packign size?

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John Reimann's picture
John Reimann
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packign size?

Does anybody know what would be the packing size for my C 36 (with a Universal M35B engine)? Or, how would I figure it out? Thanks.

SF Bay
1998 C36

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stu jackson c34
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3/16, some use or need 1/4, but rarely. Buy both, but don't try to push something too big into the stuffing box. You can return the 1/4 when you learn by doing that it's too big.

Stu Jackson, C34IA Secretary, C34 #224, 1986, SR/FK, M25 engine, Rocna 10 (22#)

windward (not verified)

John,

I have a 1994 CAT36 with a M35 A engine and just had the yard repack the gland. They used 1/4" teflon cord (and charged $20 for 9" of the stuff plus labor). I got many years out of the last time they did it.

Richard
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John Reimann
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Just to let you know - I replaced the packing and it appears that the 3/16" was the right size. I say "appears" because I had to put four pieces in; with only three the nut tightened almost all the way down to the end of the threads.

One issue I had: The old packing must have been the original (11 years old), and was so hard I had a real time getting it out. I tried all sorts of tools, including burglary tools (well, some lock picks a locksmith friend loaned me). I also used a dry wall screw (actually a deck screw, which is the same coarse thread and same size but longer). I was told in no uncertain terms that the screw would definitely work. Maybe if I'd have had the phillips tip for my cordless I could have run the screw all the way in, let it bottom out, and then it would have pulled the packing out as the screw rotated. But, typical, I forgot to bring my phillips tip for the cordless with me. So what I did was put a small bit (maybe 3/32") in the drill and just drilled a bunch of holes in the old packing, turning it into mush, and then I was able to pick it out.

So, another maintenance task learned! By the time I die, I might actually be able to fully maintain the boat without asking simple questions.

SF Bay
1998 C36

pierview (not verified)

I had the same trouble as John getting out the old packing. I can't believe people actually do this in the water because it took me about 2 weeks of picking at the old stuff to finally get it out and if I were in the water it would have been a problem. Not to mention that it took some soaking with Blaster to get the set nuts loose too.

Anyway, Sear sells a small kit of about 4 "picks" at various angles....(straight pick, 45 degree angle, 90 degree angle). They look something like what you might expect your dentist to use. I found that was the best to finally dig the stuff out.... even better than the corkscrew device sold to pull the stuffing out.

I've heard about using the screw but you have to be careful about not scoring the shaft.

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John Reimann
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Chuck:

first of all, as far as doing it with the boat was in the water: AFter I got over my initial nervousness, I found that the bilge pump was easily able to keep up with the amount of water that was coming in.

Second, as far as the tools used: I had some picks loaned to me by a friend who's a locksmith. These included all sorts of picks such as what you describe. I suppose if I'd worked with them for days on end I would have been able to get the packing out. But using the method I did was far, far easier and less time consuming.

I did score the shaft, but it was up beyond where the packing nut screws on. Once I'd slid the nut all the way up the shaft (towards the transmission) it was well beyond that point. The part of the shaft where the packing rests once the nut was screwed down was as smoothe as a baby's butt (as long as the baby doesn't have diaper rash).

SF Bay
1998 C36

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