OJ dripless shaft seal

[beast 496]

I am going to install a new generation OJ dripless shaft seal in the ol BEAST. The unit needs to be cooled as well. My plan is to tap into the Hi pressure fuel pump coolant hose and redirect. The coolant is all on the hi pressure side of the water cooling system. Note all coolers on my engine are on pressure side. From the transmission cooler drain fitting a 1/8" NPT fitting with a 90* 3/8 barb, to the bottom of the Hi pressure fuel pump coolant chamber. Out of the coolant chamber which is on top back down to the shaft seal, and then out of the boat. Currently the system dumps back into the thermostat housing. vie a one way valved fitting. This water will be cold water as it is pressurized and before the heat of the engine. I am open to suggestions if any have some. Al

[cadunkle]

I don't see why this wouldn't work. Most tap out of the hoses to the manifolds ut that water passes through the thermostat housing and will be warmer though not straight hot out of the engine. If you're worries put your fitting in that line and run the engine so be sure you're getting a good stream of cool water.

[rludtke]

I am going to install a new generation OJ dripless shaft seal in the ol BEAST. The unit needs to be cooled as well. My plan is to tap into the Hi pressure fuel pump coolant hose and redirect. The coolant is all on the hi pressure side of the water cooling system. Note all coolers on my engine are on pressure side. From the transmission cooler drain fitting a 1/8" NPT fitting with a 90* 3/8 barb, to the bottom of the Hi pressure fuel pump coolant chamber. Out of the coolant chamber which is on top back down to the shaft seal, and then out of the boat. Currently the system dumps back into the thermostat housing. vie a one way valved fitting. This water will be cold water as it is pressurized and before the heat of the engine. I am open to suggestions if any have some. Al

Hi Al,
My boat was equipped with a dripless system by the previous owner. He tapped the water source from the exhaust cooling circuit, which is upstream of the thermostat. I like this because the water is cold, and it is not sensitive to thermostat failures. The exhaust risers (and the dripless shaft seal) are constantly fed water by the raw water pump. It sounds like your plan is essentially the same. It should work.

[bdumas35]

Hi Al,
My boat was equipped with a dripless system by the previous owner. He tapped the water source from the exhaust cooling circuit, which is upstream of the thermostat. I like this because the water is cold, and it is not sensitive to thermostat failures. The exhaust risers (and the dripless shaft seal) are constantly fed water by the raw water pump. It sounds like your plan is essentially the same. It should work.

I'm liking this idea of cool water.

Rick, do you have a photo of your setup?

[rludtke]

I'm liking this idea of cool water.

Rick, do you have a photo of your setup?

Hi Bdumas.

I am bringing my boat home from my friends dock tomarrow. I can take some pic's for you then.

I've been following your rebuild, your transom repairs look fantastic. What is with what looks like wood in your exhaust holes? Did you add wood to the fwd side of transom?

[bdumas35]

Hi Bdumas.

I am bringing my boat home from my friends dock tomarrow. I can take some pic's for you then.

I've been following your rebuild, your transom repairs look fantastic. What is with what looks like wood in your exhaust holes? Did you add wood to the fwd side of transom?

Thanks Rick.

I think you are seeing the stringer through the exhaust hole. I didn't add anything on the inside of the transom at the exhaust.

[sybrmike]

I don't think the temp of the water matters that much. My understanding is that the water feed to the seal is to prevent/flush out any air pockets that can form up in the shaft log, behind the seal face, at planing speeds. The directions on my PSS state that the water flush is not needed on slow, non-planing hulls.

[beast 496]

The water cooling the shaft seal will also be used for cooling the fuel pump. Note the shaft on my boat runs 1-1 with the engine. Max RPM's are 5,000. I usually don't run near that at all but sometimes we open it up. Normal knee boarding rpm is 2k and barfooting is 4k +-. While the shaft is out i am also going to replace the strut brgs with the new composite type from OJ. I hope all had a great 4th, I know we did. Al

[rludtke]

Hi Bdumas.

I am bringing my boat home from my friends dock tomarrow. I can take some pic's for you then.

I've been following your rebuild, your transom repairs look fantastic. What is with what looks like wood in your exhaust holes? Did you add wood to the fwd side of transom?

Here are two pictures of the water connection for the dripless seal. The cooling supply hose for the right nand riser has a T fitting, to which the small hose for the dripless seal supply connects.

[beast 496]

The thought I have was to tap into the cool water which also cools the fuel pump. On our 496 HO the Hi pressure fuel pump must be cooled by water to keep from overheating. Instead of returning the spent fuel pump coolant water back to the engine, I will inject it into the shaft seal. Al

[wotan2525]

My setup is different from any other I've seen on this board. My engine block has a water fitting very low down on the driver side of it. This is threaded with a hose clamped tube attached that goes to my dripless shaft seal. It was setup by a PO so I have no idea how or why they did it this way.... but it works!!

[JohnnyH]

water temp does matter. My 2008 22ssv came with an OJ drippless and I have been thru 3 of them. On the 3rd replacement, the water supply was moved from hot (factory) to the cooler water supply. Have not had a problem since.

[docdrs]

water temp does matter. My 2008 22ssv came with an OJ drippless and I have been thru 3 of them. On the 3rd replacement, the water supply was moved from hot (factory) to the cooler water supply. Have not had a problem since.


I am about to change mine for the second time, this one failed after about 50 hours..... I spoke to Eric at OJ and as suspected and hopefully this last one failed due to having a cat engine and the water supply coming off the exhaust manifold. Higher exhaust mani temps 200+ will probably cause failure of the seals so I will be rerouting my supply line to a pre exhaust supply line and hope that it lasts longer. Time will tell....

[Salty87]

oem pss seal from 1987 doesn't use water supply. i wonder why dripless designs require cooling now.

[djensen]

You might want to reconsider the dripless seal route.
I have an 09 22SSV that has had the dripless seal replaced twice and still leaks like like it originally did when I bought the boat new. Coupler alignment is correct and within tolerances so unless the prop shaft is bent which I doubt I am at a loss to explain the leaking. Had a old 05 Mobius LSV with a couple hundred hours on it and never had a problem. If I could go back to the old packing packing nut and seal fitting I certainly would.
Regards,

[docdrs]

we now know that the housing on the dripless is the culprit and not the seal failing. the housing heats up with hot water, expands and allows leakage between the seal and the housing. Although the seal does not need the cooling maybe the housing does.

[beast 496]

I have installed the New OJ seal in many boats, Always utilizing cold water for the coolant. On our own personal boat, 1985 Beast with a 496 HO at WOT the engine and prop shaft run just at 5,000 rpm. Coolant and proper alignment is critical. Once the New OJ seal was installed, no more leaks at all. I am extreamly happy with the new seal assy. Al