Leaky traditional stern gland

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Carloway

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My traditional packed stern gland on my Fisher 25 Freeward is ok normally with the amount of drips, until such time as the engine is run in gear , after which it starts to drip quite fast for about thre or four days ( about a hundred double strokes on the bilge pump after three days) then it gradually settles down to a normal amount, until the engine is run again in gear. I have repacked the stern gland and checked the gland nut tightness and the rubber hose. I'm using the white Ramonol grease, from a remote greaser via a flexible tube to the stern gland . I am wondering if a thicker grease, ie Morris Grease would be better , but I have read that this is too thick to apply via a remote greaser and requires to be applied via a grease nipple and grease gun . Anyone have any ideas on this ?
 
Carloway said:
My traditional packed stern gland on my Fisher 25 Freeward is ok normally with the amount of drips, until such time as the engine is run in gear , after which it starts to drip quite fast for about thre or four days ( about a hundred double strokes on the bilge pump after three days) then it gradually settles down to a normal amount, until the engine is run again in gear. I have repacked the stern gland and checked the gland nut tightness and the rubber hose. I'm using the white Ramonol grease, from a remote greaser via a flexible tube to the stern gland . I am wondering if a thicker grease, ie Morris Grease would be better , but I have read that this is too thick to apply via a remote greaser and requires to be applied via a grease nipple and grease gun . Anyone have any ideas on this ?
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When you say you have checked the gland nut tightness, how tight? Sounds like it is not tight enough. With the engine running, as you know, it should drip slowly (a drip every 5 seconds?). Whenever i stop the engine to sail and before leaving the boat or staying on board over night, I give the greaser a half turn which completely stops the dripping.
 
The role of the grease is to stop leaks when the shaft is stationary. not to lubricate the packing. The nut should be adjusted such that the drip is slow to non existent when the shaft is turning and as plum says a turn of the greaser when leaving the boat to fill the back of the packing with grease.

Best solution of course is to replace it with a modern non drip seal.
 
Carloway said:
My traditional packed stern gland on my Fisher 25 Freeward is ok normally with the amount of drips, until such time as the engine is run in gear , after which it starts to drip quite fast for about thre or four days ( about a hundred double strokes on the bilge pump after three days) then it gradually settles down to a normal amount, until the engine is run again in gear. I have repacked the stern gland and checked the gland nut tightness and the rubber hose. I'm using the white Ramonol grease, from a remote greaser via a flexible tube to the stern gland . I am wondering if a thicker grease, ie Morris Grease would be better , but I have read that this is too thick to apply via a remote greaser and requires to be applied via a grease nipple and grease gun . Anyone have any ideas on this ?
Click to expand...
The "normal amount of drips" when the shaft is stationary should be ZERO, with about 5-10 small drips a minute when the shaft is rotating. You need to substantially tighten the gland until there is no leakage while stationary, then run the engine and re-check, fine-tuning the gland tightness as required. At this time in the sailing season, with the packing well soaked, about 5-6 drips a minute is necessary for cooling and lubrication. If the gland gets noticeably warm when running, then it is too tight, and the gland nut need to be backed off slightly.

When relaunching after a winter ashore, during which the packing will have dried out, a greater amount (about 10-15 drips a minute) should be permitted, to account for the packing expanding. Failure to do so may result in packing overheating and burning out.
 
Never had to tighten the nut too much. Did you put correct size packing in ? The correct number of rings and offset the joins?.

If you did then the nut just should need a little tweaking every so often as it beds in.

Only time I’ve had problems has been due to alignment.

Steveeasy
 
Note > Do not overtighten and then find you need to back it off ... this will have compressed the packing and it literally will be stuck for a period till it slacks off.

You adjust a small bit at a time till you get desired drip / no drip ... plus grease use.

|Overtightening can not only cause overheated / burnt packing - but also grooved shaft. Grooved shaft can lead to difficulty in stopping leak.

My packing and general seal on my 25 is well over 20yrs and still good ... I just give 1 or 2 turns of grease after use ....
 
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