shaft packing question

[yorklyn]

its been a while so I figured Id ask. Does this look normal? ran about 2 miles on plane. port shaft temp was around 98 starboard 105. no dripping while docked. I am using gore GFO packing. I'm thinking I need to snug them up a bit? whats everyones thoughts???
Thanks!

[bjanakos]

I've never used the GFO, but a certain amount of break-in is to be expected. FWIW, I like my shafts a drip once or twice a minute when stopped and cold. Also, since you just dropped it, it might be best to let them leak a bit for a week to make sure they get good an wet, then go for a run and make your adjustments when they are warm.

[comodave]

If you want to stop the black debris from getting all over, you can cut a 2 liter soda bottle to make a shield around the shaft so the black stuff stays inside the bottle and just dribbles out instead of spraying all over. It is a shame to get your beautiful bilge so dirty...

[The Dog House]

I'm using Gore GFO packing and I do not have any black debris from the packing. My packing leaks 1 drop every 10 seconds when running and doesn't leak when not running. You say you have no dripping when stopped. Do you have any dripping when running? If you have no dripping when running, I would guess that the nut is too tight which is causing the black debris.

[yorklyn]

Thanks guys,
Im trying to keep my bilge as dry as possible which is why I went with the GFO. I know its not supposed to drip when sitting and only slightly when running. unfortunately when I ran her the other day I had the family on and wasnt able to check them out why we were moving. I did test the temps as soon as i stopped because I dont want to score or burn the shafts and they were not real hot .
Im thinking too much water is coming through and spraying all over but since i have no dripping at rest im not sure?
will have to watch them while running and adjust them i guess.

[mikeandanne]

Thanks guys,
Im trying to keep my bilge as dry as possible which is why I went with the GFO. I know its not supposed to drip when sitting and only slightly when running. unfortunately when I ran her the other day I had the family on and wasnt able to check them out why we were moving. I did test the temps as soon as i stopped because I dont want to score or burn the shafts and they were not real hot .
Im thinking too much water is coming through and spraying all over but since i have no dripping at rest im not sure?
will have to watch them while running and adjust them i guess.

Todd on our boat the packing does not leak at rest and slightly running....I have shot the packing glands while running and they are never more than a few degrees above the water temp....one side has a bit of a line like yours but that has stopped.....Mike

[yorklyn]

Mike,
Im assuming if they were too tight I wouldnt have all the spray. I just did a google search on GFO and saw warnings not to over tighten the packing because once over tightened it almost impossible to loosen the nut and get it to drip without removing the packing and starting over. I did snug them up prior to launching but could still rotate the shafts with my hand.
Im going to loosen the nuts until i get some dripping at rest then slightly tighten to it stops. ill have to make a few runs and monitor the shaft temp and adjust accordingly.

[yorklyn]

I'm beginning to hate GFO packing! When I got to the boat I loosened the packings until I had 20+ drips a minute in the slip. I then took the boat up the river to the end of the no wake zone (about a mile) and the port shaft was at 120 degrees. It wasnt dripping as much so I loosened it more to about a drip every two to three seconds and ran the boat at 20 mph for another mile or so then stopped and checked again, port was still around 120 starboard was 105. loosened port again ran another few miles and was 118 or so. loosened again and drove for about 20 minutes back and the port was 145 and starboard 110!! I am at least a whole turn looser than "hand tight" .
My understanding is that the gfo packing takes a while to "dial in" but I'm getting worried about scoring a shaft and really tired of squeezing my 250lb butt into the bilge to constantly adjust it!

[BobCT]

Todd,

I use the GFO and the black is normal, especially when new. Wait it out and get some hours on it before you go too crazy. You're right, once you go too tight there's no going back. In the meantime, don't sweat temps in the low 100's, that's way to cool to do any damage. Anything under 100 is ideal.

Bob

[yorklyn]

I was worried about the packing being too tight after snugging them up prior to launch (before I looked up and read the instructions! ) but figured that I should be good since i was able to get them dripping.

[mikeandanne]

I was worried about the packing being too tight after snugging them up prior to launch (before I looked up and read the instructions! ) but figured that I should be good since i was able to get them dripping.

Todd....I agree with Bob.......If you think that you started out with the packing glands too tight (more than finger) then just change out the port side and see what happens....seems like the starbd is ok.....one thing about packing in boats or industrial pumps for that matter is that no two run the same.....I have never been able to get them to run alike, some cool, some warm....got lucky with my boat .... around 100 is fine but 145 is getting up there.....Mike

[yorklyn]

Any suggestions for doing it while in the slip?? thinking a few wraps of gorilla tape would slow the water down enough for me to pick out the packing and install new. if not i was thinking of grabbing my dive gear and taping it up from underwater.

[RWS]

the good news is that you have lots of room to "work" in there.

the 10 meter express is a little tight back there, one of the reasons I went with the dripless seals.

That said, the goretex worked well when we were running the gassers, and once we rebuilt the shaft logs & greased them, we went months between having to tighten anything at all.

Looks like you are having a few simple in the water adjustments to deal with as part of your shakedown.

GLAD TO SEE YOU IN THE WATER ! ! ! !

RWS

[BobCT]

Todd,

You can do it right in the slip w/o blocking the shaft log. It'll be a steady stream, you're pump might go off once or twice in the time it takes to repack. The tolerance between the shaft and shaft log is pretty close so it's not a flood.

One thing made was a PVC pipe "tool" with a big slot cut out to help push the rings in. Stole the idea from another website. I go back and forth between two rings and three. With three, it's a little tight getting the nut started.

Bob

[larryeddington]

Todd,

You can do it right in the slip w/o blocking the shaft log. It'll be a steady stream, you're pump might go off once or twice in the time it takes to repack. The tolerance between the shaft and shaft log is pretty close so it's not a flood.

One thing made was a PVC pipe "tool" with a big slot cut out to help push the rings in. Stole the idea from another website. I go back and forth between two rings and three. With three, it's a little tight getting the nut started.

Bob

+++ on homemade tool and changing in water, though scary not much water comes in. Remember your are not very deep in the water so inward pressure is low.

Want dry bilge, put in a dripless shaft seal which = no water from shafts.