Exhaust systems cracks

April 1989

Lew Miller, Long-EZ builder/flyer, reports finding hairline cracks across the flanges and around one exhaust stack after 250 hours of operation. This was a Brock exhaust system and he had been smelling a faint exhaust smell while climbing with the cabin vent closed for sometime and had searched high and low in the engine compartment before he found the almost invisible cracks.

He welded up all cracks and has had no more problems and no more smell but says he is not confident he won't have this re-occur since he has done nothing to fix the cause. We have not heard of a Brock exhaust system cracking before but an exhaust system can, and will, crack if you have excessive vibration. Watch out for this - any exhaust smell in the cockpit is cause to examine the exhaust system with a bright light and possibly a magnifying glass. Please report any cracks to RAF so we may report them in the CP.

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