Berkeley Packing Gland Info?

[THE BOSTON SIDEWINDER]

IS IT FINALLY SPRING?
ANY ONE OUT THERE HAVE ANY INFO ON JET DRIVE PACKING GLANDS(BERK 12JG)?
AT THE END OF LAST SEASON MY BERK JG DRIVE WAS LEAKING WATER INTO THE BILGE (I MOOR IN SALT SO IT'S NOT EASY ON THE BILGE PUMP!)
I GOT THE GRAPHITE PACKING ROPE (GFO FIBER PACKING, 5/16, #ST 3125) YOU GUYS TOLD ME WAS THE BA**S(THANKS), DO I HAVE TO PULL MY 454 TO CHANGE THE PACKING GLANDS?
WHEN I REMOVE THE SPLIT PACKING/FOLLOWER, AND HARDWARE, INSIDE IT FEELS LIKE METAL NOT OLD PACKING ROPE?
ANYONE HAVE $.02 FOR ME?
HAPPY EASTER?...BILL.)

[sleekcraft76]

don't let it fool you that crap gets hard as a rock when it get's some age on it.

[HammerDown]

Bill, the GFO Packing is the S**T, been using it for a long time now. No need to pull the engine but what ya want to do is 1'st spray some WD-40 etc in there to help soften things up a bit. That old packing can get like iron. What you'll need is something like a dental pick only tougher for the 1'st 2 rings, something you can grab and pull with. It will start to pull out, just takes some effort and keep spraying some lube. I even used a sheetrock screw for the deeper ones just stay to the outside of the housing so not to nick the shaft. I got it to bite and pulled out the deeper packings one by one.
Make sure ya stagger the new packing seams and don't over tighten the Follower nuts, just snug at first then run it and snug them again. The GFO will leave a gray trail from it weeping, but after some time it stops. That packing doesn't require much if any water like the old stuff.

[sleekcraft76]

right on!

[toad polumsky]

Go to a bearing supply house and ask them to get you a flexible shaft packing puller. They look like a tiny cork screw on a flexible shaft with a tee handle.

[toad polumsky]

Here is a picture.

[PLACECRAFT20]

I just did the same operation. When I tried it out at the lake the the packing did fine but when i stopped it sounded like it was sizzeling from being hot. Did i mess up? I did notice a drip or two and tightened it up about a half a turn.

[sidewound]

Hey Bill!
I used the graphite in mine when I built it, but this was a suggestion someone gave me. Take it for what it's worth,
SUPER PACKIN SHIZNITT!!!! (http://www.tom-pac.com/compound.htm)
I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with this stuff. Sounds like a miacle worker. Of course it's their website.
Peace Man!:cool:
CESAR

[THE BOSTON SIDEWINDER]

DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD GET A LONG WITH OUT YOU GUYS AND GALS AND THIS WONDERFUL SOMETIMES WACKY FORUM.
THANKS SO MUCH, I ASKED FOR 2 CENTS AND GOT A HUNDRED BUCKS!
APPRECIATE ALL THE INPUT!...BILL.