If you tighten the packing gland too much, what is a likely consequence?

• A. It may cause overheating and excessive wear
• B. It will seal completely with no leakage
• C. It will improve efficiency
• D. It will cause more leaks

Answer: (A)

Tightening a packing gland too much raises the friction between the packing material and the rotating shaft. That extra friction turns into heat, which speeds up wear of the packing and can damage the shaft or bearings. The heat and wear shorten packing life and can eventually cause leaks, even though you started with the intention of stopping leakage. So the most likely consequence is overheating and excessive wear. (Note that while a snug seal is desirable, over-tightening often worsens sealing over time due to damaged packing.)