Drive shaft seal [Archive]

Rrmracer9

04-09-2017, 03:30 PM

Recently acquired a '99 outback LS. The previous owner didn't know the history on the shaft seal packing other than it was loose when he got it and his mechanic tightened up the packing nut. Took it out today with the floor board out to checked the leakage rate. Didn't notice any dripage at all. Is there anyway to tell if it has a dripless seal? I am concern the packing nut may be too tight? The shaft is warm to the touch after running. It is pretty hot right at the nut. How hot should this be?

I am getting a little water in the bilge but not coming from the shaft seal. More invesrigating to do there. The rudder is good and tight so I don't believe it is coming from the rudder. Looks like the only way to grease that rudder is to pull the ballasts and gas tank??

trayson

04-09-2017, 05:10 PM

does it have hose clamps and bellows that you can see? that's what you'd find with a dripless.
https://is30.eporia.com/company_58/15396.jpg?cell=320,320&qlt=80&cvt=jpeg

Rrmracer9

04-09-2017, 06:55 PM

No, it has hose with clamps an the brass packing nut with jam nut. I'm thinking I need to loosen it a bit to get some cooling to the seal?

zabooda

04-09-2017, 09:34 PM

Depends on the material of the packing material. The cheap wax cord does require cooling from the water. Other composite materials (i.e. teflon, PTFE) and graphite cord which I use does not require water to flow through it. If it doesn't leak excessively, I wouldn't mess with it.

DOCDRS

04-09-2017, 10:39 PM

I had the same boat and had no leakage at the shaft seal.....never worried about it. Check the sealant and screws around the the exhaust fittings, could be leaking there

Rrmracer9

04-10-2017, 06:20 PM

Thanks for all the help. I'll leave it alone got now while trying to find the leak source. On the construction of the stringers on these boats, if water gets into one side, does it have a path to get back to the middle? The stringers look solid as far as I can see. A large rain storm filled up the back of the boat a couple of weeks back (plug had been left in) and I'm wondering if some of this leakage is making it way back into the bilge.