Another prop shaft stuffing box question

[Robie]

1988 C-27 M18 Diesel -- I have water slightly "puddled" under the packing gland area with an apparent stream running under the engine. The water does not appear to be moving rapidly but the bilge is filling up over a five hour period while docked. I can't see any dripping (although the clearance is so close, I don't know how you can get an angle for a visual on this--I was using the starboard access door). I checked all the through hulls and found everything else to be dry. It just didn't seem to me that the water was running fast enough to fill the bilge as observed. I tried tighting the gland about a quarter turn and will return tomorrow to see if this helped.When the packing gland drips four drops a minute as is recommended does this create the appearance of a stream running under the engine? Or does the normal flow dry up/evaporate before reaching the bilge?Thanks....

 

[Rob R.]

Try putting a paper plate/bowl under it...

When I wanted to check drip rates, I would put a paper bowl under the packing gland and allow water to collect there. Also, if the stream under your engine does not go away , you may find that you have a leak from someplace other than the packing gland.Let us know how you make out.Rob

 

[Geoffrey Jackson]

More than 4 drops/min from somewhere

I've studied the drip rate from the packing gland in our C27 now and then, as the drip rate is excessive (needs new packing). Four drops/minute will not fill up the C27 bilge in 5 hours. It won't evaporate. It will cause the area under the engine to be wet, but won't appear to be a stream.Get a really bright flashlight, crawl down through the stbd access as far as you can, and take a good look. If you're sure you are only getting the 4 drops/min from the packing gland, you must be getting more water from somewhere else.

 

[Dave Wilder]

Rudder post leak?

Might look at the rudder post. This can also leak and the water would run past the shaft stuffing box, mixing with that water. Whe it happened to me, I built a little dam with my hand aft of the stuffing box and noticed water building up. This led me back the rudder post leak. Good LuckDave

 

[Robie]

Still Trying

The paper plate trick worked. The leak is enough to put about three ounces of water in the plate in a couple of minutes. I tightened the packing gland as tight as I could with a large pair of channel locks and this did not stop the leak. I also tried tightening the four clamps that secure the packing gland. I'm concerned that I may have overtightened the gland and I suspect this can only cause negative consequences. I will take your advice and see if there is any leakage coming from the rudder post. Otherwise, I will seek some professional help before I end up creating additional problems.Thanks for the advice and I'll let you know the final outcome.

 

[Rob R.]

Thanks for getting back to us...

Too many people never reply, and I learn as much from them as they do from me.As for overtightening, you may have done that. If you have the stuffing box that tight and it still leaks, chances are that your flax is shot and you will need to replace it. You can find tons of info in the archives about how to fix it. Let us know how you make out!Rov