Is my stern gland greaser blocked?

I've removed the metal pipe and brought it home... It's definitely blocked. Thought I might heat it up and push some wire through...
I'll keep you updated!
 
Captain Crisp said:
I've removed the metal pipe and brought it home... It's definitely blocked. Thought I might heat it up and push some wire through...
I'll keep you updated!
Click to expand...

There you go ...

If the pipe is blocked - then I would suggest it might be good idea to poke wire into the connecting parts as well. Particularly at receiving end as that will have been dry for some time and may have blocked as well.
 
Refueler said:
Now what have I done ?????

I thought I agreed with the suggestion that PBO means Practical Boat Owner and as I recall from its early days - it really was a PRACTICAL site with suggestions of repairs / fixing etc.

I have posted before about Cheque Book Sailing ... that's the choice of each person if they feel not capable or not want to bother with repairing. Me - I get a good kick out of fixing something.

With regard to these Greasers - they are simple affairs and most people would be able to sort ... I tried to provide a way that might help.
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You gave a "thumbs up" to Norman's justification of his "How pathetic!" response to another forumite's well-meaning suggestion. :(

I fully agree with your post above including the part about the degree of repair that each person wishes to attempt being an individual choice. Bearing that in mind, I maintain that "How pathetic!" cannot be justified as a response to a fellow sailor's choice.

Richard
 
RichardS said:
You gave a "thumbs up" to Norman's justification of his "How pathetic!" response to another forumite's well-meaning suggestion. :(

I fully agree with your post above including the part about the degree of repair that each person wishes to attempt being an individual choice. Bearing that in mind, I maintain that "How pathetic!" cannot be justified as a response to a fellow sailor's choice.

Richard
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My 'thumbs up' was to the idea of PBO .. as explained in the guys post. It actually wasn't about 'pathetic' ............
 
I think this is probably a situation where both sides have some justification and now we can try and move on!
Many thanks again for all the help and I'll post the final outcome!
 
Hi, I can't seem to get a wire very far into the tube at all. I'm thinking I might just replace the metal tube with a see through nylon hose... Bit concerned about the fitting though - it seems to be 5/8 '' compression nut of some kind. Is this going to be straightforward or should I battle on with trying to clear the old metal tube?
Advice gratefully received!
Thanks,
Crispin

nylon one... greaser tube joiner.jpg
 
Problem with greaser tube - is it is often bent and as with gas tube - once bent it hardens to that shape. If you try straighten, it can crack.
If I remember rightly - the same tube is used for some Gas installations ... with similar Olive fittings at end. Or an Auto Parts place that can try match brake tube ...

If you have a Caravan Service Dealers near - I would take the tube to them and see if they can match similar.

Clear plastic tube will have trouble with connections and staying in place as the pressure that greaser exerts to inject into the packed seal is significant.

The wire ... you could try grinding a sharp flat to the end and then twirling it as it hits the obstruction ... slowly working it through .... if manage to get through ... then try get diesel in to try and soften the remaining ... repeating the wire till you get no more crud out.
 
At risk of more abuse I will try to help again.

It is 8mm or 5/16" tube , depending on age.
Very nearly the same size. you can replace it with 8mm tube and new olives, use the original unions.
I use nylon tube and have never had one come off under pressure.
You could take the opportunity to move the greaser to a convenient position if it is hidden below decks as many are, it matters not how long the tube is.
 
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Captain Crisp

Boater Sam proposes a simple solution, plastic tube, that works for me.

In 2002 I bought a "Remote Greaser Kit" from T. Norris Ltd, Isleworth, for around £40. They are about twice that now.

The kit consisted of one of the screw-down greaser (shown below), a length of flexible plastic tube and the end fittings.

Stern Tube Remote Greaser

It has never given a moments trouble in 18 years.




1591710382874.png
 
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That's good news Boater Sam / Poignard ............

I know that I have 'blown' my pipe joint at shaft seal before and I am now cautious about the pressure that can be exerted by that fine threaded barrel 'pump' ...

I had repacked the seal and was pushing in the first lot of grease to add to what I had already put in by hand .. I went more than needed and POP - the pipe came out ...

New olive and refitted - she's lasted years ... but I never pushed it hard again !
 
You can do a lot on boats that the pundits and experts will tell you are wrong, unsafe, give you spots or make your willy fall off. The plain fact is that many are still afloat by the Grace of God and a ball of string and some sealing wax if you get my drift.

I have actually removed a rudder, and propeller shaft that was buckled and replaced it plus sealed leaking P-bracket bolts while the boat was afloat - Elysian 27 cabin cruiser. Actually also while afloat at another time removed the gear-box and diesel engine for rebuild using a home made gantry on roller skate wheels running up and down on the side deck, a cheap Chinese chain hoist, a home made pallet also on roller skate wheels and scaffold board runway off the stern-deck into the back of my Landrover.

The P-bracket bolts were leaking - I cleaned off and used polyester resin and fingers to push it down as it gelled until water stopped seeping. Then glassed it all in. The stern-gland I undid completely, the rudder I dropped out the bottom with a rope around it to catch it, the propshaft I withdrew in fairly deep water, also with a rope around it to grab it, and a short piece of bar was rammed into the stern tube on the inside to stop the inevitable water ingress. But really, even an open stern tube doesn't sink a boat before you can block it up or even tie a plastic bag over it. It is just a matter of sponging up the water.

So I say take your greaser apart, make sure it is all clear and works, if it needs a new washer cut up an old leather shoe tongue, or scrounge a bit of leather from a saddler, boil it in melted grease to soften it, make it bigger then the tube and fit it. Be adventurous, everything ever made came about because someone somewhere thought it out and made it. Re-pack your stern-gland with grease and oakum if you cannot find any proper gland packing for it, 100 years ago that is what they were doing, tallow and oakum - rope fibres picked apart. Used the same thing for caulking too on wooden ships!
 
Refueler said:
That's good news Boater Sam / Poignard ............

I know that I have 'blown' my pipe joint at shaft seal before and I am now cautious about the pressure that can be exerted by that fine threaded barrel 'pump' ...

I had repacked the seal and was pushing in the first lot of grease to add to what I had already put in by hand .. I went more than needed and POP - the pipe came out ...

New olive and refitted - she's lasted years ... but I never pushed it hard again !
Click to expand...


I find I don't need to screw the greaser down hard using Morris' grease. I just turn it until there's a bit of resistance then a litle more and leave it. After a few hours running I can screw it down a little more. As there's no grease coming into the bilge I assume it's going where it's supposed to.

If ever I get to use all the Moris grease I will try ordinary general purpose grease. I wouldn't be surprised if it worked just as well.
 
Poignard said:
I find I don't need to screw the greaser down hard using Morris' grease. I just turn it until there's a bit of resistance then a litle more and leave it. After a few hours running I can screw it down a little more. As there's no grease coming into the bilge I assume it's going where it's supposed to.

If ever I get to use all the Moris grease I will try ordinary general purpose grease. I wouldn't be surprised if it worked just as well.
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You are supposed to use Waterproof Grease ........... yes there is such a beast ! basically it does not emulsify as general purpose grease does.

A good grease for shaft seals is actually Trailer bearing grease .... no need to pay Marine prices !!

I do get grease in the bilge if I put too much - but that's because my shaft tube is long. The outer is cooled etc. by water ...
 
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