Hi all, I plan to replace my PSS shaft seal in coming weeks.? I'm away from the boat right now and need?help with some items.? Can other owners?confirm?that the PSS Pro 03-118-214 seal is correct for the 362 (hull 261)?? I know the prop shaft is 1.125" dia but not sure about shaft log diameter.

From past posts I see that pulling the shaft flange is challenging.? Pix of mine are attached.? Scott Shucher I see you made a special puller a few years back.? Can I drive down and borrow that during the week of March 24?

I'm hoping to avoid removing the shaft to square up a new flange.? There is no play in the cutlass bearing.? Is it reasonable to clean up the old flange and reinstall with new set screws?? Can I use a new split flange without removing the shaft?? If so please recommend which split flange model is appropriate for this shaft and transmission (ZF/Hurst on a Westerbeke 35D).

I'm copying Scott Shucher's post #78169 below from 1/4/21 because it's helpful on these topics.

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Shucher: I just did the Shaft Seal replacement project in last spring on my 362.? Here are some observations:

*Disclaimer: ?I am a DYI'er and not a qualified diesel mechanic or machinist.

*We bought the 362 in spring of 2019.? Our surveyor recommended replacing the rubber bellows on the shaft seal, as we could not ascertain the last time it had been done.
As a matter of fact, it could be the original installation.? Although PYI recommends replacement every 7 years, (It used to be 10), I'd installed one on a Hunter in 1998, and didn't recall
any life-span guidelines on the bellows, until a friend mentioned it.? That one lasted 21 seasons, and was still in good shape when I finally replaced it.

*I'm guessing my rubber bellows was the original my Sabre installation.? There was no water vent on my shaft seal.? The early PYI Shaft Seals did not have them.? As mentioned the solution was to "burp" the bellows to let air out.? I see that your installation on your '95 362 has a vent, which tells me that it's not the original shaft seal on that boat.? It was likely upgraded at some point.? Also, the bellows looks like a "beefier" version than the one I originally had on my 362.? I've attached a before and after photo so you can see the difference. ?

*Assuming the shaft log is the same size, (you can confirm this with Glen at Sabre) The PYI part number is #02-118-214 Shaft Seal.? That indicates 1-1/8" shaft, and OD on the stern tube is 2-1/4".? I ended up ordering the entire new Shaft Seal, as the whole new package was only $100 more than the maint. kit.

*It's not a difficult job to do, EXCEPT for removing the coupling from the shaft.

*Here's a good article on installing a new PYI/PSS shaft seal, with a lot of good insight.


*As to whether its a project you can do yourself, depends upon your level of patience, agility and mechanical confidence.? It took myself and a friend three Saturdays to get the coupling off the prop shaft.? We tried using the socket to drive the shaft out of the coupling.? We only got so far(moving the shaft out about an inch or so) on day one before deciding we needed a wrench with more leverage.? On the second attempt, a week later, and with PB blaster that had been sitting for a week, we noticed that we weren't driving the shaft out, as much as we were pushing the engine forward on it's mounts, which is a bad thing to do, so we stopped, not wanting to damage the transmission seals and bearings.? At that point we went to a machinist and had him make us a custom puller to attach to the coupling, and drive the shaft out. ?(Cost was $200 for the custom puller, which is a well machined with a 1" bolt that drove the shaft out as the bolt was tightened.) ?Once we used the custom puller, we were able to drive the shaft out of the coupling, but the process is still slow and methodical, because there is not a lot of room to work back in the aft stateroom.? You spend a lot of time making small progress, scrunched up in a ball, trying to get leverage.

*I think "heat" would have made the process a little easier.? But by all means, NO OPEN FLAMES.? I decided to re-use the coupling, which is generally considered a No No by any good machinist.? It didn't get beat up trying to get it off, so I cleaned it up, got rid of any rust, painted it and reused it.? I tried a test fit back on the shaft, and the coupling would only go so far, which is a good thing because you want a tight fit(as explained in the article) I left the coupling on my car dashboard in full sun for most of the day.? The coupling became so hot on the dashboard I couldn't pick it up without a rag.? I also heated up the coupling by leaving it in front of an electric ceramic heater on board, and the coupling became so hot there that, again I had to use a rag to pick it up.? After installing the new Shaft Seal, the "Hot" coupling slid back on the shaft with out an issue.? Within 30 seconds, the coupling had cooled to the point where I could not move it on the shaft.? I also ordered new set screws for the coupling from Hansen Marine, as its not a good idea to reuse the old ones.

*I'd thought about a new coupling, as most machinists would recommend, but a new coupling would have required a proper "Fit and Face" to the shaft to be sure the shaft was "True" to the coupling.? And you cannot "Fit and Face" a coupling without removing the shaft from the boat.? And on the 362, the only way to get the shaft out of the boat and back into the boat is to a) Move the Engine, or b) Drop the rudder.? So bottom line was, I re-used the same coupling.? Once in the water, she feels the same as before, which is no unusual vibration when under power.? In a perfect world I would have preferred to pull the shaft, had it checked for straightness, fit and face a new coupling, but as mentioned pulling the shaft out was going to be a project, encompassing dropping the rudder, which would require lifting the boat

*The good news is that once the shaft is free of the coupling, the shaft will slide all the way back to the rudder, exposing the floor-bed, allowing for a good, thorough cleaning of that whole area?

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Thanks,

Bill Graves

2003 Sabre 362 #261 'Souwester'

Marblehead, MA