shaft seal adjustment

[Denis]

I have a 94 28'TE. The bilge pump comes on about every eight hours or so and pumps out for about 20 seconds or so. From what I can see, there is a small stream of water coming in around the shaft seal. I suppose if I could reduce my size to about a foot tall with three foot long arms I could tighten up the shaft seal. Has anyone out there done the job themselves? If so how did you do it and what tools did you use?

[Veebyes2]

Like it or not, it is time to go bilge diving. Stuffing box drip is normal during running & for a short while after but it should not be constant while the boat is not in use.

[Russell]

I just purchased my Albin and have not adjusted the stuffing box yet but I have on other boats. Be careful about tightening it too tight because it will overheat while running and damage the shaft. Tighten it a quarter turn or so until there is a drop every 15 seconds while running and little or none when stopped. If the flax is worn out it will have to be replaced and this Gore-Tex material at the web site below is supposed to give you an essentiall drip free result. It is supposed to be so frictionless that it does not need the water lubrication like ordinary flax. I do not know what size the Albin 28 takes so maybe someone else can post up on that.

http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=GFO1/4X24

[jleonard]

The "general rule of thumb" is that the temperature of the stuffing box should be no more than about 10 deg F higher than the ambient water temp.
An IR thermometer is a handy tool to have on the boat, and this is one good use for it. Of course your hand will tell you an awful lot as well.
Once on a friend's boat, I saw his steaming...I KNEW that was too hot.

Hope this helps.

[Mariner]

IR thermometer is a good idea. But the stuffing box should still drip about every 30 seconds, even when not in use. Any tighter and it's going to overheat. Should take years for a slow drip like that to sink a boat.

[Denis]

Thanks for the replys, I know it is time for an ajustment, I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas on HOW and what tools would fit our situation?
Also, tightning is one thing, if I need to replace the packing I would guess the enging needs to come out?

[Veebyes2]

In theory, repacking a stuffing box is a simple job. What makes it difficult, especially in a deep keeled single, is access.

The job can be done in water though watching water come into the boat is NOT for the feint at heart & the bilge pump needs to be working well. Undo the lock nut, back off the stuffing box up the shaft & pick out the old packing. A rt angled pick & some dental tools work. Put in 2 or 3 'rings' of new packing making sure that the joints do not line up. Put the stuffing box back on. Put maybe a half turn past hand tight & tighten the lock nut.

Go for a ride to seat it in & check it for excessive/not enough drip. Adjust accordingly & you should be good to go for many hundreds of hours.