Accessing the drive shaft stuffing box on a 1988 340 DA

[Ka1oxd]

I was really unhappy with a quote I got today to repack the stuff box on my Sundancer. But the experience was worth while. It does seem the best way to do this with v-drives is to remove the exhaust pipe form the engine to the muffler, remove the bracket that supports the pipe, then work on the drive shaft stuff box.

Is that the best way to get at the stuff box?

BTW cannot wait until the boat is launched this spring.

 

[Happy Hour IV]

I am not sure why you would need to remove the support bracket as it is off to the side. On mine I just remove the entire cross header between the the two exhaust elbows. I then stand on my head, twist into a pretzel and then adjust it by feel. No problem. Afterwards a few bandaids and tequila shots fix everything. Good luck.

 

[Ka1oxd]

I just bought this boat and never had inboards before, always i/o. I agree with you on the bandaids and the shots!

So the best way is to remove the entire cross header. Good news that I was not nuts. One more question. How often does this need to be done? During the sea trials, this one was leaking in streams. The starboard side had a nice 2 or 3 drips a minute. I am not going just to adjust, I am going to repack so I do not have to worry about it.

 

[tobnpr]

If you're going to keep the boat for a while, and since you've got to mess with it anyway, you should consider changing over to dripless since you have a v-drive setup and access is difficult.

 

[flarepoman]

I did mine on my 89 340DA. Off with the pipe, make sure you take the shift cable and bracket off so as not to break it. Lots of blood and crown Royal

Rick

 

[Happy Hour IV]

If you repack with standard stuff every couple of hundred hours. Use GFO. I have simply tightened the nut 1/8 turn twice in maybe 400 hours.

 

[Ka1oxd]

Cool, I plan to put only about 50 to 60 hours a year on the boat. Most of our boating is only a few miles from the marina. Maybe one or two trips a year otherwise. If this is the case I think repacking every 7 or more years maybe needed. That is great! Thanks for the info.