Ideally the drip rate is 3 drips per minute (about 1 drip every 20 seconds) while underway. Ideally their are no drips after the engine has been shut down for 24 hours but this is ofter difficult to achieve. It is better to have a higher drip rate than lower rate. I also use an infrared thermometer to monitor stuffing box temperature. I'm located in the Pacific Northwest where the water temps are very cold so I don't know if the following is universal...... In the Northwest, while underway, I look for a stuffing box temp that is no more than 15 degrees F above the seawater temperature (i.e. 15 degrees F above the temperature of the engine's raw water seacock).
