KIWI Shaft Seal Installation Instructions

To install the KIWI Shaft Seal, the boat should be out of the water.

Be sure not to damage the internal seal while handling.

1. Unbolt the shaft coupling from the engine.

2. Remove the shaft coupling from the shaft.

3. Clean the shaft with a very fine sand paper (400 or 600 grit paper). Lightly lubricate the shaft with a soapy water - do not use oil or grease.

4. Lightly grease lip seal and making sure that the seal carrier is securely attached to the hose by two stainless steel hose clamps. Note: Do not over-tighten the hose clamps just enough to secure and be water tight on to the seal carrier. Slide the two loose stainless steel hose clamps over the shaft followed by the Kiwi Shaft Seal assembly onto the shaft and over the shaft log.

5. Clamp the end of the hose to the shaft log with the two stainless steel hose clamps.

6. Re-install the coupling on the shaft. Slide the shaft back up to the engine and bolt the two flanges back together checking that the flanges are aligned, vertically / horizontally and in angle face to face within 0.002".

7. Now that the shaft seal is in place, T - off the pressure side of the engine raw water pump (The water must be sea temperature as warm engine water will corrode the stainless steel shaft and affects bearing surfaces), run a 1/8" hose directly into the male fitting on the Kiwi Shaft Seal. Loop and vent the flexible tube provided above the waterline to prevent gravity/vacuum feed of raw water into the pump area when the engine is shut down.) This will lubricate the KIWI shaft seal with a film of water. Fit the ball valve provided in the cold water feed line to be able to adjust the water flow delivery by the engine since different vessel speeds, tube ID's, number of bearings and pump capacities affect the amount of water required. The following water flow chart can be used as a guide for the volume of water required to be delivered the shaft seal at cruising RPM . The water volume delivered can be checked by removing the the hose of the male fitting onto the Kiwi Shaft Seal and when the engine is out of gear at cruising RPM.  The other method of forcing water into the shaft log is to install a scoop and run the line directly into the seal carrier. If it is difficult to "T" off the water feed on a sailboat, one can run a clear hose from the seal water tail vertically above the waterline. When the vessel is at rest, it will show water in the tube. The tube and the tail can be removed if after sea trial the water remains in the hose when the vessel is run at maximum hull speed. This ensures there is water at the seal face at all times.

The KIWI seal must be fitted onto a stern tube (shaft log) system that has forward bearing that will support the shaft directly behind the shaft seal (within 4 times shaft diameter from forward bearing to aft end of flexible hose of the shaft seal). Should there be no bearing, the seal may fail due to excessive surface loads as the engine comes under load and moves out of alignment.

• Warning - Pushing the Kiwi Shaft Seal flange over sharp edged keyways may damage the seal. If this appears to be a risk, place a sellotape or similar over the keyway.

• At all times when launching the vessel, the seal must be burped at the input hose tail, and the water flow to the seal checked. Upon initial sea trial the seal must be visually inspected to ensure that the water feed is not excessive, forcing water past the seal (internally). This can also be created by a restriction in the stern tube.

• After sea trial the seal should be physically inspected every time the vessel is used, this can be done by putting ones finger on the Kiwi Seal stainless steel head when the shaft is running to check the running temperature of the seal. The Kiwi Seal head should be blood temperature, i.e. if the seal head is hot to touch, the seal is not receiving adequate water flow or there is misalignment in the driveline.

• This should be included in a list of other standard procedures required before and after the vessel goes to sea.

If the vessel is fitted with an old style rigid stuffing box or admiralty-packing gland, this can be removed and replaced with a bearing carrier of the appropriate size.

Should the Kiwi Shaft Seal be adapted to a packing type gland, then the inside bore of the packing gland mush have water grooves similar to a standard shaft bearing to allow for the pressure fed water from the Kiwi Shaft seal to exit the stern tube without restriction.