drive shaft packing boat still leaking

[Jayrodau]

I replaced my driveshaft packing last night with GORE goretex packing
and took boat out today. I coasted around the ramp and ran it at idle
speed for 5min. There was no leaking coming from the driveshaft packing nut. I
put the vdrive cover back on it and ran the boat full throttle for a
10min, and then checked it again and driveshaft was under water.I was really frustrated.
I'm really confused?? Do you know any other place water could be getting in? Does
the driveshaft under the boat have a seal that could be leaking? I couldn't pinpoint the leak once the water level was this high. I headed for the ramp and trailed the boat back to our storage. Back home now researching. I'm guessing at this point? Any help would be greatly appreciative!

[dhyams]

I replaced my driveshaft packing last night with GORE goretex packing
and took boat out today. I coasted around the ramp and ran it at idle
speed for 5min. There was no leaking coming from the driveshaft packing nut. I
put the vdrive cover back on it and ran the boat full throttle for a
10min, and then checked it again and driveshaft was under water.I was really frustrated.
I'm really confused?? Do you know any other place water could be getting in? Does
the driveshaft under the boat have a seal that could be leaking? I couldn't pinpoint the leak once the water level was this high. I headed for the ramp and trailed the boat back to our storage. Back home now researching. I'm guessing at this point? Any help would be greatly appreciative!

I'm assuming that the boat wasn't leaking before you redid the packing (and that's a hard job on the 2005 LSV...I know...did the same thing last year).

Did you remember to put your drain plug back in?

How many "rings" of gore-tex did you fit in?

I'd dry out the bilge completely (find an incline and pop the drain plug), and put it back in the water, and keep the v-drive cover off. Have someone else idle the boat around and watch. Then have the other person increase speed while you continue watching. See if you can locate the source of the leak, if it's not obviously the shaft packing.

It's possible that all you need to do is tighten down the shaft packing nut down a bit more to stop the leakage. Once the packing is a little lubricated by water, sometimes it needs a little more tightening.

[Jayrodau]

I'm assuming that the boat wasn't leaking before you redid the packing (and that's a hard job on the 2005 LSV...I know...did the same thing last year).

Did you remember to put your drain plug back in?

How many "rings" of gore-tex did you fit in?

I'd dry out the bilge completely (find an incline and pop the drain plug), and put it back in the water, and keep the v-drive cover off. Have someone else idle the boat around and watch. Then have the other person increase speed while you continue watching. See if you can locate the source of the leak, if it's not obviously the shaft packing.

It's possible that all you need to do is tighten down the shaft packing nut down a bit more to stop the leakage. Once the packing is a little lubricated by water, sometimes it needs a little more tightening.

Yes, had drain plug in. Yes it was leaking before and I assumed it was the packing nut.
I ended up putting (4) 4-1/4" pieces cut at 45 degree angles. Tightened it down by hand and small turn with wrench. Then tightened jam nut down.
I wish I would have had time to do your suggestion of emptying the bilge and taking a closer look at faster speed. How tight does the packing nut need to be? Wrench tight?

[muehlcj]

For reference:
TIGHTENING/PACKING TECHNIQUE
Screw the packing nut onto the packing gland assembly. Tighten it up as much as possible by hand. Then using a wrench, turn the nut a 1/2 a turn forward and a 1/4 turn back. Then turn the nut a 1/2 a turn forward and a 1/4 turn back. Then turn the nut a ½ a turn forward and a 1/4 turn back. This will pack the packing fairly tight.
- Back the packing nut off the assembly again. Then thread it back on. Tighten it only as tight as you can get it using your hands. This should be almost the perfect tightness for the packing gland so that it does not leak, yet not too tight so that the packing burns up.
- Tighten the Lock Nut up to the Packing Gland Nut.

and
http://supraboats.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=6381

[dhyams]

Yes, had drain plug in. Yes it was leaking before and I assumed it was the packing nut.
I ended up putting (4) 4-1/4" pieces cut at 45 degree angles. Tightened it down by hand and small turn with wrench. Then tightened jam nut down.
I wish I would have had time to do your suggestion of emptying the bilge and taking a closer look at faster speed. How tight does the packing nut need to be? Wrench tight?

I'm afraid you are probably going to have to do that inspection regardless. I would at the very least put the boat back in the water, loosen the jam nut, and see if you can tighten down the packing nut more, by hand. I bet you can. Then retighten the jam nut obviously. It's different tightening before and after the goretex has gotten wet and the shaft has been spinning.

[zabooda]

I'd put it in the water and look for the leak. It could be something completely different.

[DOCDRS]

Also make sure your alignment is correct. Check your exhaust thru hulls also as they can be a leak source. Sounds like a lot of water coming in.