A properly packed and tightened gland shouldn't leak at rest, when the shaft
isn't turning. It should let a bit of water in while underway, but not much.

I repacked mine last time with GoreTex mil-spec packing, and it is virtually
leakproof now. This stuff works great! I'd highly recommend anyone look at
it if you're going to do a full re-pack.
http://www.gore.com/sealants/english...icepacking.pdf

--


Keith
__
Bad spellers of the world UNTIE!
"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...
x-no-archive:yes Vito wrote:

Bill Martin wrote:

I own a 2001 340 Sundancer with twin 7.3. This season i have noticed
an increasing amount of water in the bilge....

If you've never tightened the stuffing box, it may well be that. On my
boat,
if the box is leaking I can see a wet surface on the hull where the
water
runs from the stuffing box down to the bottom of the bilge where it
gets
pumped out. It's probably slow enough that you don't actually see any
water
running, but the surface of the hull will be wet. If I rub my finger
hard
across the wet to dry it and then watch it closely you can actually see
a
little flow start again. Or if you dust a tiny bit of powder on it you
might
see flow. ...

FWIW the man who surveyed our new old boat said a small seepage was
normal; that if you tighten the gland more it'll just wear faster.

Doesn't this depend on what type packing you have?

grandma Rosalie

S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/id2.html