Water coming in from stuffing tube

[tlandauer]

In general, a short piece of silicone fuel tube around the stuffing tube at the collet end will take care of it, my boat does not leak sitting on the water, nor does it leak from slow driving, i.e., in a swim pool it is dry, it starts when i drive in a lake with high speed passes.

[tlandauer]

HI h2o1,
Thanks, when you say speed grease, are you refering to the blue marine grease from Aqua craft and Proboat? I like your methord.

[wht73]

Like in your pic correct? The only thing is I don't have that nice end on the tube. It just ends.

[h2o 1]

Yes, the grim grease!! Thats what worked for me!!! My boat used to get flooded!!!

[wht73]

Yeah been there done that!

[tlandauer]

wht73, I think the EKOS uses a smaller drive cable, you need to find a fuel tube that will wrap around the cable nicely and be able to stretch over the stuffing tube. It is a bit of Catch-22 and compromise. I use the metal pump Proboat sells that attaches to a toothpaste-like tube--their version of Grim grease, I pump into the stinger to fill it with grease, what I haven't done is to also fill the stuffing tube like h201 suggested.
If you look at my pic., I collared another bigger tube over the fule tube to make sure it is squeezed tight, ziptie doesn't work too well as it will pinch and the circle is not round!
h201, thanks, glad it worked for you!

[wht73]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I'll try it and report back with results.

[785boats]

Tlandauer.
Please check that the that the front end of the stub shaft actually reaches the front bushing in the stinger with your set up. I've seen more than a few that don't. Leaves an easy path for water to pass through. Not to mention that the bushings get flogged out really quickly too.
If you have sealed the gap between the transom & the stinger then the only way water can travel up the shaft is from the shockwave produced by the flat leading face of the drive dog, because of the gap between the dog face & the stinger.. I assume you have the usual 3/16" or so gap between the dog & the strut?. That's where it all starts. If the rear bushing in the strut is worn, then it's even easier for the water to be forced in. All that coupled to the fact that there is a big gap between the smaller flex & the original liner makes an easier path also.
The first line of defence is a snug fitting shaft in the TWO bushings with plenty of grease in the stinger housing between the two bushings.
To reduce the shock wave you can chamfer the face of the drive dog from the hole to the outside at about 10 degrees or so. Just put the dog in a drill, turn it on & run a file over it.
The method I use on most of my boats is a thin section a water cooling tubing, (about half the thickness of the gap to the dog from the stinger) on the shaft. Slide it up against the stinger. No more water in the boat.
a thin O ring will do the same thing.
But firstly, check that the stub shaft reaches all the way through the front bushing.
Cheers.
Paul.

[tlandauer]

Thanks Paul, your interpretation of this situation really makes sense, I will follow thru. I did check the shaft and it is reaching the front of the bushing, but here is the dirty secret from the pass: i think the original shaft was shorter and it had worn the bushing in the back a bit, leaving the front still in its original spec, because I can feel a "step" when I push my new/longer shaft in, however, this is so little that I didn't think it would have giving me a problem, but, now i know better. I tried to push out the bushing to see which one I can order here but can't push it out.
Chamfering of the dog is something I didn't think of, YES, I did leave a gap per common sense, so water is forced up.
Surprised that you said there are TWO bushings, I thought it is just a long brass bushing inserted into the stinger?
Thanks,
Tim

[BHChieftain]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]73822[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]73823[/ATTACH] Thanks, Chief

I use a stinger strut on a mono that was leaking thru the stuffing tube-- I needed to seal the bracket to the transom with sealant-- water was getting into the stuffing tube from there (behind the bracket).

Chief

[tlandauer]

Thanks! I was just planing to run to the store and get some sealant, just incase!
I must say, nobody has really answered my puzzle: that is when the cable is turning , the spiraling of the strands are "pushing down" , now if one reverses the motor rotation, this would have the opposite effect---it would be like a worm gear drive pump sucking water up. So, how is it possible then when the motor is turning so fast ( correct rotation) to "pushdown" the spiral windings, that water is still forced up? __sorry to use my reply to you to vent my befuddled mind.

[tlandauer]

The above scenario of course means one has the correct clearance between cable/liner/stuffing tube, I am just thinking out loud.

[BHChieftain]

The above scenario of course means one has the correct clearance between cable/liner/stuffing tube, I am just thinking out loud.

I think that even with the right size cable and stuffing tube, any gap that allows water to enter the stuffing tube results in the water being "pumped" up the shaft by the boat moving under power. The little windings of the flex shaft are not going to pump water back down. Once water intrusion gaps are fixed (ie, at the bracket), then the only point to worry about is where the prop shaft sits in the strut, and there is a floating bushing covered with marine grease and the tolerances there should be pretty tight.

I'm wondering if your new cable really has a slightly smaller diameter prop shaft, or is it shorter which is allowing water intrusion to come in thru the stinger pivot point.

One thing to check-- at the stinger pivot point, do you have an O-ring installed in there?


I had water intrusion problems with my triton-- the original cable broke and I had a heck of a time getting a replacement that fit correctly-- it was metric and I convereted it to standard. Note, I sealed the bracket with silicon, but probably better to use some other compound as I hear this makes repainting the hull hard... anyway, my boat with this stinger is completely water tight-- I don't need anything sealing the motor side of the stuffing tube (I tried all of the tricks to seal it at that end and they didn't work...)

http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...c-to-standard)


Chief

[RIPFENCE]

i am interested in this also..does your stuffing tube drip water near the flex collet when the boat is at idle...i keep having this problem myself..the water is coming up the tube when the boat is just sitting in my bathtub! its annoying as hell

[FRED]

I'm still concerned about the water up the stffing tube. Grease is a bandade for the real problem. Some of you guys are ultra smart, so why not get heads together and solve the prople. What is needed is to drill out the shaft and insert a small channel with bearings. Sure the bearing rust but that is part of maintenance. I run brass piping with nylong inserts which take time to match cable shafts but work great and hardly any wear..I would love to solve the problem but am going thru cancer treatments and have the tools bt no strenght to do it. I and that should be the starting point.I hear Pursuit is the worse. If i had some pictures of worn stringers would be appreciated. I would like Paul785 to jump in here and see if what i typed is feasible.