NITROUS OXIDE ( nos / n2o ) advice forum

Is there any reason copper cant be used for petrol. I'm talking soft drawn refrigeration grade which has quite a high pressure rating. I've used small bits of copper to join the odd fuel hose over the years. But I've not run a full solid line from the tank before. Its a track only car as most of you know. I'm just thinking of ease of installation as opposed to using hard alloy tube. Any advice gratefully recieved

Perry

As far as I am aware - its better than nylon or rubber as its stronger but not flexible so needs to be held down regularly to stop vibration damaging the pipe - causing fractures.

All LPG liquid pipes are required to be copper due to pressure and recommendations from who ever it is controls such things.

That sounds like a plan Stan

I can get a coil of refrigeration grade soft copper for next to nothing. So i may be able to have a solid fuel line by the end of the year

Perry,please stay away from copper,steel line is cheaper to buy and I am not sure but i bet like are parts stores here in the states get the steele line there..they have it hanging on a rack and its the same as the break line...

This is your winter time plan to do and get rid of all the rubber fuel lline also. NHRA rules were and i belive still are no more then 1' of rubber line in a fuel system is allowed...Copper will crack at some point down the road and it will do it at the worst time and cost you dearly...

Hi Johnny

Interested in your comment there -

Steel is much harder to work with and heavier than copper.

Also Copper is the recommended material for brake lines - It will fracture eventually but it wont corrode like steel!

Is it just the fact that copper fractures a bit easier than steel that your comments are based on?

Hey Steve,yes thats it and I have never heard copper being recomended for brake lines but the total opposite. Its to soft to put a double flair on and would never pass any inspection here in the states.I am 52 and worked a line tech for GM 15 years and saw alot of cars old and new and never saw copper on any,not saying there might not be some on a vehicle and then upgraded later .Its dangerous in my mind and my recomidations to Pel is to fix it right get rid of all that rubber..no copper and if memory serves me he had copper as the union for his rubber lines....

You can get steel line thats softer and easier to work with,they make it so you dont need a tubing bender for sharp bends and wont kink...

Thanks jB
I think steve is getting mixed up with the cupro nickel rake lines and and hard drawn copper brake lines which take a lot of pressure.
I'm not using copper anyway. This was just a thought as I see a lot of folk using copper these days.

Hey Perry thats all good ,what are they using copper on ?What type of vehicles are they?

Hi Johnny - yep Cupro Nickel AKA Copper Thanks for the note Pel!

Found Steel hard to get here in the UK unless it is OEM.

I think a lot of people say copper when they mean - 'copper coloured metal'

Ok Steve its all good,once again its all in the translation or lost in translation i shoud say...

I see plenty cars at the track with copper in the engine bay as fuel lines. All DIY stuff though. I thought about it for a while and then got concerned about vibration. So I wont use it.

Steve!
I'm sure you can buy the steel fuel lines for an MGB from the owners club. I'll ask this week. It can be clipped solid to the body with rubbers at each end for final bridge across the open space to engine and tank etc.

Perry

Hey guys there are plenty of suppliers that make chassis clips and some real nice ones for street rods ....i find some sites for you....