[C320-list] GFO Packing

[Ted Harrison]

Thanks John. This is going on my father's list, birthday and Xmas list or I just my purchase before launch ! 


Ted Harrison

> On Apr 2, 2017, at 6:46 AM, John Meyers <jcmeyers7 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I use an infrared temperature gun which can cost between 11 and 35 dollars
> at Amazon.com. I use mine a lot. It can even be used to measure hull temp
> to see if it is warm enough to paint (come on 45 degrees  - not yet.) It
> even gets temp of engine block and water.
> 
> John Meyers
> Wind Chime #406
> Muskegon, MI
> 
> On Sun, Apr 2, 2017 at 6:31 AM, Ted Harrison <tharrison at innovations-plus.com
>> wrote:
> 
>> Jim, how do you check the heat of the shaft ? Do you have a gauge of some
>> sort.
>> 
>> Ted Harrison
>> 
>>> On Apr 1, 2017, at 7:00 PM, jbrown5093 at yahoo.com wrote:
>>> 
>>> GFO and gortex packing material are advertised as dripless in contrast
>> to the flax packing which has to drip.  Is this not correct?  If not I'll
>> have to back the nut off a bit to get some drips. I'm pretty compulsive
>> about checking the heat of the shaft and nut after a long motor and it
>> stays pretty cool.
>>> 
>>> Jim Brown. Hull 973
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>> 
>>>> On Apr 1, 2017, at 4:33 PM, Utility Email <kswanson123 at comcast.net>
>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> I replaced mine with GFO a couple of years ago when I had a leaking
>> stern tube gland.  Mine took only 2 rings.   There was a little confusion
>> between my owners manual size (5/16") of the packing material and what
>> others had experienced and what fit in my boat.
>>>> 
>>>> My boat has a 1 inch SS shaft and my GFO is 1/4 inch.  From my
>> experience with GFO, make sure that the packing nut is not too tight.
>> Beside checking the drip rate, also check the temperature of the packing
>> nut - it should not be too hot to the touch if the boat is in cold
>> seawater.  If is is too tight, the material will wear prematurely and
>> potentially score the shaft.
>>>> 
>>>> Dave Swanson
>>>> S/V Emily Ann
>>>> 2007 C320 MK II, No. 1107
>>>> Mukilteo, WA
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> On Apr 1, 2017, at 12:41 PM, John Jacobs <johjacob1 at mac.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> The old packing came out easily with just a little encouragement from
>> a screw driver.  It was dry and brittle which probably explained the
>> excessive leaking this past summer.  I put a little anti-seize on he
>> threads but no corrosion was noted.  Thanks for the advice.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 1999 C320 “Surprise” #644
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Apr 1, 2017, at 3:35 PM, Warren Updike <wupdike at hotmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> IMHO, five full turns should be find. The packing should compress for
>> a while so check for adjustment this season. Also, lube the threads on the
>> gland and locking ring. They tend to get some corrosion esp. if there is
>> water being flung around underway. Don't tighten the lock nut overly. It
>> only needs to be snug, not hard on.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Did you have any difficulty getting the old packing out? When I did
>> ours, I had to screw a long screw into the packing to get a hold on it as I
>> couldn't dig it out. I also took a piece of 1" PVC and cut it length-wise.
>> After the packing was in, I slid the PVC on the shaft into the gland to
>> initially compress it. Don't know if that helped; but, doesn't seem to hurt
>> either. The GFO is very soft and deforms easily. Have to handle it
>> carefully, as I remember.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> FYI, when I took an owner's diesel maintenance course in Annapolis,
>> Dr. Diesel, as he was called, told me he never removes the old packing,
>> just add another ring. That's one approach, I guess.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Warren and Pattie Updike
>>>>>> 1994 C320 "Warr de Mar" #62
>>>>>> Middle River, Chesapeake Bay
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: John Jacobs [mailto:johjacob1 at mac.com]
>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2017 2:00 PM
>>>>>> To: C320-list at catalina320.com
>>>>>> Subject: [C320-list] GFO Packing
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I just cleaned out the old Flax Packing from the stuffing box.  There
>> were a total of 4 complete ringlets of packing inside.  I had purchased GFO
>> packing,  1/4” as per owners manual.  I cut 4 strands to size and installed
>> them with the appropriate degree of rotation for each one so that the seams
>> would not overlap.  All of this was a piece of cake.
>>>>>> My concern however is that I was only able to turn the stuffing box
>> nut five turns onto the threaded portion of the Locking nut shaft.
>>>>>> Anyone have the same experience?  Not sure if this is right?  Is this
>> too much packing?  Should I take a ring out?
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> John Jacobs
>>>>>> “Surprise” 1999
>>