Aluminum doesn't hold up well when exposed to exhaust gas. There is chemical activity that causes aluminum to become brittle and break with modest flexing or vibration. I don't know the chemistry of the reaction, but it seems only to take a few months, and I think that reaction is the main reason exhaust gas analyzers don't use aluminum probes. Aluminum cladding on the exterior of a pipe seems all right, but aluminum tubing I don't think is a good idea. The only aluminum part in an exhaust system that I can think of was the tip of the tail pipes used on Chevrolet passenger cars in the early/mid 1950s. The last foot or so of the tail pipe was aluminum- said to be used because it looked nice, even though the pipe ahead of it might be completely rusted away. I don't know how the tip was attached- it appeared to be welded, based on the appearance of new pipes at the time- and that was a long time ago... That idea didn't last long- the 1955 Chevrolet passenger cars has steel tail pipes.
Harvester
