Inboard Guys-Traditional Stuffing Box or Dripless?

blunas2188 · #1 08-23-2008, 06:47 PM

Hey guys,

I have a 23 CC inboard with a D4-260 Volvo diesel. We currently are using a traditional stuffing box set up. however, it seems that at high speeds the packing isn't getting enough water to cool it down. Has anyone ever had a traditional set up that worked or is drip-less the way to go? I would love to keep the traditional for safety sake, but it seems like at high speeds it just not get enough water. Any tips or suggestion?

Also, just for reference, what is the price of a dripless system?

Thanks

Bushwacker · #2 08-23-2008, 10:10 PM

Steve D'Antonio, who wrote "The Amazing Mr. Moesly" article in the literature section, did a big article on stuffing boxes in the Jan/Feb 08 issue of Passagemaker magazine. You might be able to find it by going to their web site at passagemaker.com. I remember him saying that while those dripless systems work great as long as the engine feeds them a continuous supply of water, if they DO fail, it's not always graceful, i.e. they can sink your boat!

He mentioned some concerns about twin engine boats when they were run on one engine. I guess it's the type of thing that if you left boat in water, you'd want to get into the habit of checking the stuffing box to make sure it was still dripless before leaving the boat! I believe they use a carbon face seal (a carbon ring that's spring loaded against a very hard and perfectly flat plate that rotates with the shaft), like those used in your car's AC compressor. That carbon ring is very brittle, and if it breaks, which is rare, you could be looking at a fairly good leak! I view those things as a classic example of "better" sometimes being the enemy of "good enough"!

Miles Offshore · #3 08-24-2008, 04:20 PM

im on my 3rd inboard boat and ive always used traditional. just goes along with the normal maintenance and i will repack every 2 or 3 years normally. i trust them too. only time i have ever had an overheat problem was when the packing was new and overtightened.

blunas2188 · #4 08-25-2008, 02:41 AM

Milesoffshore-

What diameter shaft are you using and what size tube do you have? Also, just curious what power you have as well.

Thanks!

GetReel · #5 08-25-2008, 05:22 PM

I have the PSS/PSY dripless system and its great. I burned through the traditional set up too many times. Raw water is feed into it off a pick up.

Miles Offshore · #6 08-31-2008, 06:39 PM

sorry for the late response blunas, just got back from the left coast- san diego, nice place , if i ever drop out thats where you will find me,lol. I have a 1 1/4" shaft, not sure about the tube. i am running a 350/270 chevy.

Capt Chuck · #7 08-31-2008, 06:52 PM

Quote:

I have a 1 1/4" shaft

Careful Craig, You don't want to stretch things

Miles Offshore · #8 08-31-2008, 07:27 PM

diamer chuck,lol

Islandtrader · #9 09-01-2008, 09:09 AM

My last boat had a 350 inboard. I put on over 1200 hours before I even changed the stuffing box. I ran that engine at 34-3600 rpm. Top rpm around 5000. Never a problem.

I use watch the drip and adjust it when ever it was necessary...and that was hardly more than a few times a year. Better to have to much drip than not enough.

Gary Hill · #10 09-04-2008, 09:17 PM

I have a friend with a SEE VEE 25' and he keeps it on a lift in his backyard and one day when lowering it from the lift he noticfed a lot of water in his bilge, a screw fell out and it could have sunk. I am like Miles Offshore (Craig) and believe old method is better