Copper fuel lines?

Anybody run copper fuel lines to their carbs? I'm thinking it would look really cool on the beater. I know it has to flex at some point but can they be rigid at the carbs without leaking? Anyone have pics?

 

Copper Work Hardens, so the slightest vibration will bake them brittle over time. I would avoid using Them.

 

Don't use copper. It will get brittle and it causes a chemical reaction with gasoline. It will accelerate the aging and deterioration of the gas going into your carb. Not a good thing. If you want that look paint or cover a steel line. I speak from experience.

 

I agree they will work harden. A set was installed on my flathead but with enough creative spacing to allow for some vibtation. No problems yet.

 

This is one reason the HAMB rocks. Thanks guys....I'll use steel, maybe stainless all polished and perty.

 

What about br*** lines? They'd still polish nicely,but might not have the brittleness>


Also, when I was in elementary school, we copper plated some quarters at home just to drive the lunch ladies nuts when we paid for our food-yeah it was a quarter,then. Seems we used a battery, some all copper pennies and some copper sulfate solution. Pretty easy,pretty cheap. I wonder if you could take steel lines,plug the ends and copper plate your own lines?

 

The infamous 35 truck, you know, the one Rudy buit that is now owned by Rurlrod has had copper fuel lines on it for a long time now. The tees where the lines tee'd for the carbs were soldered. While it was here I never knew of it to leak or have any problems. I know of two cars that were built after seeing that around here and used copper fuel lines with no problems.

 

the brake lines on some late 50's early 60's austin healeys were a copper/nickle blend. that it fukin scary to me. my plan for my modified is to have all the steel lines copper plated.

 

I usually run a copper tube to the oil gage, I had one crack at the fitting on the engine after about 10 yrs. I also had an OEM steel oil gage line crack when it was about 30 yrs old.

I'd think that if you pay attention to copper fuel lines and do a good job installing them, they should last for quite a while. They might turn green if there's alcohol in the fuel (they put it in here half the year to reduce carbon monoxide)? but probably not a big deal.

 

Grim,
I think too if you are smart about your installation you will eliminate the percentage of a break. I bet that statement will bring alot of guys out of the woodwork who ran across broken lines. Here's some latest news headlines on the subject.

http://www.whistlerquestion.com/madison/WQuestion.nsf/0/cc2d9cda138aab9d88256d4b00779210?OpenDo***ent

 

neat story.

Yeah, 20 years on a diesel engine is asking a bit much of a copper fuel line.

 

When my dad built his 1906 Pope Hartford he did all the oil lines and fuel lines in copper, all you have to do is (as in the picture) install a loop in the run. This allows the tubing to absorb harmonic shock and vibration. You should have no problem at all.

 

Must be something strange in your fuel.....

I have had cars with probably 30-40 year old copper fuel lines.
Im still alive.....

 

Look in the first coupla pages of the new Rolls & Pleats. There's a multi-carb setup plumbed in polished copper tubing with polished br*** fittings. Sure looked nice!

 

I would like to see more on this. I have run copper lines from the tank to the pump and from the pump to carb for 20 years with no problem. now I'm starting to wonder.

 

Copper fuel lines?? I've done it - no problems yet, but I could see where it could work hardend especially if not mounted properly. If I was gonna put it on something and was worried about it I would go get some "bundy" tubing instead. Bundy tubing is copper (ish) plated steel. It would be the only way for a so called "copper" brake line if you ask me. Running real copper brake line is a definite No-No.Food for thought

 

No-No Because?

 

Must be.

Copper fuel line is one thing but brake line? Wow. Pressure is pretty low for fuel but in brake applications I think I'd want to hear alot more about copper's strength.

 

Used and have seen it used many times for fuel and transmission lines on our rust belt beaters.
Never had or saw a problem!
Besides...in the salt your more likely to have rust thru in a steel line than workhardening in a copper one!!!
Any unsupported line will give you grief over time...do it right and you'll BE alright.

STEEL on brakelines though. "Big brother" figures we'd use soft copper and not the quality stuff the Brit's use on their cars just to save some $$$.
I bet he's right!

Aftermarket steel brake line usually lasts only 4-5 years max if the car is used in the winter up here! Rust never sleeps...

 

Of course you will always hear of guys who have run copper brake lines and had absolutely NO PROBLEM with them - probably they never had to make a serious PANIC stop.

