Halyard HMI Seal question

[jnaiken]

Greetings all, Im wondering if anyone has any experience of resealing a HMI Seal after having to adjust the prop shaft.

I had some rudder maintenance to do that required the prop shaft pushed in. After releasing the four grub screws at the forward end of the seal the shaft was free to move inwards. It is now in its original position and grub screws tightened but it is now leaking oil out of the stern pipe/cutless bearing to the outside of the boat. The seal had been perfect with no oil leakage or usage before now. Is this a salvageable scenario?

Many thanks

 

[pvb]

When removing the shaft, was the stainless shaft sleeve (into which the grub screws fit) allowed to move relative to the rubber body? If so, it might possibly have damaged one of the 2 rear lipseals. I fitted a Halyard seal on my old HR, thinking it would be an improvement on the original Volvo rubber seal - it wasn't. Halyard had a lot of problems with the seal and stopped making it some years ago.

If you're feeling practical, you could replace the 3 seals. You'd need to cut the 2 big stainless steel bands and replace them with jubilee clips. The actual seals will be standard items, but you'd need to specify them with stainless springs. You may already have it, but this diagram helps explain what's inside it. Personally, I'd chuck it and fit a Radice or Volvo rubber seal.

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