I want to get rid of the 30 year old plastic line the PO installed before it breaks. I had a nice chunk of 1/8" brass line leftover from my last install job a couple years ago, and...6" too short, aint that the way it always goes ! So, off to the store, buy the "kit" with 6' of line and fittings, sadly, without paying attention, as when I get the tubing out I see it has wall thickness about like a piece of paper, chinese junk again, I wont use it. So, my old piece of tubing came from either speedway, or summit, cant remember . Anyone bought any good stuff lately to tell where it can be bought? Maybe McMaster carr sells a bigger roll of it ?
I prefer plastic but did not like what Autometer provided with my gauge. I went to the local hydraulic supply store and found they have a hydraulic/ pneumatic black plastic line that is good for something like 400psi. It worked with the fittings that came with the gauge and the black line disappears in the engine bay.
Actually, not so easy to get. In the last 2 days I have been to 5 hardware stores, and 7 auto parts stores, and even a heating and air-conditioning repair place, and you can not buy 1/8" tubing anywhere here. Another part of the story not mentioned is the fitting on the gauge. Most modern gauges are 1/8" pipe thread on the back, my gauge is 1/4 flare on the back. This was common on older gauges. I have had the fitting before, I know they make an adapter that is female 1/4 flare, and 1/8" male pipe for the line kit to connect to. Many of the stores had the picture on the rack, but half the bins are empty, and of coarse I had to tell the story 15 times to store folks that have no idea whats going on. @2OLD2FAST I have an old piece of plastic line on my bench now, no Idea how old, but it breaks like a raw spaghetti noodle ! Not going on my car !
The plastic line in my other car has been leak free for 46 years, so yes it's fine. But if you plan to do any drag racing plastic line will not pass tech.
Try the local Plumbing and HVAC specialty supplier. They will have it. And remember that copper Likes rubber mounting and needs room to expand when warm... Notice the 'extra' coils some builders use ? These allow the hard-line to expand without issues.
No drag racing, this is for my 1952 willys army jeep. LOL ! Originally it had an electric gauge, the PO put on a chinese plastic case gauge, that works, but the hot pink needle does not please me ! I got a mechanical gauge from a different army truck that matches all the other gauges in the dash. Then, under the hood is all original except the white plastic line, its almost as ugly as the hot pink needle. No matter what the vehicle, I like the metal line. Actually in the old days they were brass I believe, but copper is ok if it has any wall thickness to it. I will put a couple loops hidden under the dash for vibration. @427 sleeper jarred my memory a bit, and I think the piece I had thats too short is left over from an autometer gauge I bought a few years back. 1/4" hydraulic line will fit on the gauge, if I had a 4' line with a swivel nut on one end I would be happy, but I already tried that, the store only sells pre made lines with 2 male ends, so I would still be short of a fitting for the gauge, and if I have my local JD dealer make a custom hose its usually about 40 bucks. Really, I've been at this for a couple days now!! Just install a gauge, should be easy enough Ha Ha ! no wonder I dont get anything done around here !
1/8" copper tubing doesn't seem that hard to find: https://www.google.com/search?q=1/8...&ie=UTF-8#scso=_oMoNYrS1MryVwbkPvIGwmAE6:1687
@pprather , Yes, thanks, tons of choices there for tubing. I had not googled it as I know it exists, I was just trying to buy it local so I could see what I'm buying. Also, if you buy any of the kits, you get 6'. So, I'll have the same short piece left over that I already have...too short to ever use...too good to throw away, well if you are a hoarder like me. I would like to buy a roll, say 10 or 20 feet. The 50 foot roll, well, not sure I have that much time left on the planet! I just was at McMaster carr looking at fittings, thinking I could get tubing there also (didnt look), but I was stumped at the site. I need a straight, brass, low pressure, adapter, 1/4, female jic/30degree X 1/8" male pipe. Sounds easy enough, but when I get to the adapter section it only allows me to pick one size, then gives the price without allowing me to enter the other end size. I gave up, will call them tomorrow as I can probably buy tubing by the foot, and the fitting too. Or...by the time I pay shipping, maybe just get a hydraulic hose made? I like to make as big a project as possible out of it ya know, keeps me busy! Thanks guys
Rock auto has it. Part # 510007, Dorman product. I tried to buy some locally last summer and struck out. Got mine from Rock Auto.