In a panic situation one can EASILY get 1,000 psi (or MORE) going in their brake system - some copper tubing is rated WELL BELOW this pressure. Also keep in mind that good design practices would INCLUDE a margin of safety. Depending on your application a margin of safety can commonly be a factor of 4:1. So in this case if you determined that your MAXIMUM pressure is 1,000 PSI - you'd design a system that'd be capable of 4,000 PSI. Gives you a little breathing room if the next guy has a stronger leg than you do!!!

 

If after reading all the unsubstantiated comments about problems with copper fuel lines, you are in fear of using copper fuel lines and like the look, why not make them out of steel and have them copper plated.

 

Thank you sir for the answer,I was just curious.
As stated here before,we probably must have another copper over here,It might have something to do with rays from the midnight-sun.
But I always make sure I buy copper BRAKE-line,not the regular thin walled stuff.

 

Grim, you touch on two things that affect copper.
1. Copper tubing DOES come in DIFFERENT - Hardness and Wall thicknesses. Copper tube used for insturmentation installations - comes in STRAIGHT lengths - and is not intended for sharp bending. (it's hard and usually thicker wall)

Copper tube that comes in coils is softer, and can stand being bent in tighter radiuses.

2. Unsupported copper lines over LONG distances; CAN and will VIBRATE - in certain cir***stances - which can lead to metal fatigue and cracking. (usually at the fittings)

Ford used copper for fuel lines starting back with the "T's" all the way up to sometime in the '40's. (and maybe later) Carb to fuel pump AND to fuel tank. (well supported of course!)

One of the MOST COMMON causes for copper line fracturing is the bending and re-bending of the tube to arrive at the final shape. (each time the tube is bent, it starts to "work harden.")

I have watched a guy who was bending and re-bending a piece of copper tube - for a fuel hook up - that broke in his hands while trying to get the "just right shape." (work hardened)

 

Here's a link to some research about the effects of copper on gasoline:

http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/enfuem/2005/19/i02/abs/ef049849h.html

 

Holy ****!! English, man. I'm gonna do it. After my recent electrical fire, I ain't scared.

 

electrical fire and fuel leaks....


...I love the smell of napalm in the morning!

 

The text of that abstract reads;

"Gasoline is a volatile liquid that is used in internal combustion engines. It is formed by a mixture of paraffins, naphthenes, olefins, and aromatic hydrocarbons (C4-C12). During storage, the hydrocarbons present in gasoline react with atmospheric oxygen, and with each other, promoting changes in its physical and chemical properties, because of the formation of gums. These materials present macromolecular character and normally cause undesirable effects, such as deposits in filters and distribution lines. The present work evaluated the formation of gums in Brazilian gasoline added with different anhydrous ethyl alcohol and copper contents in the fuel. A discussion of the oxidation reaction mechanisms is also presented. The results show that the addition of anhydrous ethyl alcohol to gasoline does not contribute to the formation of gum in gasoline. It can be stated that the addition of anhydrous ethyl alcohol to gasoline provides benefits such as a reduction of gum deposits in an engine per liter of fuel consumed. Now, copper interferes significantly in the gum content of gasoline, because it is a catalyst of radicalar oxidation reactions and it accelerates peroxidation. Therefore, this metal must be avoided in any metal alloy that comes into contact with gasoline in the feeding system of engines.

Now, I'm NOT a chemist, BUT the key words are "Brazilian Gasoline."
I'm a retired oil company employee, and from what I remember "Brazilian Gasoline" is NOT formulated the same as gasoline sold in North America.

The other statement; "Therefore, this metal must be avoided in any metal alloy that comes into contact with gasoline in the feeding system of engines.
Is saying; para phrasing, "Copper should be avoided in other metal parts that come in contact with fuel." This applies to Brazilian Fuel.

 

I guess they don't and never have used br*** (a copper alloy) floats in their car's carburetors?

I have a br*** float and have run a copper gastank to engine line for 13 years and it hasn't leaked or broken yet, but I have flexible rubber hose where the copper line meets nead the fuel pump and from the pump to the carb is rubber hose - polished aluminum tube, and then more rubber hose. I don't have any metals trying to deal with flexing.

I saw a modified (possibly belongs to someone on here?) recently that had the brake hard line mounted from the frame, out onto the 1/4 eliptic spring to the axle and then a rubber hose to the wheel, but the hard line had to bounce up and down with the spring!
That's the kind of thing that will work harden and break a line, pronto.