Dripless Shaft Seal Inspection & Maintenance?

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Hah, me too!

I come out briefly every two months for a scrub off, anyway. Can it be done in 45 minutes? That's how long I get to do whatever I need to do below the waterline, according to my price plan.

Mine took most of a day, but I had to take the Maxiprop off as well to get enough room.
It should ordinarly be possible in 45 mins. Make sure you can free the shaft coupling easily by checking the bolts loosen beforehand.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Hah, me too!

I come out briefly every two months for a scrub off, anyway. Can it be done in 45 minutes? That's how long I get to do whatever I need to do below the waterline, according to my price plan.

Bludi 'ell, what job can be done 45 mins One stuck set screw, hose clamp or whatever will chew up an hour or so.....

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Is that all? Sounds far too simple. ..

As far as I can tell, having just installed one, that's about it. If needed, "burp" the rubber accordian bit. It's an either/or sort of device.

The only specificities I've heard of is that they CAN (eventually) wear out, but the drips will demonstrate that. I have also heard that they are not suitable for direct-drive Atomic 4s, because their shafts spin too fast for the mated surfaces to cope with.

Other than that, keep the relief hose above the WL and double-clamped and you are good.

[daddle]

If you worry about water spurting into the boat, and who wouldn't, perhaps you should get some practice jumping in the water to plug the prop shaft, no? There is not always a Travellift handy...

[Exile]

PYI/PSS sells a kit for $105 US which includes a replacement bellows, along with new hose clamps, o-rings, & set screws. It's probably critical to replace all of these components, not just the bellows. The set screws, for example, are only designed to be used once, come with Loctite pre-applied, and include a second set that are designed to secure the first set. The mfg. recommended replacement interval is six years, although they caution that things like gas-off from flooded batts., ozoneators, along with oil, coolant, etc., can accelerate the bellows wear. You'll need to know your prop shaft & shaft log diams. before placing your order.

I'm getting ready to do a replacement myself for the first time with the boat out of the water. It looks like a pretty straightforward job, with the exception of getting the shaft coupler off which is likely dependent on the last time it has been removed. I personally wouldn't trust myself to do the job with the boat in the water, but it's good to know it can be done if need be. Also good to know that the mfg. recommended six-year replacement interval may be conservative, but again this is apparently dependent on outside factors unique to each boat. I'm doing mine after 4.5 years, but that's partly due to the boat getting hauled out for bottom paint & seacock maint., and I'm hoping to get another 2-3 years on my new bottom paint.

Here's a link to the mfg. website, which also includes links to how-to videos, etc:

http://http://www.shaftseal.com/en/about/shaftseal_maintenance_kit

[Bash]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

PSS recommend every 5 years. I think they are being very conservative, but if it is now 12 years old I would replace it at the next haul out.
.

They suggest "preventative maintenance" every six years. Beyond that, they recommend regular inspection, and replacing at "any sign of wear, aging or chemical deterioration."

Here's the link: PSS Shaft Seal

[eyschulman]

Why? If the units need so much care and are make or break(sink your boat) why spend the money when the new school packing can be drip-less or as dry as a drip-less. My drip-less was not 100% dry. Now on my new boat I have standard box with new school packing and it is dryer than drip-less and easier to maintain. Duramax Ultra X packing

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by eyschulman

Why? If the units need so much care and are make or break(sink your boat) why spend the money when the new school packing can be drip-less or as dry as a drip-less. My drip-less was not 100% dry. Now on my new boat I have standard box with new school packing and it is dryer than drip-less and easier to maintain. Duramax Ultra X packing

Some people find it a bit hard to stand on their head using one arm to adjust the nuts on an old unit, so would rather spend the money every 6-10 years.

[eyschulman]

Standing on my head I find it less effort to adjust the nuts on the box than getting a sheet of wet -dry sandpaper in and all around the matting surface of a drip-less unit. Admittedly some units go in and can be forgotten unfortunately not all.

