Stuffing Box Re-packed

I re-packed my stuffing box and took a little ride for a couple hours yesterday. When I finished the re-pack I tightened the nut till the water stopped leaking. Before I started my ride yesterday, I loosened the nut so a little water would come through to keep things cool. As I went along, more water (not much, a little stream) would come in, so I would tighten the nut to slow it down to a few drops. At the end of the ride, the nut, which is about 5 inches long and partially full of stuffing, got too hot to touch, even w/ water coming through. This can't be normal though I figured there is a break-in period for the new stuffing. All told, I got about 1.5 gallons of water in the shaft alley below the box.
I need to add more stuffing as the original amount I put in is now more compressed than when I started the ride. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks.
Mike

did you use Gore packing? Sounds like somehow the packing didn't get set properly. Did you get all the old stuff out??
It may have gotten burned. Consider doing over and just a little slow running a the dock at first.

I don't know if it's Gore or not, had a guy from a local boat yard come over and we did it together, he brought the stuffing. We packed grease in with the stuffing when putting it into the nut; some of the grease ran out of the nut along with the hot water that was dripping out.

I looks and feels like sticky rope.

Mine was just done. It took three rounds of the "Drip Less Moldable Packing Kit" -- once around (butting ends) then again, and a final third time.

Tighten until one drop per ten seconds.
Go for a ride of one hour.

Loosen until a stream of water comes out then tighten to ten seconds.
Repeat for four separate one hour underway trips and you should be good for life.

At least that's what I've done with Seaweed. And no, mine is not hot. Something's wrong.

Once compressed...loosening in my experience seems to have little effect...especially the innermost rings it seems....best to start over or give it a little time...too hot to touch is one thing...sizzling water is another.

also...if it were getting that hot...did you notice a pile of goo in front of and underneath the packing nut? Usually conventional stuff will start dripping out if getting too warm and still no water as it has melted and sealed around the shaft at rest...but will be moist and dripping when running (still hot though)

Janice: Did your ever get hot enough that you couldn't touch it?
PSN: Yes, there was goo underneath even with the water running. It wasn't sizzling though the water was pretty hot. Certainly would not have wrapped my hand around the nut, too hot for that.

Gulf Comanche said:

Janice: Did your ever get hot enough that you couldn't touch it?
PSN: Yes, there was goo underneath even with the water running. It wasn't sizzling though the water was pretty hot. Certainly would not have wrapped my hand around the nut, too hot for that.

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Hate to say it...but I would repack...just for peace of mind.

Doesn't cost that much and while a PIA...so is constant fiddling with it.

Definitely go with at least Teflon impregnated stuffing..I know some will beat me up on that...or go for the absolute top of the line...but in either case..I haven't heard or seen any horror stories and anything but waxed flax packing, which does work fine...seems to be a bit better.

Mike,

Compass Marine has posted a great How-To on Re-Packing A Traditional Stuffing Box. Be sure to read all three pages. It addresses several of the issues you face and might point you in the right direction regarding packing products and application methods.

Good luck!

Larry
M/V Boomarang

Nothing wrong with the old style packing but I prefer the gore stuff because it can be set up virtually drip free.

I just had the yard repack my shafts with dripless goretex packing. The tech tightened it so no water came out. The first time out I checked the temps with the gun, 240F. I thought holy crap that not right. It wasn't leaking. When I got in I had the yard look at it again. The tech said he repacks dozens a year and it was done right but he loosed it to check how tight it was and it was correct. He did say my Chinese packing gland was very tight with the size of packing that fit the box. Anyway I checked it again the next time out and the box was only 110F and no leakage. I did get some black ooze out the gland when it ran itself in.

I bet the nut was 240F; I held my hand under the nut and caught some of the water coming out, real hot but not boiling or close to it. Yes, I am tired of fiddling with this thing but it keeps the water out and the boat floating on top. What do y'all consider top of the line packing?

Gore tex.

Gulf Comanche said:

I bet the nut was 240F; I held my hand under the nut and caught some of the water coming out, real hot but not boiling or close to it. Yes, I am tired of fiddling with this thing but it keeps the water out and the boat floating on top. What do y'all consider top of the line packing?

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GORE® GFO® Packing

It has been discussed here before an this seems to get the vote as some if not the best...

Duramax Shaft Sealing Systems

that all said..for a slow moving trawler shaft an oily rag would probably work...followed by wax flax, and just about everything with Teflon even waved in front of it is great and probably overkill...

Larry M said:

GORE® GFO® Packing

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That's what the installed for me. There are four rings in my gland. It got hot on the first run in but was never adjusted. I have put 20 hours on it now and it doesn't drip and is cool. I would have thought the 240F I had would have been detrimental but it seem ok.

psneeld said:

It has been discussed here before an this seems to get the vote as some if not the best...

