Is there a difference between Western Pacific Trading Flax Packing, and Impregnated Wax Cord?

[vernonreeve]

None of the local dealers carry the Impregnated Wax Cord that Bakes Online sells, but they do have White Flax Packing from Western Pacific Trading. I've tried the black Gore GFO, but am having hard time keeping it from getting too hot, so I'm thinking I should go back to the wax rope that came out of it. But none of the local dealers have it in stock.

What are your thoughts?

[BraceMaker]

Don't give up on the Gore - it works great.

 

3 questions -

How tight do you have it

How many hours have you run it

What size rope did you use, what size shaft is in your boat.

[vernonreeve]

3/16" on a 2000 Malibu Sunsetter lxi. Two wraps. Hand tightened so not very tight, but I did push the two wraps in pretty tight with a small dowel. They pushed in fairly easy and I asked Bakes Online and the local Malibu dealer, so I'm sure that's the right size. Less than 1/2 hr of running it because the big nuts were scalding hot almost immediately, with no dripping. Made it a lot looser so it had drips and stayed cool while idling, but as soon as I took it up to 25 mph, it stopped dripping and got really hot again.

[BraceMaker]

Two wraps or you cut two separate rings with staggered seams?

 

 

 

 

[vernonreeve]

Two separate rings with staggered seams.

[E_T]

Switch to drip less. Problem solved

[foxriverat]

I used 3 rings of the Gore gfo on my 2000 Response and it worked great. https://www.themalibucrew.com/index.php?/articles.html/shaft-packing-replacement-r33/

[Lars]

I replaced mine with goretex this year too. Like you, flaming hot at first! so much so I burned my finger after touching it for just a moment. I loosened the nut to get a steady drip while I figured out what I was going to do. After an hour or two of runtime, it stopped getting hot and is now cool to the touch. I then tightened the nut as much as I could by hand and have left it there.

 

[vernonreeve]

I'll try it again. This time I'll use the tool described in marinehowto.com/re-packing-a-traditional-stuffing-box/ to be sure I push it in without twisting it. I'll also be sure it's really loose to begin with. I think I hand tightened it to much initially. Interesting that @Lars noted that it cooled off after awhile. Maybe I need to be more patient.

Dripless would be great, but I've heard if you get any kind of blockage in the line, that it will rapidly heat up, causing damage. It would be nice if there was a temperature sensor we could put on the gland to warn us of excessive heat.

Anyway, thanks everyone.

[BraceMaker]

The Gore GFO is the ticket - I agree with lars run it loose for a while and then tighten down. I'd be surprised if your box can't take a third.

 

I would 100% swap from anything other than a PSS to gore gfo.

[foxriverat]

Same as @Lars when I first put it in burned my finger on packing nut. Loosened it up and it was good to go. On my 3rd season with it and no drip at all and stays cool.

[vernonreeve]

Good to know, thanks everyone.