ldj

Well-known Member
I have old visible gas pump I need seal for the pump shaft. The rope seal I find is very expensive. Of course they are for high speed and high pressure pumps. This old pump is very slow, no faster than I can move the handle back and forward and low pressure. Wouldn't have to worry about heat. I was wondering if I would be wasting my time if I used plain rope. Any other ideas would be appreciated.
 

I found packing for faucets but it is too small and and would take too much. The space for this packing 1 1/2" OD and the space to fill is 3/8" X 4". The little packing at plumbing supply, well they don't even have enough to fill that space. The 3/8" packing I need has come in 25' rolls and cost around $100. I kinda thought the graphite or teflon impregnated in it was for lubricating and or to keep friction down for cooling not for sealing. That is the reason I was thinking about rope. It looks about the same with out the graphite or teflon.
 
if you have irrigation in your area you might want to check with pump installers or municipal water dept. as this type packing is used in vertical line shaft pump heads and some older pumps used in water treatment or wastewater pumps
 
All the other repies have merit. Me, I would get some of that faucet packing and put it in there with or next to whatever is left of the original stuff. If you have a packing nut, you are just trying to compress it a little tighter around the shaft, right? So you mainly need something that will take up a little space and compress your existing packing a little more.
 

Packing used in the stuffing box of marine prop shafts on older wooden hulled vessels would work . Any marine chandler should have a range of fuel and oil resistant rope stuffing that would suit .
 

UPDATE: I bought nylon rope. It is braided around some kind of I think plastic core. I worked wheel bearing grease into it real good and used it for the packing. It hasn't leaked even 1 drop and I have the gland nut just a tiny little over hand tight.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top