My stuffing box is dripping about 10 or 15 drips per minute while the boat is at rest. I've never worked on it before and I have visions of water gushing into the boat after breaking the lock nut free. Is there anything to worry about just loosening the lock nut and tightening the large nut? What precautions should I take?If that doesn't solve the problem, is repacking the stuffing box while the boat is in the water easy enough for a novice to attempt? Thanks for your help.
Stuffing Box Novice
- Thread starter Tom11739
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No leak when the shaft is not turning.
Tom: You should not have any leak when the boat is at rest (no shaft rotation). When the shaft is turning you may experience from 2-6 drips per minute. You do NOT need to loosen the packing gland to tighten it up. Just snug it down to stop the drip. The nut is usually a 6 or 8 sided affair. Just move it 1 - 2 positions at a time until you reach the desired drip rate. If the packing is totally compressed you may need to have the box repacked. It is cheaper to have it done in the water than try to do it yourself after a lift.
Tom: You should not have any leak when the boat is at rest (no shaft rotation). When the shaft is turning you may experience from 2-6 drips per minute. You do NOT need to loosen the packing gland to tighten it up. Just snug it down to stop the drip. The nut is usually a 6 or 8 sided affair. Just move it 1 - 2 positions at a time until you reach the desired drip rate. If the packing is totally compressed you may need to have the box repacked. It is cheaper to have it done in the water than try to do it yourself after a lift.
packing gland
HI tom the packings drys out over the winter and needs to be tightened I use two small pipe wrenches and it hard to get them on the nut but its not two tight most of the time I would let it soak a wile maybe a day then try a 1/4 turn on the nut and moter around .see if it leaks .if the packing box is to hot to hold your hand on you are two tight If it leaks when you back off you need to change it.I use the green clay stuff from WM with the greass and the 3/16 packing .The hard part is cleaning the old stuff out .when you jam the first ring in the box the water slows to a drip then you put in the green clay stuff all the way around then greased packing then put the nut on I like to have a few threads on the nut when tight, lock it down, if it leaks give it a 1/4turn .Do the job in the morning when you can get help and a lift out if needed .Keep a wax toilet ring handy to stuff in the hole so you can take a break John
HI tom the packings drys out over the winter and needs to be tightened I use two small pipe wrenches and it hard to get them on the nut but its not two tight most of the time I would let it soak a wile maybe a day then try a 1/4 turn on the nut and moter around .see if it leaks .if the packing box is to hot to hold your hand on you are two tight If it leaks when you back off you need to change it.I use the green clay stuff from WM with the greass and the 3/16 packing .The hard part is cleaning the old stuff out .when you jam the first ring in the box the water slows to a drip then you put in the green clay stuff all the way around then greased packing then put the nut on I like to have a few threads on the nut when tight, lock it down, if it leaks give it a 1/4turn .Do the job in the morning when you can get help and a lift out if needed .Keep a wax toilet ring handy to stuff in the hole so you can take a break John
Short answers
1. It should stop dripping at rest. 2. You're right to free up thin nut first. 3. Then simply turn a few "flats" until stops. 4. If it still drips, put sponges down. 5. If still dripping 15 drops, pull the boat. 6. Do not attempt to replace the flax in water.
1. It should stop dripping at rest. 2. You're right to free up thin nut first. 3. Then simply turn a few "flats" until stops. 4. If it still drips, put sponges down. 5. If still dripping 15 drops, pull the boat. 6. Do not attempt to replace the flax in water.
Stuffing Box
Hate to disagree, but my manual says it should drip one to two drips per minute at rest and, with some help, it can be replaced in the water...done all the time.
Hate to disagree, but my manual says it should drip one to two drips per minute at rest and, with some help, it can be replaced in the water...done all the time.
recent experience
I just experienced this situation myself. Jeff Morrison's reply mirrored my experience replacing the stuffing to a T. It can be done in the water! Although anxiety producing, the water coming in was not as much as you would fear. In my case, perhaps just under a gallon a minute, easily handled by the bilge pump. It may even be advantagous to replace the packing in the water as the water pressure may help dislodge the old packing out. I agree strongly with Jeff on several points. The hardest part is getting the old stuffing out. Have a variety of tools ready to be used, ie bent fish hooks, etc. Having a second person there to help is immensly reassuring, provided they are of a calm personality and not prone to panic. I personally would have more than 3 rings of stuffing precut, you just never know. I agree that closing the stuffing box after each individual ring has been placed is helpful. I used the gfo packing and the leaking ceased just with hand tightening, yet i could easily turn the shaft by hand. Since i replaced it 2 weeks ago the bilge has been like a desert. jdn
I just experienced this situation myself. Jeff Morrison's reply mirrored my experience replacing the stuffing to a T. It can be done in the water! Although anxiety producing, the water coming in was not as much as you would fear. In my case, perhaps just under a gallon a minute, easily handled by the bilge pump. It may even be advantagous to replace the packing in the water as the water pressure may help dislodge the old packing out. I agree strongly with Jeff on several points. The hardest part is getting the old stuffing out. Have a variety of tools ready to be used, ie bent fish hooks, etc. Having a second person there to help is immensly reassuring, provided they are of a calm personality and not prone to panic. I personally would have more than 3 rings of stuffing precut, you just never know. I agree that closing the stuffing box after each individual ring has been placed is helpful. I used the gfo packing and the leaking ceased just with hand tightening, yet i could easily turn the shaft by hand. Since i replaced it 2 weeks ago the bilge has been like a desert. jdn
Professional did mine in the water
and advised that he does it all the time. Of course, I had to manually pump the residual water out [that the bilge pump left behind]; otherwise, it seemed to make little difference as the boat was hauled out for painting and he waited until it was put back in the water before doing it.
and advised that he does it all the time. Of course, I had to manually pump the residual water out [that the bilge pump left behind]; otherwise, it seemed to make little difference as the boat was hauled out for painting and he waited until it was put back in the water before doing it.
A wire hanger...
...unwrapped with the end of the "neck" part sharpened slightly works like a champ to get the old packing out. I used one a year ago as it was and have since made a "packing tool" out of it to get the nasty stuff out. I actually changed mine out in the water. Showing my ignorance, I bought a larger size first, and just re-installed the previous size as I made my way to WM for the proper size after I realized my mistake. I think that any packing smaller than 3/4 won't put too much water in the bilge if you prepare properly. Good luck!
...unwrapped with the end of the "neck" part sharpened slightly works like a champ to get the old packing out. I used one a year ago as it was and have since made a "packing tool" out of it to get the nasty stuff out. I actually changed mine out in the water. Showing my ignorance, I bought a larger size first, and just re-installed the previous size as I made my way to WM for the proper size after I realized my mistake. I think that any packing smaller than 3/4 won't put too much water in the bilge if you prepare properly. Good luck!
packing for stuffing boc
I thought this was a big deal also. go to home depot and buy a set of picks. like dential picks in the tool section...pull out the packing if its dripping it most likely the old fiber type packing. buy a few inches of teflon from your dealer and install it. theres a right and wrong way to do it. ask at your marina. you'll never have a drip or a problem again..
I thought this was a big deal also. go to home depot and buy a set of picks. like dential picks in the tool section...pull out the packing if its dripping it most likely the old fiber type packing. buy a few inches of teflon from your dealer and install it. theres a right and wrong way to do it. ask at your marina. you'll never have a drip or a problem again..
Sheet metal or drywall screw
long and narrow, gets the old stuff right out. Do it in the water, no haul is necessary.
long and narrow, gets the old stuff right out. Do it in the water, no haul is necessary.
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