[C320-list] GFO Packing

[Jeff Hare]

As a point of reference, I mentioned that ours was installed like 10 years
ago.  2 pieces of 1/4" installed at 180 degrees of each other with plenty of
thread room. You should not have to add more for a very long time and it
doesn't take a lot of it to work well.  

Just slightly adjust the squeeze if you discover a drip or it feels hot.
Warm is ok. If you touch it and you feel like you want to remove your hand,
just loosen it a bit and let it work itself out and adjust to that new
amount of pressure.

When it was too hot for instance, I loosened the nut so that it would turn
freely.  Then tightened it back up by hand to where it just started to snug
up then locked it in place.  The GFO will widen out just a tad and loosen
itself up.  If it begins to drip after that, just snug it a teeny tiny
amount and run it some more. It won't take but a couple tries to get it
right and then it's pretty much good to go for a long time.

One factor that determines how tight it needs to be is how well aligned and
balanced your prop & shaft are.  If they're pretty well aligned then you can
get away with a looser nut and still be dripless.  If it's shaking all over
the place, you may need a bit more pressure to keep the drips at bay.

GFO really is nice stuff that adds good piece of mind.

-Jeff Hare
#809

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf
Of Ted Harrison
Sent: Tuesday, April 4, 2017 12:57 AM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] GFO Packing

Recommendation please. 

Two pieces in last year, added a third in this year but only 2.5 turns in
the threads.

I am a little nervous with just 2.5 turns on the threads. 

Should I remove the third ? 

What grease are you using as well?

Ted Harrison

> On Apr 3, 2017, at 12:07 PM, ROBERT MILLER <r.miller at shaw.ca> wrote:
> 
> I just replaced my packing with GFO this weekend. This site is awesome,
perfect timing for this thread. Removing the old packing was fairly easy
with a sharp "L" shaped pick tool I bought to use on another repair. There
were three rings, but I think the old material was a bit smaller in
diameter. I used 1/4 inch GFO and it was very tight to push in. I used a
blunt tool and worked it around until it was fully into the stuffing box.  I
could only fit two rings, but there is ample thread left over. With three
pieces there was no thread showing. Maybe Catalina used different sized
stuffing boxes over the years? Applied anti seize to the threads and lock
nut to make future adjustments easier. Looking forward to a drier bilge this
season, launching tomorrow.
> Rob Miller
> Alchemy - hull #571
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
>> On Apr 2, 2017, at 11:40 AM, jbrown5093 at yahoo.com wrote:
>> 
>> Another packing removal tool.  Straighten an appropriate sized barbed
fish hook. Use pliers to push into the packing and then pull out. 
>> 
>> Jim Brown
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>>> On Apr 2, 2017, at 9:42 AM, Amiraults Family <amiraults at sympatico.ca>
wrote:
>>> 
>>> All:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I too use GFO, and it leaks at season-start before reducing to next 
>>> to nothing.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> A remark on removing old packing. Next time you're getting a dental 
>>> cleaning, ask the technician for a set of used dental cleaning picks 
>>> like the set just used on you. My request yielded two sets - one for 
>>> me and another for a friend - and they do an excellent job on 
>>> packing removal. Sit in the toolbox until needed.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Brian Amirault
>>> 
>>> 797 Waltzing Bear, too
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ---
>>> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
>>> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
>> On Apr 2, 2017, at 11:40 AM, jbrown5093 at yahoo.com wrote:
>> 
>> Another packing removal tool.  Straighten an appropriate sized barbed
fish hook. Use pliers to push into the packing and then pull out. 
>> 
>> Jim Brown
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>>> On Apr 2, 2017, at 9:42 AM, Amiraults Family <amiraults at sympatico.ca>
wrote:
>>> 
>>> All:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I too use GFO, and it leaks at season-start before reducing to next 
>>> to nothing.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> A remark on removing old packing. Next time you're getting a dental 
>>> cleaning, ask the technician for a set of used dental cleaning picks 
>>> like the set just used on you. My request yielded two sets - one for 
>>> me and another for a friend - and they do an excellent job on 
>>> packing removal. Sit in the toolbox until needed.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Brian Amirault
>>> 
>>> 797 Waltzing Bear, too
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ---
>>> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
>>> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>> 
>>