Stuffing box help

[Mookie B]

I've been going over my boat with a "fine tooth comb" in preps for a trip down the ICW from Norfolk to New Bern beginning Wednesday. In running the engine at the dock under load for about ten minutes, I noticed the stuffing box was hot--uncomfortable to touch for very long. The flax was only a year or so old and I've always had 3-5 drips per minute when running. In replacing and lubing it tonight, I only have drips from the stop nut and not through the flax nut and onto the shaft. Is this normal? Also, removing the flax nut to clean it and replace the packing only yielded a dribble of water (about a cup per minute). I even took safety wire and tried to increase the flow but couldn't get the wire in. The flax is 1/4"...smallest I've found. Other trips of 4-5 hours on the motor have been fine, but I'll admit I wasn't checking the stuffing box. Worrisome? My neuroses? Just a factor of running it at the dock? Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[MitchM]

a little more info i'd like: what all was done to this system between the time it was running fine at 3-5 drips per minute, and when you noticed it started to run hot ??

1) did you personally repack the stuffing box with the flax packing? was the packing the same size as what was in there before? if so, did you 'stagger' the ends of the rings ie cut the ends at 45 degree angles so the rings fit flat onto the shaft and don't override other rings anywhere?

2) do you have a greaser on your shaft ? is it full open ? is it packed with grease?

 

[rfrye1]

Dripless

Mookie, When you have the chance consider PSS Dripless. Best $250 Ive spent.

 

[Mookie B]

I'm going to go dripless the next time the boat is on the hard. I think I've found the issue. I tried to put too many strands of roving into the packing nut in my previous replacement, mistakenly thinking that more was better. (Really had to pack it in there tight before.) I have so little clearance between the shaft and the stuffing box itself that the little bit of water that I do have coming out with the nut backed-out cannot make it to the front strands of roving. So, I now have 2 strands of roving, greased with the recommended lube, and installed per Maine's instructions. It was barely warm to the touch and dripping from the front side (not the backing nut side) when run last night. Thanks again for the help!