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Old 09-04-2014, 09:22   #1
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Drive Shaft seal

Hi all, I was hoping i could get some advice on how to check that the drive shaft on my Yanmar 2GM20F has a good seal. I recently purchased the boat, it has been out of the water for a few years and I want to make sure it's not going to sink once i put it in the water this spring!
-Thanks for the advice!!!!
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Old 09-04-2014, 09:39   #2
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Re: Drive Shaft seal

Is it a packing gland or a dripless seal?

Either way it's standard procedure to check the gland before being released from the slings.

If you have traditional packing, just repack it before you splash, then tighten it up once on the water.
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Old 09-04-2014, 09:45   #3
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Re: Drive Shaft seal

Welcome to CF. I assume you are talking about your Prop Shaft. A little hard to duplicate the environment that it would be in when in the water. The water pressure from the wet side is dependent on the dept that the shaft log entry sits at. (very low). What type of seal do you have? Mechanical,Dripless, Packed gland? The best way is to lower the boat in the water and check, (while it is stationary and with the shaft turning) leaks from these seals will not introduce a lot of water and can be rectified if leaking while in the water. Just have a good bilge pump on hand and don't panic at the sight of water entering your boat.
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Old 09-04-2014, 10:06   #4
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Re: Drive Shaft seal

If you have a dripless system You should pull back the bellows to expose the graphite mating surface, and pour a cup of water on it, then let the bellows close. You will now be able to launch without the worry/problem of burning up the graphite when you run in gear. This is what caused a lot of premature wear and leaking on the dripless systems. PSS added a nipple and long plastic tube (the tube should be set to breath way above the water line) to the collar to allow the air in the system to escape and let water get to the mating surface. The problem is that the water can get to the mating surface, but iy still will not wet out the graphite completely to stop the wear!
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Old 09-04-2014, 10:23   #5
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Re: Drive Shaft seal

If it's flax packing, might as well change it before you launch. If you don't know when it was last done then this is well worth while, otherwise you run the risk of having to haul out again in the near future to replace it all if it starts leaking. There are ways to do it in the water but let's just stick with the conventional approach unless you want me to elaborate?

If it's a dripless system some of them have the facility to change out the seal while in the water. The new seal sits on the shaft until needed.

What do you have?
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Old 10-04-2014, 21:47   #6
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Re: Drive Shaft seal

Thanks for the replies. As for the type of seal, I will have to get back to you. I'm planning on doing some work on the boat this Saturday and I will check out what it has. It seems that repacking the box won't be too difficult or expensive so i'll probably just go ahead and do it before I put it in.
THANKS!
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Old 11-04-2014, 18:32   #7
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Re: Drive Shaft seal

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lancerbye View Post
Welcome to CF. I assume you are talking about your Prop Shaft. A little hard to duplicate the environment that it would be in when in the water. The water pressure from the wet side is dependent on the dept that the shaft log entry sits at. (very low). What type of seal do you have? Mechanical,Dripless, Packed gland? The best way is to lower the boat in the water and check, (while it is stationary and with the shaft turning) leaks from these seals will not introduce a lot of water and can be rectified if leaking while in the water. Just have a good bilge pump on hand and don't panic at the sight of water entering your boat.
This is very valuable info.
I just splashed my boat today and wasn't there. I got there late and opened up the bilge to find the packing I had just installed leaking at a pretty good drip almost a stream. I didn't panic and had a socket and ratchet at the ready. Tightened the two nuts on the box down gently and equally and it all went away to a drip every minute and ten seconds. I cannot say enough I should have been there when it went into the water. The boatyard doesn't care they didn't do the repair.
I will also say there is a way and a trick to install the packing. Remove the old packing and try to clean the stuffing box surfaces best you can. wrap the new packing around the shaft and cut the pieces you need across the prop shaft so they fit together tightly. When you have them all cut grab a plastic mallet and lightly tap the surface of the packing so it flattens slightly. Don't hammer on it just tap on it to spread it a little. This helps to get it in and around the shaft and the box. Replace the packing offsetting the ends of the packing every 120 degrees or read the installation directions that come with the packing and tighten down the packing. as they say to do it.
Now when you splash be there to tighten it up at the slip right after they drop your boat in. Your package of packing should also tell you how to break the packing in when you use your boat.
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