[Tortuga's Lie]

I guess mine's ready for a replacement.....I've got at least 10 years on mine.
I guess you can do it in the water as long as you have access to the exit point of the shaft. Dive over with that electrical putty that electricians use to seal wires exiting walls (available at Lowe's or H.D.) and pack it tightly around the shaft. After loosening up the shaft from the coupling and the shaft seal is loose, have someone hold the putty in place while you push the shaft out a little. Might wanna make sure that the bilge pump is on!

[delmarrey]

It's not all that hard to do in the water. Once the shaft coupler is off all it takes is some rags to stuff around the shaft while switching out parts. I swapped a packing unit for a PSS in the water and only got a couple quarts of water in the boat, just using rags from the inside.

[Randyonr3]

I just last week replaced the unit.. in the water.. and went back to the old style with the packing ..
Reason being, I've had problems with mine.. whenever I've put it in reverse, the prop blows water back up the log and the spring isnt enough to keep it from blowing water into the boat.. had an issue once where I was anchored in weedy area and garbage was blown up the log and wedged between the carbon and stainless and after the bilge pump kicked on a couple times, I started checking where the water was comming from.. yep, shaft seal...
Not saying the system is bad, it work but just not for me.. and being This next time out we'll be gone for a few years, I dont want to get stuck in some off-the-wall area needing pieces for my dripless unit.. With the packing now avalable, there is no need to go to a dripless unit..
By the way, to keep the water out, got the idea from another here on the forum,
visit your local home depot or hardware store for a wax ring for a toilet.. ball the wax into palm size and dive on the boat.. with your palm, push the wax around the shaft into the hull..
spent about 20 minutes in the water and when I got back into the boat and removed the unit, not a drip of water.. worked in a completely dry inviorment..
but I did keep an aux. pump handy just in case...

[sailorboy1]

You should have a plan for WHEN the bellows decides to leak and start spraying water into the boat!!!! And you better hope when that time comes that the boot only leaks and doesn't split down the seam.

Last year I made it to haul out time when my bellows started leaking by wrapping it with rescue tape.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by eyschulman

Why? If the units need so much care and are make or break(sink your boat) why spend the money when the new school packing can be drip-less or as dry as a drip-less. My drip-less was not 100% dry. Now on my new boat I have standard box with new school packing and it is dryer than drip-less and easier to maintain. Duramax Ultra X packing

I didn't know how long my PSS had been on the boat when I bought it. PYI told me my bellows was at least 15 years old, it looked fine when I took it off.

How often do you change your stuffing box hose? If it fails it's the same problem.

From: How To: Stuffing Box Upkeep | Cruising World
replace the flexible hose every five years or so.

Maine Sail thinks they should be replaced around 10 years
If the stuffing box fails ?

That being said catastrophic failures are VERY rare in traditional or PSS seals and if you replace the hose every ten or so years (6-7 with PSS),

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

I just last week replaced the unit.. in the water.. and went back to the old style with the packing ..
Reason being, I've had problems with mine.. whenever I've put it in reverse, the prop blows water back up the log and the spring isnt enough to keep it from blowing water into the boat.. had an issue once where I was anchored in weedy area and garbage was blown up the log and wedged between the carbon and stainless and after the bilge pump kicked on a couple times, I started checking where the water was comming from.. yep, shaft seal...
Not saying the system is bad, it work but just not for me.. and being This next time out we'll be gone for a few years, I dont want to get stuck in some off-the-wall area needing pieces for my dripless unit.. With the packing now avalable, there is no need to go to a dripless unit..
By the way, to keep the water out, got the idea from another here on the forum,
visit your local home depot or hardware store for a wax ring for a toilet.. ball the wax into palm size and dive on the boat.. with your palm, push the wax around the shaft into the hull..
spent about 20 minutes in the water and when I got back into the boat and removed the unit, not a drip of water.. worked in a completely dry inviorment..
but I did keep an aux. pump handy just in case...

I think I would be checking your motor mounts to see if the motor is moving when under power. It sounds like your bellows was loosing it's pressure. Unless this is a power boat with lots and lots of thrust.