Can You Determine Correct Packing Drip-Rate at Low / Idle rpms ?

[sgtPluck]

While toubleshooting fuel filter issues the other day, I noticed that I didn't see any drips coming from my packing gland (recently installed.) I was distracted at the time and didn't monitor it.
My question is, can I reliably check that it is dripping the correct amount/not overheating while in idle forward and tied to the dock? Or does it require some higher revs on the shaft to determine if it is dripping correctly. I'd rather make any adjustments while still here than in a seaway - it's a tricky spot to get into.

Cheers,
-s

[capngeo]

I always went with 1 drip/second with new packing. Once broken in, you can tighten it up to 1/5 seconds. Fast shaft speeds will tend to sling the water and make it hard to count. No drips at all is too tight for new packing, back it off a bit. Modern packing is more heat tolerant than old flax or oakum, but can still ruin a shaft if too tight.

[capt_douglas]

I've gone with the 1 drop every 2-5 seconds. I found that too short a time between drops causes the salt water to sling inside the engine compartment and I don't want to install a splash shield.

As the packing sets you're going to have to adjust the packing but it seemed to settle down after a while. The biggest problem is packing the stuffing too tight and overheating the packing.

Aside from the occasional look at the stuffing box I listen to the bilge pump. When it starts going off a bit more often than I'm used to, I check the packing drip. After a long power run I'll check the temp of the packing gland to make sure it's nice and cool.

[highseas]

After adjusting I carefully put my finger on packing assembly after running at cruising speed for an hour and make sure it is still cool to touch.

[TheThunderbird]

Originally Posted by highseas

After adjusting I carefully put my finger on packing assembly after running at cruising speed for an hour and make sure it is still cool to touch.

Fingers are the best tool ever

[Jim Cate]

It also depends somewhat upon what sort of packing you used. We found that with the Teflon impregnated stuff one could safely run a much tighter setting (no drips sitting) with no ill effects. Can't do that with traditional flax packing.

Jim