Duramax Shaft Sealing Systems

that all said..for a slow moving trawler shaft an oily rag would probably work...followed by wax flax, and just about everything with Teflon even waved in front of it is great and probably overkill...

Click to expand...

I'm curious what the DuraMax shaft sealant cost to do 2 shafts? It looks like the next best thing to PSS Dripless systems.
Thanks,
Bill

GFO is good up to 550F.

No worries

Larry: I read the repacking article you recommended, the author is real big on drips coming out of the box. Seems like some of the guys here say yes to that, some no. I'll take some pictures of the box when I'm at the boat this week Thanks to all for the advice.
Mike

I'd take it apart, remove the new packing, clean it well, repack it with GFO packing, adjust it to run cool and drip less and be done with it for the next several years or more.

That's where I'm headed Cap.Bill11, thanks.

I have run many a boat with old school packing (non-dripless) and been able to adjust them so they don't drip and stay cool...they more "weep" than drip.

Meaning ...with the shaft turning...if you put your finger right at the shaft and the packing gland where the shaft exits...you 'll get a very tiny amount of moisture...but it never really drips.

Oh I'm sure there a good explanation why you need drips and not just a cool running packing and a tiny bit of moisture...

I just see no reason to buy it as I've never had shaft issues, leaking packings, damaged anything...so I'm not sure why some insist on drips.

This is what has always worked for me. Max of four min of three wraps around the shaft. Measure the gland depth and divide by 4. This is your max packing width. Measure your gland ID and subtract your shaft ID. This is your min packing thickness. Packing is square so if these dimensions vary go undersize and add the extra ring. Multiply your shaft diameter by 3.14. This is the length of each packing ring. Stack each of these rings inside the gland at the previous gland's location plus 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Tighten the coupling til the leaking subsidies.< 20- drops per minute.Take the boat for a spin and tighten the gland until you wind up with an ambient temp of 30 degrees above ambient, Probably aroud 4 drops per minute. Some people like to cut the rings on a bias.


Via iPhone.

Based on my own experience in industry and boating.
Stern tube packing is sold in most Commercial plumbing merchants and marked as 'Steam packing' it's Teflon impregnated and used in boiler applications and very cheap.
If you decide to fit it yourself this is the method I use.
Use an old gas welding rod filed to a point and make a small hook and a handle on the other end, this is great for getting out the old packing.
When fitting the packing make a ring around the shaft and cut the ends diagonally so the ends overlap, slide the ring down the shaft until seated, then cut the next ring and slide it into place with the joins at 12, 6, 9, and 3 o clock.
Tie the boat securely to the docks, run at slow speed, have a someone monitoring the boat security/engines and adjust every 5/10 minutes until there's just one drip every 20 seconds, check regularly until bedded in.
After getting fed up of forever greasing and adjusting the stuffing box I bought a PSS dripless seal for my boat which I fitted while the boat was still in the water, and it's performed faultlessly with no drips for many years cruising.
I have no connection with PSS.
I hope this is helpful.

Gulf Comanche said:

... When I finished the re-pack I tightened the nut till the water stopped leaking... .
Mike

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This is where your repack went wrong, in my opinion. Leave it loose with water flowing while the packing runs in.

Yep, when I re-do the packing I plan to run the boat immediately afterward. The video that LarryM suggested said to run the nut up to the point where you feel the packing touch the point where the shaft enters the tube.

OK so I have never re-pack a shaft. Stupid question: When you take it all apart, clean it and put new packing in, how much water is coming in the boat through this process or do you do it while dry docked?

Depends..but usually not enough to scare you too much.

Hopefully you have everything ready to repack before starting...

if not...tie a big rag so all you get is a drip...or plumbers putty shoved in there...anything to slow it down even more...but certainly close to or below the amount of a small bilge pump without any further restriction.

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

OK so I have never re-pack a shaft. Stupid question: When you take it all apart, clean it and put new packing in, how much water is coming in the boat through this process or do you do it while dry docked?

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I did it in the water a few years ago on the sailboat. Bought a wax ring (commode seal) at Lowe's before going down there, and was all ready to pop it around the shaft if necessary. But turned out not to be necessary at all. Just a small trickle of seawater coming in. More than I would want on a 24/7 basis, to be sure, but not enough to worry about while I was doing the repacking.

Measure twice, pack once

Packing is sold in sizes 1/8 inch to 5/8 inch and I am sure larger sizes too. Be SURE that the packing is the right size. To small and it will leak, to large and it will overheat if you can get it into the box. As was previously stated measure you shaft diameter, measure the box inside diameter , take the difference, divide by two and this is the correct packing size. EG: shaft 1 1/2 inches, packing nut 2 1/2 inches, 1 inch difference divided by 2 equal 1/2 inch packing for the correct size.