Gents,
During my 140 hour conditional inspection I discovered cracking of the oil cooler flange (inboard side). I have a reinforced rear baffle and a diagonal cross brace from the #4 cylinder head to the forward side of the rear baffle where the oil cooler is mounted. The cross brace attaches to the bolt location where the cracking is occurring. The cooler is a SW 8406R. It appears that by making the baffle more ridged it is transmitting more stress to the cooler flange.
According to Pacific Oil Cooler service, cracked flanges are very typical for baffle mounted oil coolers. A simple weld repair is in the future with a modification to the cross brace to reduce the rigidity.
Please check your oil cooler flanges for cracking.
During my 140 hour conditional inspection I discovered cracking of the oil cooler flange (inboard side). I have a reinforced rear baffle and a diagonal cross brace from the #4 cylinder head to the forward side of the rear baffle where the oil cooler is mounted. The cross brace attaches to the bolt location where the cracking is occurring. The cooler is a SW 8406R. It appears that by making the baffle more ridged it is transmitting more stress to the cooler flange.
According to Pacific Oil Cooler service, cracked flanges are very typical for baffle mounted oil coolers. A simple weld repair is in the future with a modification to the cross brace to reduce the rigidity.
Please check your oil cooler flanges for cracking.