gizmoe
05-31-2011, 10:05 PM
I replaced the packing in my shaft seal on my 94 TS6M this year with the GFO packing. I did just like the procedures call for with 3 rings, ends cut at 45°, and staggered. If I adjust the packing nut like most folks recommend, with just 3-5 drops per minute, the nut gets rather warm. Sometimes its almost too hot to touch other times its fairly cool. If I loosen up on the adjustment I get a drop per second and it runs much cooler. The thing that bothers me is that it continues to drip at almost the same rate even when it is just sitting. Even though at that rate the bilge pump only comes on every 20 minutes or so. What is everyone else's experience with drip rate vs. temp? I'd rather let the bilge pump work a little harder than risk damaging the shaft but I don't like the constant dripping while its just sitting in the water.