Packing gland grease

watom · #1 (**permalink**) 08-31-2008

My packing gland has a grease fitting not a zert but a cup that presses the grease into the fitting. My question is what grease should I be using for this application. As a side note the new packing I used seemed too small. I couldn't get 1/4" into the gland, and 3/16 seemed to small, my boat is a Chinese made and I fear the packing gland is metric. The nuts on the studs were metric. So is there metric sized packing?

Robby Barlow · #2 (**permalink**) 08-31-2008

First of all welcome to sailnet watom!

Secondly it would be helpful to know what boat you're talking about, and until then I can thirdly say yes there is a metric sized packing for your boat, seeing you've got it, as to where to get spares - some additional info would be useful.

watom · #3 (**permalink**) 08-31-2008

My boat is a 48 Celestial, so where to get packing is the question.
Thanks,
Tom

btrayfors · #4 (**permalink**) 08-31-2008

Tom,

I have a "Chinese boat", built by Cheoy Lee. No problem finding packing material. The standard U.S. size works just fine.

Re: grease, just use any good waterproof grease, e.g., outboard lower unit grease.

Biggest problem is remembering to give the grease cup a few turns regularly :-)

Bill

MedSailor · #5 (**permalink**) 08-31-2008

I recently had my boat in the yard and I actually bought every size packing in the store and none of them fit! It turned out that since I was in the yard and the boat was loaded differently the shaft was a hair off-center. This meant that 5/16 fit in the top and 1/4 fit underneath.

My engine is mounted offcenter with a flex-coupler so it's always a little off center (apparently not a problem) and when I added a couple new strands in the water I had the same problem. Took the nut off and was a hair off center.

The solution was to take a car jack and put it under the shaft and with a finger's pressure (and no handle in the jack) I was able to put enough upward pressure (very little) to center the shaft and get 1/4 in snug all around.

You could also try taking calipers to the stuff you pulled out of the gland, or taking it to the store for comparison.

Good luck!

MedSailor

gc1111 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-31-2008

I would recommend Lubriplate Water Pump Grease (I think it is #115) and give the cup a turn regularly and refill as needed.