Last two times going out, found some rather serious salt water in the bilge. Checked the so-called dripless packing (installed by PO). It has salt build up around it and it's clear this is the source of incursion. I already have two clamps around the shaft to keep it from popping open.
So, do I need to haul the thing and replace, just spray it with some anti-salt solution? Any ideas?
—
S/V Tao
Catalina 36
1983, Hull #114
Tao,
When you say "dripless packing", are you referring to gore-tex packing? Are you referring to a PYI shaft seal, or PSS? If a PSS, there should not be any salt buildup. According to PYI, the first few hours of use will result in a fine mist being thrown off from the interface between the SS donut and the carbon flange. Once the carbon flange "seats" itself, there should be no more leaking or mist. If there is, then there is a problem with the surface of the flange, or donut, or both. Also, the donut might not be compressing the bellows enough. The bellows should be replaced every 6 years according to PYI, but I got 10 years out of mine, and it was still in great shape when I sold the boat. From memory, one of the fixes they recommended to me (besides burping it to dislodge any crud between the two surfaces) was to take a sheet of very fine sandpaper (800 grit?) and fold it in half. Stick the sandpaper between the donut and flange, and turn the shaft several times. Some water will leak in while you are doing this, but it won't be much. This should clean and polish the donut surface. You can also try a thin scotchbrite pad. The next time the engine is run, the flange should again seat itself on the donut, and your leaks and/or mist should be gone. You should give a call to PYI and get the info directly from the horse's mouth. As I said, the above is all from memory, and it's not as good as it used to be!
Tom Sokoloski
C36/375IA Past Commodore
Noank, CT
Tom
It's PSS, the rubber tube with a steel ring up against it. The unit was supposedly put in a year before purchase, so is now less than three years old. Maybe it just needs to be burped, I'll try the sandpaper routine when I get back (we're in the Caribbean right now. Something about the design just doesn't seem like such a great idea.
Dan
S/V Tao
Catalina 36
1983, Hull #114
You might want to check this, as well, if it's a PSS seal.
[url]http://www.catalina36.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1663[/url]
Dave C
"Corvus"
Mk II #2116
[quote=drdanj;13975]Tom
Something about the design just doesn't seem like such a great idea.
Dan[/quote]
I agree. When we got our boat it had a PSS that was past due for a bellows change. I did not like the whole concept of the thing and it was cheaper to put in an old school stuffing box than the price of a bellows. With Gore GFO packing properly installed and broken in the thing hardly ever drips and it runs about 15 degrees above ambient water temperature which usually makes it about 85-90 degrees. I have a box under it to divert water into the main bilge but it does little these days. Far less risk than a PSS and I get effectively the same end result. Keeping water out of the bilge on this boat is impossible anyway, the mast alone guarantees that, so I see no advantage to a PSS at all.