What happens if I over-tighten the stuffing gland?

S

SteveTibbetts

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I've had a problem with water in the bilge for some time and suspect the stuffing gland. ( I did repack it last year) I've been wary of over-tightening due to the dire warnings of it over heating. I'm thinking I need to get the leak sorted and intend to give it another tighten.

What's the worst case?

Spontaneous combustion? Rapid flood?


Steve
 
It gets hot and possibly squeals. Tighten say half a turn, start the engine and engage gear, look for drips (some like a very occasional drip, others none at all). After 3-4 minutes dis-engage gear, stop engine and feel shaft near stuffing box, it should be nothing more than very slightly warm. Repeat until drips stop (or fit a Volvo seal ;-))
 
If its leaking it's not tight enough. When I had one, I used to tighten it so there was a drip every 15 seconds, (approx.), with the prop spinning. No drip when not spinning. The word here was that it could/should get as hot as a warm cup of tea.

When you say suspect.... Can you not see it leaking? Put some loo roll or tissue under where you think it's leaking. If it doesn't get wet, it's probably not the problem.
 
SteveTibbetts said:
I say suspect cos every time I get to the boat there's water in the bilge. It's a shallow bilge so the area around the gland is so wet I cannot see a drip- but it's worse if I forget to grease it when back at mooring after a trip.
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My stuffing box runs fairly hot and with say after 3 hrs engine running I may get about a saucer full max of water.

I have found over the years to test how tight it is if you can 'grip the stuffing box by hand' and 'hold' your hand on it then it's not 'over hot', it's certainly not just warm!

As above has already said I would tighten it a quarter at a time, run the engine under load for five minutes then check it, then ten minutes then check, then halve an hour and check, then if ok run the engine underfull load and check again.

I put 1 1/2 turns on the greaser after every trip or 6 hrs engine running time.

Mike
 
SteveTibbetts said:
I say suspect cos every time I get to the boat there's water in the bilge. It's a shallow bilge so the area around the gland is so wet I cannot see a drip- but it's worse if I forget to grease it when back at mooring after a trip.
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What happens if you dry the bilge on arrival, get a cup of tea, and watch the gland for an hour or so?

What happens if you tie up alongside, dry the bilge, then run the engine in gear for a while/an hour? I would expect the gland to get warm/hot to the touch, and drip about 4 times a minute.

After a trip, how much water is in the bilge?

If the above monitorings result in no water in the bilge, or a few drips a minute only when the engine is running, its hard to see how it can be the gland leaking.

Tissue and/or talcum powder in a variety of places can help identify where water is running or dripping, or not.
 
Irritating to have this problem.

A little off point I know but I had a small amount of water building up in the sump last winter, cause.... condensation.

It was still a little salty due to it running down the inside of the hull in various areas where I suppose it had been in contact with salty air.

As soon as the warmer weather came.... no more water.

good luck

S.
 
You should only really tighten a gland about a quarter turn at a time. When you packed the gland did you make sure to mitre the cuts of each ring of packing and did you stagger the joints at 180° to each other when putting the rings of packing into the gland? For example put the first join at 12 o'clock the next at 6 o'clock etc. otherwise you get a channel for water to run through which no matter how much you tighten you can't seal.
 
cryan said:
You should only really tighten a gland about a quarter turn at a time. When you packed the gland did you make sure to mitre the cuts of each ring of packing and did you stagger the joints at 180° to each other when putting the rings of packing into the gland? For example put the first join at 12 o'clock the next at 6 o'clock etc. otherwise you get a channel for water to run through which no matter how much you tighten you can't seal.
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Yes, packing was mitred and has staggered joints. Sounds like I may just have had it too loose since it was fitted.. I've, never come close to tightening by as much as a quarter turn
 
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