.buy one of these , swage the end & silver solder the 2 left over pieces of tubing together , then you'll have enough for next time !
Ive been using the steel braided lines from speedway. Theyre ugly modern so I wrap them in black cloth friction tape from the electrical section at the hardware store. I dont really like copper ive seen them work harden and brake on a couple occasions. But ive also seen it work well for decades so who knows.
I have owned tubing flare tools and benders for 50 years, really, i am not new at this. 1st, none of those tools go down to 1/8" tube. 2nd, as mentioned above "just go get compression fittings available anywhere", well, there are three different kinds of compression fittings. the first, that you find at hardware stores have a half round Ferrel like used in a propane gas line. the second is a wedge shaped ferrel, like used in most of the gauge installation kits, and a third type is used in big truck air lines. So, its not just run down to ace hardware and tell the guy you want an 1/8" ferrel, or the fitting that it fits. Another Option has just occurred to me, that is, my gauge is 1/4" male JIC , I have the nuts and flaring tools, and 1/4" copper tubing here in stock, could be done for free in 10 minutes...but...here I go over thinking again, but I believe the reason they use small ID line is because air compresses, fluid does not. So, if I "use what I got", as in 1/4" line , the gauge would not read accurately...well, at least until its half full of oil, which they eventually do fill up it seems any way. I've had several old big trucks, Diamond T's, Whites, even a 64 needel nose Peterbuilt, and they used a 3/16" tube with standard flare fittings on each end. so.. which way is up?, I' m goin to bed...ponder some more
I'm not so sure that air in a gauge line matters, unlike brakes! I'm thinking the air compresses and then transmits the pressure reading. The pressure from the engine is continuous, or at least should be, unlike brakes! Besides, bleeding the line is easily achieved by cracking open the line, but that could get messy. With the plastic tube you can see it coming! Chris
An option - braided steel gauge lines. This one is Autometer. Larger by far than what the OP asked for.
To fit the 1/8" line to a 1/4" fitting, use a short length of 1/4" copper with the flare nut, then put the 1/8"line into the 1/4" tube, heat red and squish the 1/4" line flat up to the 1\8" line, then silver solder all together. Just make sure the silver solder doesn't wick into the 1/8" line and block it up.
I know the OP wants to ditch the plastic and go copper and that is cool. But if you have plastic and want to shield it from damage I used this. It is some left over SS gravel guard I had left over from the last brake lines I built for my PU build. The plastic line fits nicely inside and now I don't have to worry about damage to the long run from my OT dune buggy engine to the dash gauge. It was a 4 foot run and I used 3 pieces I had laying around. I used friction tape to join the sections.
is this truly rocket science? Man, i always wondered what that was! Air in the lines, heat expansion, vibration, heat (did anyone mention that-w/ plastic?), shielding, and all this for a bourdon tube mech. gage that probably has a +- 5% accuracy at best. When does this thing launch? I sure would like to see the video.
Yes, the launch is this spring sometime, I'll keep you posted. Lots of ways to skin a cat, we've covered most of em here. I made one more effort to round up some components by checking all the neighbors stashes and opinions, and I believe I am just going to use 1/4" copper line that fits the gauge, I have it in stock, its free, and it will work fine. Not so easy to maneuver thru the maze under the dash as the small line or plastic, but it will be done. Thanks for all the Ideas
I have an El Camino I converted braided stainless covered teflon tube with adapters and AN fitting with an AN bulkhead fitting through the firewall. A bit spendy to start with, but almost 30 years later and o er 300,000 miles. No leaks, no drips, no torn plastic, no cracked, hardened copper lines, just accurate readings. When I install the new engine I am building, I will use the same lines and fittings. I got everything at Earl's and aircraft supply companies.
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