Got a Dripless Shaft Seal?

[Dave852]

Originally Posted by PineyWoodsPete

This topic got me thinking about my 7 year old boat's Volvo water-lubed dripless seal. I've had it 2 years, never thought about it before, and no manual in the boat's papers. So I downloaded it, and see the rec. of lubricating it every 200 hrs or yearly with water-resistant grease, and replacing the seal after 500 hrs, or at least every fifth year. 450 hrs on the engine now, and I'm about to embark on an ~800nm round-trip from Monterey Bay to San Diego. Replacement means hauling out, which I plan to do this summer for bottom job.

Anyone with experience with these? The "lubrication"shown in the manual consists of just putting a bead of grease around the shaft exit from the seal - nothing about trying to work it inside. No drips at all so far...

You work the grease inside using the thin plastic installation sleeve that came with the seal. If I were near the boat I would post a picture, maybe somebody else can. Otherwise buy a new seal for a spare and it will come with one.

[PineyWoodsPete]

Originally Posted by Dave852

You work the grease inside using the thin plastic installation sleeve that came with the seal. If I were near the boat I would post a picture, maybe somebody else can. Otherwise buy a new seal for a spare and it will come with one.

Thanks Dave. I've seen that little installation tool in the brief manual, but no mention there of using it for the periodic lube job. I'll check the spares box that came along with my '14 boat when I bought it ~2 years ago. Also read of people using paper straws filled with grease w/flattened ends to force it under the seal lip by rolling it up to express it.

Did your Outremer come with the Volvo seals, and have you replaced them at the recommended 5 year interval?

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by Journeyman

Dave,

Do you have a mfg and part number for that “split coupling”? If by that you mean a clam shell like design that would sure make replacement easier. It seems these concentric seals that require decoupling the shaft are something to be improved on.

Thanks,
Eddie

I looked at several ranging in price from about $100 to $200. I went with one from R&D because is it milled not cast and has 4 bolts applying pressure instead of 2. PYI is the importer and they sell them retail, but General Propeller offers them for less money. And they are dropped shipped from PYI.



https://www.generalpropeller.com/inb...plit-Couplings

[Dave852]

Originally Posted by PineyWoodsPete

Thanks Dave. I've seen that little installation tool in the brief manual, but no mention there of using it for the periodic lube job. I'll check the spares box that came along with my '14 boat when I bought it ~2 years ago. Also read of people using paper straws filled with grease w/flattened ends to force it under the seal lip by rolling it up to express it.

Did your Outremer come with the Volvo seals, and have you replaced them at the recommended 5 year interval?

Yes, it did. I replaced them when I changed out both engines. Will be coming up on 5 years soon though. I will probably time it with a haul out which I do infrequently and will not worry if it’s a year or two past due.

[Marekaofholland]

Originally Posted by partingclouds

There's a PSS dripless shaft seal on my boat whose age is unknown. I've had it for five years, and the bellows still looks to be pristine. I know it's recommended that it be replaced after six years, and l plan to do that on the next haulout. My question is, could the life of the new nitrile seal be extended somehow? Or should l just bite the bullet every six years?

Ours is now 15 years and still working perfect.

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by Marekaofholland

Ours is now 15 years and still working perfect.

It is unlikely that the seals will gradually deteriorate, it is more likely that they will catastrophically fail. Then you will have a 2+ inch hole in the hull.

[bradm85]

What is everyone's opinion on PSS vs packing? I am on the fence about switching to PSS. Packing you can always tighten or add if leaking where when PSS fails you are screwed. I currently have packing and think I am just going to stick with it.

[Nepidae]

We/I had Lasdrop dripless seals put in right after we bought the boat because my mate wanted a dry bilge, we try to keep them happy.

I picked Lasdrop Gen2 due to its solid tube construction (Lasdrop Generation 2 Shaft Seal - 1 1/2 inch shaft - Nautical Specialties, Inc.). Remember if you are replacing doesn't mean you can't change the brand you have.

There is the possibility of a failure, more from the seal than the tube, BUT still real. I had my shafts replaced, about 6yrs after I put in the Gen2, and as part of that, I also replaced the seals on the Gen2.

I also found this (https://www.sealorsink.com/). It is a sleeve that goes around your shaft IF the dripless seal should fail.

The tube failure I guess can happen, based on another response, but it is more likely to leak at the seal. The Seal or Sink provides the ability to slow the leak to allow bilge pumps to keep up while you get to port. I see this as 1 of those insurance-type purchases.

Good luck.

[Dave Lochner]

On my last boat I had packing and changed to the PSS seal because accessing the packing was a challenge. Only changing it once every 6 years was much easier than accessing it multiple times as the packing wore and it was difficult to change the packing.

On my current boat, it is very easy to access the shaft log so I would not change to a PSS seal, except the boat came with one from the factory. No point in changing it.

[argonauta1]

Yes, it was wise to do it every haulout. Very inconvenient on the Beneteau 440 as it was necessary to slide out the shaft and then get the shaft past the rudder. Could not be done without dropping the rudder. So, it was also a good time to grease the rudder bearing and the whole process meant one disassembled and reassembled the MaxProp and oh, just incidentally, got to change the shaft seal. On one occasion a yard worker tried to get the shaft by the rudder and bent the shaft about a degree thereby resulting in early failure of the newly replaced shaft seal and a couple of years later a machine shop straightening of the shaft.

[David Mathis]

My PSS seals , 1 7/8" shaft, have been on the boat for many trouble free years. One developed a slight drip a few years ago. I was advised to change it to prevent catastrophe and engine room Armageddon. Rather than change it, the leak was completely stopped by running a piece of folded 400 wet or dry sandpaper between the shaft ring and the compressed part of the seal. Two passes stopped the leak. After the experience with these seals, I have no desire to return to packing.

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by David Mathis

My PSS seals , 1 7/8" shaft, have been on the boat for many trouble free years. One developed a slight drip a few years ago. I was advised to change it to prevent catastrophe and engine room Armageddon. Rather than change it, the leak was completely stopped by running a piece of folded 400 wet or dry sandpaper between the shaft ring and the compressed part of the seal. Two passes stopped the leak. After the experience with these seals, I have no desire to return to packing.

The failure does not come from the SS Collar or Carbon bearing, it comes from the bellows failing.

[bensolomon]

Just replaced mine. Came with the boat when I bought her 9 years ago. I started developing a drip last season. Changed the whole thing for peace of mind.

[Jimmyhenry]

We are just about to replace our drip less after 35 years.

[partingclouds]

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies. I'm very grateful to be able to get advice from the world-wide community of cruisers helping me keep my boat afloat.

Fair winds, all,

Partingclouds