Leaky prop seal?

[devovino]

I seem to remember last year as I would cruise around the lake, there would end up being a bit of water in the bilge, more than just people dripping off inboard? I checked the drip seal at the shaft and it was dripping fairly regularly, like a drip every few second, is this more than normal? I would run the bilge pump and it would empty quite a bit of water out.

Is it pretty easy to replace the packing or the "drip seal" at the shaft? has anyone ever done this before and if so, what the best way to tackle this? Thanks

[CJD]

A drip every few seconds is not too bad. A couple drips a minute is about the minimum you want to see or the shaft and packing will overheat, damaging both. Before worrying about replacing the packing, have you tried just loosening the lock nut and hand tightening the packing nut?

[devovino]

A drip every few seconds is not too bad. A couple drips a minute is about the minimum you want to see or the shaft and packing will overheat, damaging both. Before worrying about replacing the packing, have you tried just loosening the lock nut and hand tightening the packing nut?

I am away from the boat at the moment, but if I remember correctly there is only 2 hose clamps on either end of the rubber fitting covering the shaft connection, and last year I did try to tighten both of them to decrease the amount of water dripping, but it really made not difference. I would have to double check for a packing nut, I don't recall ever seeing one, but I could be mistaken.

[CJD]

The hose clamps are not the seal. There should be 2 clamps on either end of the hose. The seal is a large brass double nut at the front end of the hose. This contains the packing, and the front most nut controls the tightness of the packing...with the rear being the lock nut for the front nut.

You may have a dripless seal. If so, there will not be a big brass nut. A drlpless seal is completely different...

[vvfdfirefighter]

If you have a nipple on the boot sticking out you have a dripless seal. But seeing how you said you had two hose clamps on the boot I'd say you have a drip seal. These are made to drip, about one drop a min or so in neutral. More when riding. There will be a big brass nut on the transmission side of that rubber boot. Looking at it from the tranny you'll want to turn it clockwise to tighten. You also may need to replace the packing also known as waxed rope that you pack into the nut.

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[chris young]

Spend the extra pennies to use the goretex material. Skidim will tell you what you need. Be very careful about tightening the packing nut to slow drips. I just pulled my shaft and found it was worn at the packing by someone over tightening the nut. When I replaced my packing in the spring, the last person to re pack used strips of indoor outdoor carpet. If your boat sits at the dock for weeks unattended (mine does) then less drip is a bit more comforting in the case of bilge pump or battery failure, but if you keep it trailered, extra drips mean lots of lube and cooling so it's no biggie.

FWIW the ski boats at my club are in such dire need of packings that they literally pump out a good litre or two per hour. One day that bilge pump is going to fail and we're going to find a boat on the bottom.