volvo shaft seal

[Randylb]

Hi

I purchased a 2000 Beneteau 361 last spring. When the engine was running there was water leaking from the Volvo shaft seal. The boat is on the hard now and I have ordered a new shaft seal. i would appreciate any advice from anyone who has done this procedure.

It appears, that in order to remove the shaft the coupling flange must be disconnected first? Before I do that though can anyone tell me I will find once I do so.

Thanks,

Randy

 

[pdnervo]

i also have just purchashed a 361 Beneteau and there is a Westerbake replacement motor installed in it... i just took it out yesterday.... used it for about 1 hour with engine running and 4 hours under sail...when i came back to the berth i noticed there was sea water was about 1 gallen leaked in from the shaft... is that normal...

 

[Mike B]

Absolutely not. Not sure what the cause is but make sure the nipple on top of the shaft seal is not leaking. There's a hose that leads from a thru hull under the aft berth to the nipple. The nipple needs to be replaced peridocially as they corrode. If it is leaking get the boat hauled right away and get it repaired. If the nipple breaks off it can cause the boat to sink unless you can stem the flow of seawater. Good luck.

 

[gord331victoria]

I had this problem last year on my new to me 2000 331, it turned out the nipple was bent, and they quick epoxied it into place still broken. Contact Beneteau for a nipple kit that will give to the correct size nipple, a special flexible high strenght epoxy(used on the space shuttle), sand paper, and installation instructions. The job has to be done out of the water.

Also, the actual staft seal needs lubricating with marine grease once per year. I inject a straw about 2/3 full of grease. Then insert it between the shaft and the seal, then roll the end of the straw which injects the grease. Beneteau also sell these grease packets. I found that at about at 10 months, I was getting small drips, so I lubed it up, now it fine. The life of the shaftseal according to volvo is 10 years. My plan is to wait until it leaks when just geased to change it due to the great amount of work to pull back the shaft.

good luck

Gord

 

[Philip_Oceanis 361]

This nipple is a really stupid idea from Beneteau. I can't believe it that if it fails it could even sink the boat. There's absolutely nothing to stop the water coming from the shaft tube into the boat. Last year, luckily while my boat was out of the water, I pulled accidentaly (and gently) the pipe leading to the nipple and found out the nipple was completely corroded. The idea of this happening in the water was terrifying.

In relation to the volvo seal, these things are quite good. One thing that nobody mentioned so far and is of great importance is to ventilate it as soon as the boat is launched back in the water. Otherwise, the shaft will burn the rubber and shorten its life.

 

[Mike B]

It's actually a Volvo design that Beneteau uses, but just the same someone should have recognized the fact that it would eventually corrode and break off. I didn't realize at first that the nipple was screwed into metal. I thought it was screwed into a fiberglass or synthetic material. New models have plastic nipples to prevent the corrosion.

 

[gord331victoria]

On my model/year, the nipple is brass, machined with small thread, that is supposed to screw into the fiberglass shaft log. Then you smear this flexible epoxy around it. The problem is of course the fiberglass is worn away, so you wind up holding it in place until the epoxy start to kick. This epoxy is a special space shuttle grade with with huge flexibility and adhesion properties, many times greater than regular epoxy. It is technically sound solution, the problem is the location. If you and your wife are having a good time in the aft cabin, you could sink the boat if things really get rocking! so, to prevent this, I am about to install a few 2x4 cross members above the nipple and thru hulls to physically prevent contact from anything above, like a body.

another funny point, I allowed a floor board to drop down on the engine raw water intake, it cracked the elbow! Crap! luckily, I could still turn off the valve.

protect those fragile parts folks!

 

[Mike B]

Hey gord, when you say "protect those fragile parts" were you referring to the boat or back on the topic about a good time in the aft cabin? LOL

 

[Randylb]

For anyone who may be interested: I am half way through the volvo shaft seal replacement.

The drive shaft on the B361 is a tapered threaded shaft on the engine end. In order remove it from the coupling you must disconned the coupling. A nut is on the shaft between the couplings which keeps it connected to the flange as opposed to a set screw. This was all actually quite straightforward to disconnect and remove. We needed to use the Don Casey method of removing the shaft from the flange. i.e. place a socket at the end of the shaft between the two flanges and reconnect slowly hence pushing the shaft out of the flange.

FWIW: The old Volvo Shaft seal's inverted ribs which are designed to keep water in the seal were quite obviously worn on one side and hence the leakage. I am glad I decided to replace and am surprised I didn't get more leakage than I did prior to haulout.

While I have this all apart I thought I might just as well change the cutlass bearing too since I thought I might need to remove the shaft to do so. After reading some old posts though realise this may not be necessary. It appears one only needs to remove the prop, then remove 2 set screws on the bearing and slide it out and then new one in. Can anyone confirm it is this easy? Other than I use the word 'slide' quite loosely here.

Randy

 

[Philip_Oceanis 361]

While I have this all apart I thought I might just as well change the cutlass bearing too since I thought I might need to remove the shaft to do so. After reading some old posts though realise this may not be necessary. It appears one only needs to remove the prop, then remove 2 set screws on the bearing and slide it out and then new one in. Can anyone confirm it is this easy? Other than I use the word 'slide' quite loosely here.

Randy

Easy? If you are lucky yes. But if the "lips" are gone and you cannot pull it out then it is not. But to remove the shaft you need to drop the ludder.

 

[gerryc]

Another leaky shaft seal Beneteau 361

Thanks for all the posts...quite helpful. I bought a 361 in San Diego and had it trucked up to Vancouver BC in March. The boat is a 2000 but with only 120 hours on the engine (seaside condo) so it is in very nice condition. After launching (i didn't know about burping the seal) I applied some grease to the seal as best I could. After about 25 hours of use, the water started to show up in the engine well, and currently leaks about 1/2 gal per hour. The engine does have a bit of a shake to it at lower rpm(1400-1800) and I'm wondering if this is contributing to causing the seal failure. It may be that it did burn a bit after launching but didn't start leaking until later. My previous boat, I installed a PSS shaft seal and was very happy with it. I'm tempted to do the same here, but one of the issues I'm facing is that there was a substantial amount of filler (looks like bondo) poured around the seal and clamp when the boat was put together, making it impossible to change until it has all been chipped away, something I've started to do. NOT too impressed by Beneteau on this one.
Has anyone else had this issue , and is the shaking of the Westerbeke 30B common.
Cheers! Gerry

 

[Benjamin Disralei]

Could someone please explain the nipple and the reason for it, I gather that it is not a grease nipple...?

Also when you say that you need to burp the seal is this only when the boat has been out of the water for a period of time or anytime that the boat has been out of the water.

I have really enjoyed my short time on this site and the knowledgeable owners advice that can save us all a lot of expense giving owners the opportunity to DIY rather than engage marine technicians, or in my case nut cases Re (the lunatics that call themselves a Volvo dealership on my Marina)