Stuffing Box Tightening

I’m mostly done the retrofit/engineering and now learning the basic maintenance stuff for my boat. Hoping you can answer a few questions as up till now I’ve had CSR/Hatton do it all.
How exactly do you tighten a stuffing box, I’ve got the wrenches but when I go to twist the nut the rubber boot torques a bit, is that normal? Pict attached.

Thanks!

Put a wrench on the nut toward the stuffing box to keep it from turning. With a second wrench back off the "jam" nut that is toward the gear box. Once loose then tighten the nut toward the stuffing box enough to reduce the drips to 5 or 6 times a second when the prop is turning. (Maybe a quarter turn.) Now hold that nut in place a re-tighten the jab nut. Easier done then said.

How about at rest, I heard 1 drop a minute? I’m at 1-2 drops a sec at rest.

There's a Stuffing Box article on WikiPedia that shows a picture of a "small boat" stuffing box with the parts labeled. You'll notice that the nut part that you might be thinking is a single part is actually two. The larger part has the packing in it, and the smaller nut at the end, sometimes also called the 'jam nut,' is a separate nut for holding the packing nut in place.

You'll need two large wrenches to separate the jam nut from the packing nut. Hold one while turning the other.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

1 to 2 drops a second at rest is too much. I don’t get any at rest. I would slow it down to about 3 or 4 a minute.

A drip at rest would not be a problem, but I don't think it would be necessary. The purpose of the water drip is to act as a lubricant to the stuffing while the shaft is turning and to keep it cool. So between dripping to much and not at all you would want it to lean toward dripping more.

There is a fine line of snugness between dripping and running hot. Tighten a tiny bit until drip rate is reduced, but tighten no further. Go for a run and check temp. It should not get warm or hot. But sometimes the dang things run hot AND drip.

"Go for a run and check temp. It should not get warm or hot. But sometimes the dang things run hot AND drip"

Have you tried Duramax or any modern packing?

No drips needed stationary or under way , little heating , with no dripping.

I am debating the no drip thing too.
I went no drip for the last many years due to improved packing.


But the regular drip introduces oxygenated water along the shaft to reduce/eliminate crevice crack corrosion.


Still contemplating... Procratinating more accurate...

I usually adjust the packing under way. I tighten it a little at a time, checking temperature and drip rate.

It sometimes takes half hour or longer to get it right.

I use Tides Marine Dripless packing. It is a moldable, clay like substance that molds to the shape of the shaft if it has irregularities.

Once it's adjusted while running, it does'nt drip at all at rest.

FF said:

"Go for a run and check temp. It should not get warm or hot. But sometimes the dang things run hot AND drip"

Have you tried Duramax or any modern packing?

No drips needed stationary or under way , little heating , with no dripping.

Click to expand...

This stuff looks real good on their website. I’ve always used flax packing and am constantly adjusting the drip etc, then vacuuming up the water in the shaft alley at the close of a trip. Can anyone find a reason not to use Duramax?

Gulf Comanche said:

This stuff looks real good on their website. I’ve always used flax packing and am constantly adjusting the drip etc, then vacuuming up the water in the shaft alley at the close of a trip. Can anyone find a reason not to use Duramax?

Click to expand...

Never used it myself but have heard nothing but good reports on it. Lots of happy no drip customers around.

I plan to use Duramax at my next haul out. I was shocked to see the price, but I’m still going to use it.

FF said:

...Have you tried Duramax or any modern packing?

No drips needed stationary or under way , little heating , with no dripping.

Click to expand...

We changed to Gore GFO packing 3 years ago. It’s performed as advertised. It took a few days to get it “seated”. I started slowly tightening the packing till the drips stopped under way while watching the temperature. We haven’t touched it since. It’s a little pricey but worth it IMHO.

https://www.emarineinc.com/categories/GFO-Marine-Shaft-Packing