[C320-list] Good stuffing box trick

[Jack Brennan]

Well, so far so good on the waterproof axle grease in the stuffing box. I probably have 20 hours on it with no problems at all.

The diesel guy  I hired has been doing it this way for maybe 15 years as he services cruising boats in Boot Key Harbor on their way to the Bahamas and the Caribbean, so I suspect he has had enough feedback to know whether his particular methods works.

I also suspect the grease warning has something to do with the possibility of people using the wrong type of grease.  Waterproof axle grease is thin and made for the wheels on boat trailers, which is different from say the thick grease used in other applications.

There’s actually a long tradition of greasing stuffing boxes. Particularly in Britain, many stuffing boxes used to have grease nipples on them. 

I’ll see, I guess.

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.



Sent from Mail for Windows

From: Scott Thompson
Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2022 12:49 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Good stuffing box trick

You should be able to put your hand on the stuffing box comfortably, 
even after a long period of running. Warm is OK. Hot is not.

I was working on my stuffing box yesterday. The GFO instructions say to 
only make it snug at first, then tighten to no drips after several hours 
of operation. You may have a good bit of water come through during that 
initial run-in period.

BTW, they also warn to NOT use other lubricants (e.g. axle grease, winch 
grease, etc.).

I'm curious how your "pusher" works since I see no way to put a pipe 
around the shaft without major disassembly. I pushed mine in by just 
snugging the packing nut up against the box and tapping gently with a 
hammer until the packing was in far enough for the threads on the nut to 
catch.

Scott