it and then evaluate whether I flip it for a small profit or keep.