Serenity on the great loop

[jumpjet]

Greeting all. We began our journey on 1 Nov, 2019 departing Cedar Creek Marina, Mt. Juliet, TN. We are currently lying Pickwick Lake State Park Marina awaiting the hard freeze to end. Using small electric heater to keep us and water pipes from freezing. Assessing an increased stuffing box leak. About 350 hours since repack and two years, but have operated 5-8 hours/day the past two weeks and there have been significant temperature changes from 80s-20s in outside air. I don't have the tools to tighten. Attached picture is very similar to my stuffing box on 1988 Albin 27 FC with original Yanmar. Thoughts?

Stuffing Box.jpg

Our blog is: https://aroundtheloopwego.blogspot.com/

[motthediesel]

Great blog -- I'll be following your progress!

You packing probably just needs a bit of tightening, don't go too snug though, it needs some water for cooling/lube. Old school packing boxes do require some periodic attention, but they will never fail in the catastrophic fashion that "dripless" units can.

Our boats make it particularly difficult to work on the packing, as the box is down in the narrow keel section. I haven't tackled that job yet, but it may require some specialized or modified wrenches I think -- good luck with it!

Tom

[DesertAlbin736]

Repacking the stuffing box is a PM task on my list too, since it's been 3 years & 300 engine hours since last time repacking our old school stuffing box. Thankfully easy to get at on the A25. There's a little screw augur type tool used to dig out old packing similar what's used to remove misfires from black powder muzzle loaders. The more I look at looper blogs like this one the more psyched we are to do the Triangle next year.

[jumpjet]

Thanks to you. I don't think I need to repack just yet just reduce the slinging water to acceptable drips. It was within the desired drip rate up until 5 days ago. Based on how to posts with this owners group, I utilized the "special tool" that has always been aboard since I purchased the boat. PO claimed not to know what it was. Anyway, it is about 18 inch long steel hex bar with very dull chisel on one end. There are numerous witness marks on the packing nut and lock nut matching the "chisel" end of the special tool. As others reported on AOG and had pictures and how to, you use the pry-bar and place on the nubs of the lock nut and with a gentle tap the lock nut was free. Very gentle with very small ball peen tap and it was free. I freed it more by hand, then used large channel lock to 1/4 turn the packing nut. I then reversed and tightened the lock nut. I was very carefully to observe and note that the bronze threaded tube secured by the hose clamps to the rubber hose/sterntube did not rotate. I started engine, and while warming, verified and shortened all dock lines before placing in gear both forward and reverse. I never went above 1000 rpm, then back to idle/neutral and felt the shaft and packing nut. Nice and cool. Only dampness was felt. After shutting down the engine, again checked the packing nut/shaft and it was dry. Will get underway tomorrow and check frequently at operating temperatures and RPM. Thanks Albin owners