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Old     (AIrwar209)      Join Date: Mar 2010       08-18-2011, 4:35 AM Reply   
G'day all, I'm looking for a lil guidance with "tightening" my prop shaft seal. I have a Centurion direct drive with the black scorpion engine and found that the shaft is leaking quite a bit (thats what she said).

Using the search function, it seems like an easy fix if the seal isn't dripless. Assuming it's not, I'm just looking for a lil more detail as to what needs to be tightened and where. Maybe a couple photos would be nice if you happen to have a few lying around. Thanks in advance!

Bonus question: How would I prime a ballast pump that is mounted in the boat? Pumps not pushing water. I'm thinking it's not primed or the impeller is bad. Thanks again, Jeff.
Old     (boarditup)      Join Date: Jan 2004       08-18-2011, 7:28 AM Reply   
Bilge pumps do not need priming. If it does not work it is blocked or broken.

Try tightening the seal on the shaft. if that does not work, get a packing puller and new packing or install the new OJ dripless packing. You will have to R&I the shaft, however.
Old     (spencerwm)      Join Date: Feb 2009       08-18-2011, 9:06 AM Reply   
Jeff,
I have nothing but good things to say about the OJ Dripless Packing. It is easy to install and works awesome. http://www.skidim.com/products.asp?dept=1032

What type of ballast pump do you have? Is it an aerator ballast pump or a flexible impeller ballast pump? I can help once I know what we are dealing with.

Last edited by spencerwm; 08-18-2011 at 9:06 AM. Reason: Dave needs to school me on grammer.
Old     (bill_airjunky)      Join Date: Apr 2002       08-18-2011, 9:30 AM Reply   
The packing nuts probably look something like this.


One of the nuts is a lock nut (on the right in the pic), the other is much bigger & the prop packing is inside it.

I tightened the packing a couple times before I got the drip rate right. Then it failed horribly so I replaced it with Skidim's "Virtually dripless" packing.

I'm going on 2 seasons with Skidim's "virtually dripless" packing. http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=GFO3/16X24
I keep my boat moored on the lake for weeks at a time & it is truly "virtually dripless".

I used a couple of adjustable wrenches like this for the job. Got them at Home Depot for like $10 each.


Or you can buy actual packing wrenches at most descent dealers or on Ebay.

And I dug the old packing out using a pick set that I bought at Harbor Freight for like $4.


The job is a PITA but not really that difficult. The tightening or loosening of the packing so you get the drip rate right needs to be done in the water. Loosen the packing so the packing gets good & wet. Run the engine, put the boat in gear. Let it get wet. Then tight it a little. Try it in gear & see how much it leaks. Tighten a bit more, test it in gear. Supposed to leak like 5 - 10 drips per minute. Getting that drip rate can be time consuming. So bring a six pack. And plan on trial & erroring your way thru it.

Last edited by bill_airjunky; 08-18-2011 at 9:39 AM.
Old     (shawndoggy)      Join Date: Nov 2009       08-18-2011, 11:15 AM Reply   
I had the same boat as bill and I tried to adjust my packing nut with those gawd dam adjustable wrenches and got a bunch of swearing and some skinned knuckles for my trouble. They are also more like $17 apiece now.

Then I went to bakes online and ponied up the $30 per wrench for the good alloy ones. They work and fit perfectly and make the job a piece of cake. I would recommend ponying up for the "real" wrenches.
Old    LR3w8kbrdr            08-18-2011, 11:18 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by shawndoggy View Post
I had the same boat as bill and I tried to adjust my packing nut with those gawd dam adjustable wrenches and got a bunch of swearing and some skinned knuckles for my trouble. They are also more like $17 apiece now.

Then I went to bakes online and ponied up the $30 per wrench for the good alloy ones. They work and fit perfectly and make the job a piece of cake. I would recommend ponying up for the "real" wrenches.
I did the same thing on our malibu...just hit up bakes for the wrenches...less headaches.

And BE glad urs is a DD and not a vdrive. I bet I spent 4 hrs trying to figure it out lol
Old     (bill_airjunky)      Join Date: Apr 2002       08-18-2011, 11:33 AM Reply   
I read somewhere about someone who bought a 1 7/8" open end wrench (on both ends) and just cut it in half. Gotta be a tough one to find, and can't be cheap. I suppose if you ran across one somewhere it could be an option.
Old     (jbird)      Join Date: Jun 2011       08-18-2011, 3:32 PM Reply   
I needed mine replaced...$5 for the rope, and 1 hour labor was what I was charged!

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