Attaching engine to the coupling

[seapadrik]

Hey,

Well the good news is I got my engine lowered into the engine compartment.

The bad news is I didnt take a picture of this connection before I removed the engine. I found the three bolts that I believe are what attaches the coupling to the rear of the engine.

Also, I lined up my engine mounts to the holes that were left there from when I removed the engine.

THe part that confuses me is this. It looks like based on this photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28554500@N08/6060498287/

That there will be a half inch gap when I bolt in those three cap screws ? Isnt this thing supposed to be flush against the coupling ?

Does anyone have a picture of where theirs connects ? I have a direct drive.

Thanks

[ndutton]

Your shaft could easily have slid back a little, one nudge could do it. I think you're Okay.

[seapadrik]

Yes Neil you were correct the shaft has a little bit of play in it. and I can pull it forward to meet up flush.

One problem though when I did that is my rate of water discharge from the stuffing box/shaft increased to a drop per second it seemed, from about one drop a minute.

Here is a photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28554500@N08/6070876739/

I havent really adjusted this stuffing box before. Do you think that threaded coupling that is corroded green just needs to be advanced in the clockwise direction with a pipe wrench ?

At present I pushed the shaft back so the drip rate is really slow. Just get a little nervous being in the water and all.

I think in the near future a rebuild of this entire set-up will be in order as it seems a little rusty, etc...

Any tips on slowing down that drip ?
Thanks

[hanleyclifford]

If you can slide a shaft in a coupling that easily something is amiss. The set screw should have a depression cut into the shaft in which it should be solid.

[Administrator]

A drip a second is a lot!

Bill

[ILikeRust]

If you can slide a shaft in a coupling that easily something is amiss. The set screw should have a depression cut into the shaft in which it should be solid.

I think what's going on is the shaft sliding through the stuffing box, not the coupling sliding off the shaft.

[tenders]

I don't think he's saying the shaft is moving in the coupling. He probably never removed the shaft from the coupling.

I think he means the shaft is moving fore and aft in the stuffing box, some of which is to be expected. A drip a second is a lot...but there is also a decent chance that once the shaft stops sliding fore and aft and sits for a day or so that it won't drip that much.

In an ideal world, when the engine was out you could have replaced the packing in the stuffing box somewhat more easily than now. You could do it now, or you could adjust the existing flax packing by loosening the big nut farthest from the propeller, tightening the big nut closest to the propeller, then tightening the nut farthest from the propeller to lock the other nut in place. Then take it all apart and replace the packing after you haul out for the winter.

This assumes you have a little bit of thread left to tighten that nut. If not, it IS possible to replace the flax in the water, as several threads on this site have described. But you need to have flax packing of several sizes on hand before you start the job.

[seapadrik]

hanleyclifford,

Just to be clear. It is the entire shaft ( including the coupling ) that can advance about 1/2 inch either aft or forward.

The coupling with its 3 capscrews doesn't seem to be moving. when I turn it, the shaft spins with it.

I will ask again, Is the trick to tighten that green/brass fitting in the clockwise direction to reduce water drops?

[ILikeRust]

Is the trick to tighten that green/brass fitting in the clockwise direction to reduce water drops?

Yes. However, if it's been a long time since the packing has been replaced, wihle you've got the engine not-yet-bolted (do you?), now would be an excellent time to re-pack the stuffing box.

But yes, tighten the big nut and lock it down with the skinnier lock nut behind it to prevent it from unscrewing.

[hanleyclifford]

Tightening the stuffing box hex nut will squeeze the flax and reduce drip but I'm still not clear what's going on here - are you not able to bring the coupling (and shaft) forward to mate with the engine output coupling?

[ndutton]

I think the shaft corrosion is preventing a decent seal and from the looks of things it's likely overdue for a packing replacement.

With the engine now in place I don't think there's much you can do with the shaft so all that's left is to try and adjust the stuffing box to slow the drip. It's a two wrench job, one for the stuffing box itself and the other for the thin jam nut. Many use pipe wrenches but I'd rather see you get the proper wrenches from a chandler. It's pretty daunting the first time but really, it's quite easy to do. Loosen the jam nut while holding the stuffing box stationary then tighten the stuffing box a little at a time until the drip slows. Be careful, too tight isn't good either. You should be able to turn the shaft by hand when you're done. Don't forget to cinch up the jam nut once the adjustment is complete.

I agree the shaft system is in need of attention, at a minimum a thorough cleaning and packing replacement but depending on the shaft wear, maybe a replacement. The short hose should be double clamped too.

[jhwelch]

In my boat access to the packing glad is so poor that I've found it easier to get my vise-grip wrench (the only thing that is the right size for the space) on the packing nut. I loosen that first, make a guess at how much to turn the now-free jam nut, and then tighten the packing nut up against the jam nut. Logically this sounds backwards but mechanically it is a lot easier than trying to get a wrench on that skinny jam nut.

-Jonathan