Gland Packing

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pentane

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It's time to replace the packing on my old style stern glands:-

sterngland.jpg


These days there's several choices of material, from dry PTFE and Duramid to 'petroleum jelly impregnated graphite coated'. The latter I believe, is currently fitted.

What do you use?

BTW, VP KAMD43's spinning 21" props

Ta
 
I'm sure graphite is to be avoided at all costs because of galvanic problems.

I've got this job to do once the new engine is installed.
 
Recently had to repack.
Tried all materials known to Mankind.
No success!
Turned out to be a snapped sterntube, everything out of line etc.
Now fixed with new stern tube , shaft and stuffing box!
During the efforts to fix the impossible PTFE was the best, although the final fix was new bits, during the fruitless efforts to repair, PTFE behaved the best.
New stuffing box now stuffed with PTFE and the job's a good un.

What symptom suggests to you that renewal of said packing is needed?
Or should I gather from the picture with all the sealant present, that the whole caboodle has been removed for some reason.
Just interested having gone through the scenario mentioned earlier!
 
No symptoms per se, just that I know it's been in there 2 years and everywhere seems to mention replacement at about this time. Always been adjusted to give the occasional drip and seems to still be plenty of 'squeezabilty' left.
However there's no more 'grease' oozing out, hence the assumption that the existing stuff was pre loaded.
Plus she's out of the water and considering the expense of a lift and the relative cheapness of the packing, thought it's about time to replace.
As for sealant, the gland was removed when a new shaft was installed - quite why I don't know - by a 'reputable' yard, just before I took ownership.
This explains why I do all my own maintenance wherever possible.
Looks like PTFE it is then - I'll report back in due course
FWIW I'm also replacing the couplings (broken bolt and old age) and will need to check alignment when she's back in.
Hopefully with the newly refurb'd props too we're talking smooth as silk, or alternativley a right b@lls up all round /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I'm sure you don't need to repack after just two years, you say there is no more grease left. It looks to me that you have a remote greaser (I can see the tube) through which you can pump more grease.
 
Different set-up - what you see is water lubrication / cooling from exhaust elbow.
AFAIK MOBO's don't normally have remote greaser, but I stand to be corrected.
Oiked out one of the 'turns' (there should be three at 120 degrees to each other) and does seem fine, however as she's out etc.
 
Interesting, but I don't mind the odd drip - at least I know the bilge pumps work! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
May I stand here and correct you. My ancient collection of boat parts all floating in the same direction has remote greasers. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Yes as per unit 18 My arrangement has a remote greaser.
If the assembly is behaving itself, ie no leaks and the stuffing box is not getting too hot I would deffo leave it for now.
The packing CAN be replaced with the boat in the water.
I have changed mine on numerous occasions when alfloat, it is not a difficult task.
Check that water is lubing the job and check if the box gets hot whilst underway.
The amont of "flow" or drips is a contentious subject.
Some say a drip every so many seconds, some say a drip every so many minutes, some say no drips at all!
My new arrangement seems to drip about twice an hour but I,m happy with that.
It did get quite hot for about 10 hours after initial rebuild and now has settl;ed down, warm to the touch after about half an hour at WOT.
There are many advocates of the dripless systems but if the more traditional set up like yours works ok then I would be inclined to stick with it.
Tiss simple and works and is easy plus cheap to maintain.

The alignement can be and should be checked before You re launch.
Then check again after a few hours running.

You say the piece of packing You inspected is OK and was renewed 2 years ago.
That is no time at all for such a set up.
Inless of course You are doing thousands of hoyrs per annum!
 
OK - I am well and truly corrected!
Tis a tough call whether to replace or not - no remote greaser but the original packing WAS petroluem jelly impregnated - which it certainly isn't now.
I'm of the 'if it ain't REALLY broke, don't fix it' type.

No heat build up that I've noticed and I've always adjusted for 2-3 drips per minute.

Dripless makes for a nice bilge but hassle of installation and cost don't outweigh the simple solution. Plus when they go, they tend to go big time, apparantly /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Your stern gland is just like mine, what they see is a water cooling pipe. There is no greasing method.

You look to have loads of adjustment left in the gland. If alls well, I'd leave it alone.
 
that's correct it's for cooling. What i neglected to mention is that the posted pic is circa 2 years ago. Considerably less adjustment now. Do you know what packing you have?
 
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