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April 14, 2020

Aircraft owners spend a lot of money to keep the engine properly maintained. Some make sure that the exterior paint is all polished and fresh. The exhaust of your aircraft is just as important as any other part, that’s why you should make sure to clean it regularly.

If you don’t know how to clean the exhaust of your aircraft, worry not, because we have you covered!

Here are a few tips to help you in maintaining your exhaust without any problems.

Disassemble the exhaust

The absolute first thing you should do is remove all the components from the muffler and the stack. While some mechanics clean the exhaust without dissecting it, we do not recommend that as the dust can settle in any cracks deep in the exhaust. Once you disassemble the exhaust, the mechanic will be able to clean it thoroughly without any hassle.

Check all the components

After you have disassembled the exhaust, you should take your time and check each part for any potential leak or soot. To make this process convenient, you can use a pressure blaster to check if any part is leaking. Doing so will allow you to not only check for cracks, but it’ll also show you if there’s any leak in the joints.

Replace any missing parts

Once you’ve checked for any potential leak, you should make sure that no part is damaged or missing. These parts can include things such as bolts, nuts, or plugs. If anyone of these things is damaged, you should get it repaired as soon as possible. At the same time, if you’re missing a part, then it’s best if you replace it. While doing this, you should also watch out for any corrosion.

The exhaust composition

The exhaust of an aircraft is made out of two materials, stainless steel, and Inconel. While an inexperienced mechanic will have a difficult time analyzing the two, an expert will recognize them immediately. Both of these components look identical, which makes it problematic to identify the faults. To make this process easier, you should do a chemical test. The Inconel is more durable because it’s heat resistant. It doesn’t expand with heat, which makes it more suitable for aircraft exhausts. The stainless steel, on the other hand, can deteriorate quickly. You should ensure that there’s no fault with the composition because it can be life-saving.

Keep an eye out for backfires

The muffler system will be most affected by backfires. Backfires affect the entire exhaust, severely. They also can cause the baffles to break or become loose. In case of a backfire, you should conduct a thorough inspection to make sure that nothing is damaged within the exhaust system.

These are some of the essential tips to maintain and clean your aircraft’s exhaust. We still recommend that you get a professional mechanic to take a look at your exhaust.

For any additional information regarding the maintenance of aircraft exhausts, visit www.acornwelding.com or contact Acorn Welding via telephone at 780-447-5955 or via email at sales@acornwelding.com.