Leaky Flanges (We don' need no STEENKIN' Flanches)

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

Paraphrased from the Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

So I was replacing my weather-checked 2008 Pirelli last weekend. Removal of the seat bucket revealed the unsightly oil-spray indicating yet another exhaust flange leak. I thought I'd fixed that with a new gasket and careful torque wrench application, but the mist was undeniable. I think I found why:

F6ExhFlange.jpg (8.48 KiB) Viewed 5396 times

The pic shows the PG Short flange after about 15 minutes of sanding with a dead-flat block. The bright spot at the rim of the exhaust header - see around 11 o'clock - represents a high spot, probably welding schmutz. The dark is a recessed patch of the flange. What I think happens is that the material distorts just a little when they robot-weld the flange to the pipe, and for the cost they get per pipe they don't bother planing that back flat at the PhonGeer factory.

Re-installed, but it'll be a few days before I find out if Flash has regained continence of its Precious Scooterly Fluids.
That one was paraphrased from Dr. Strangelove...

[paulpauly7]

you could lie it flat (sanded flange down) heat it and give it a few taps from the other side then resand.

[LMH]

I use the belt sander in a vice method for planing the flanges.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

I finished the job by hand and got a pretty flush mating surface, but your suggestions would have economized the elbow grease. I have a Zerk fitting on my olecranon.

[motormike]

Greetings:

I finished the job by hand and got pretty flush...

[mousewheels]

I finished the job by hand and got a pretty flush mating surface, but your suggestions would have economized the elbow grease. I have a Zerk fitting on my olecranon.

Wheelman's word's are much respected in heart for technical input, humor and medical insight. Zerk fitting on your olecranon is too funny.

The big 'wiki' helps us with unusual words such as 'olecrnon'. Click me!

Props to Wheelman-111 and all members in 2014 - hope you enjoy time here, this is a fine crew here to hang out with.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

I second Graphite's post and add this:
I put a thick washer under the right exhaust nut-just to support my useless analog CHT sender. Not surprisingly it leaked on the left side.

[ped]

hi wheeman. So you got a kickback on your funny bone?