Service difficulty report · Exhaust · Piper PA30

Difficulty date
March 15, 1996
Submitted
March 26, 2000
Operation
Air carrier
Make and model
Piper PA30
Engine
Lyc
Part
Exhaust
Part number
20D35
Condition
Cracked
Location
Heater
Component
Janitrol · 20D35
Stage of operation
IN
Nature of condition
B, J
Precautionary procedure
K

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

(CAN) THE SMELL OF EXHAUST FUMES IN THE CABIN WAS REPORTED DURING HEATER OPERATION. THE CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR WAS FOUND TO HAVE A POSITIVE INDICATION AFTER ABOUT THREE WEEKS. MAINTENANCE WAS CONTINUALLY PERFORMING PRESSURE DECAY TESTS ON THE JANITROL HEATER. THE DECAY TESTS PASSED EVERY TIME AND THE SOURCE OF THE FUMES REMAINED A MYSTERY UNTIL THE HEATER WAS REMOVED FOR REPLACEMENT. A CRACK WAS DISCOVERED ABOUT HALF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE EXHAUST PIPE AND TWO (2) INCHES FROM THE OUTPUT. THIS CRACK WAS HIDDEN WELL INSIDE THE EXHAUST SHROUD AND ALLOWED FUMES TO SEEP INTO THE NOSE COWL. THE SUBMITTER RECOMMENDS THE REMOVAL OF THE HEATER FOR ALL PRESSURE DECAY TESTS AND THE CONTINUED USE OF CO DETECTORS.

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