I got my boat back in the water, new shaft, fixed prop strut and rudder. After all that I'm stumped on re-packing the stuffing box.... 1.25" shaft, 1/4" GFO packing.
I used this stuff on the other side before I launched and it runs about 10 degrees hotter than the water temp which is great. It almost doesn't drip at all. Since it's running so cool I haven't touched it since.
On the side I just put back together, I can't get it to run cool no matter what I do. First, I just re-used the "new" packing from the spring since it only had about 10 hours on it. I couldn't get it to run cool enough at speed, I was getting around 150 degrees on the lock nut, a little less on the shaft. I tried loosening a bunch of times but never could get it.
So, I figured I would start from scratch. I removed all the old packing and installed 3 new rings just like before. Tightened it just barely so it was a steady flow at the slip and took it out for a break in run. I'm back in the same cycle as I was before. If I go really slow (less than 10 knots), the temp will get up to around 105, hotter than the other side but not too bad. Water temp is around 70. But I can't get it to drip when over 3k RPM's and then the temp shoots up to 160-170. I tried it as loose as a steady flow at idle and it still got hot.
After going through this cycle half dozen times again, I removed one ring of packing since there wasn't much thread left but no change.
Can you guys think of anything else I could be doing wrong? Since it drips at a slow speed but seems to stop at higher RPM's I started thinking maybe the strut is moving slightly which causes the shaft to rub against the shaft log. I got another 1/4 turn on the strut nuts from inside the boat. It feels fine, alignment is good.
Maybe I've got it TOO loose to start? Is that possible? I must have been lucky on the other side, I did that in one shot.
Bob
I used this stuff on the other side before I launched and it runs about 10 degrees hotter than the water temp which is great. It almost doesn't drip at all. Since it's running so cool I haven't touched it since.
On the side I just put back together, I can't get it to run cool no matter what I do. First, I just re-used the "new" packing from the spring since it only had about 10 hours on it. I couldn't get it to run cool enough at speed, I was getting around 150 degrees on the lock nut, a little less on the shaft. I tried loosening a bunch of times but never could get it.
So, I figured I would start from scratch. I removed all the old packing and installed 3 new rings just like before. Tightened it just barely so it was a steady flow at the slip and took it out for a break in run. I'm back in the same cycle as I was before. If I go really slow (less than 10 knots), the temp will get up to around 105, hotter than the other side but not too bad. Water temp is around 70. But I can't get it to drip when over 3k RPM's and then the temp shoots up to 160-170. I tried it as loose as a steady flow at idle and it still got hot.
After going through this cycle half dozen times again, I removed one ring of packing since there wasn't much thread left but no change.
Can you guys think of anything else I could be doing wrong? Since it drips at a slow speed but seems to stop at higher RPM's I started thinking maybe the strut is moving slightly which causes the shaft to rub against the shaft log. I got another 1/4 turn on the strut nuts from inside the boat. It feels fine, alignment is good.
Maybe I've got it TOO loose to start? Is that possible? I must have been lucky on the other side, I did that in one shot.
Bob
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