copper fuel lines GOOD or BAD

[whizzernick]

I have been told that copper fuel are bad. WHY ????

[cmbrucew]

whizzernick

You have come to the right place with that question.
Copper tube has been used for fuel for 100 years.
Today Fordbarn has dozens of eyewitness's to tell you why copper should not be used for fuel or brake lines.

Bruce

Works good
Lasts long time

[ken ct]

Ive had copper line from the tank to the firewall for going on 20 yrs also from the pump to the carb,NO PROBLEMS. Must be fastened down good every couple of feet so it don't move or vibrate.N/G for brake lines though. OMO and you will get many of them for and against it. ken ct.

[Motorhead6]

In roundy-round race cars where there is no engine vibration dampening between the engine/running gear and the chasis, you get a lot of resonance travelling througout the vehicle. When you think of the high frequency due to high rpm, it can and has caused work hardening of the copper tubing and then it becomes prone to cracking. At least this is the theory, and sanctioning bodies will usually dis-allow the use of copper tubing for fuel or anything on a race car.

Having said that, I have used it on occasion on street cars with years of experience with no issues.

Your choice.

[keith oh]

You may mistake copper coated steel lines for copper lines which many cars came with. They were used to stop the steel from rusting.

[blucar]

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I can attest to the fact that copper lines for fuel and/or oil is not a good idea.. When I was a teenage in the late '40's, early '50's, the use of copper lines for fuel/oil was very common, because copper was very easy to bend and route in a neat manner.
In 1950 I had a copper line going to an oil filter on a '38 Chevy break close to the fitting, which is where they usually break, while driving on a lonely rural road in Idaho. Not fun.
I had a second occurrence in 1951 on a '41 Chevy.. never had a car after that, that had copper lines..
Modern tubing benders make the use of steel line very easy...

[BILL WZOREK]

Originally Posted by blucar

i can attest to the fact that copper lines for fuel and/or oil is not a good idea.. When i was a teenage in the late '40's, early '50's, the use of copper lines for fuel/oil was very common, because copper was very easy to bend and route in a neat manner.
In 1950 i had a copper line going to an oil filter on a '38 chevy break close to the fitting, which is where they usually break, while driving on a lonely rural road in idaho. Not fun.
I had a second occurrence in 1951 on a '41 chevy.. never had a car after that, that had copper lines..
Modern tubing benders make the use of steel line very easy...

copper line or ????????? Lol

[Kahuna]

Blucar
It's those Chevy's. Happens every time.
Happy New Year
Jim

[oldford2]

Bill W,
Now don't be knocking those Chevies. Did you know that 83% of Chevies built since the war are still on the Road. Yup, the rest of them made it home.

[BILL WZOREK]

YUP I saw it print so it's got to be TRUE........... LOL / LOL

John: You & Barb have a happy new year!!!!

[Pete]

I prefer hollow bamboo. It is used exclusively on Fred & Barney cars.

[Motorhead6]

Originally Posted by oldford2

Bill W,
Now don't be knocking those Chevies. Did you know that 83% of Chevies built since the war are still on the Road. Yup, the rest of them made it home.

Bwaa Ha Ha!!! I bet a lot of those 83% are on the side of the road. Reminds me of the Texas rancher that said his place was so big that it took him all day just to drive accross it. The other guy said he had a Chevy truck once too.

[bo8109b]

I don't believe a copper fuel line secured to a frame rail will ever produce a problem. Have them in two old Fords. Also have 1/4 copper brake lines on the gear legs of a Cessna 140 for 38 years. Lots of vibration there. Remember seeing copper lines on refrigeration units years ago. Yes I'm an old duffer.

[deuce_roadster]

bo8109b,
How many new Cessnas or any other airplane, has copper fuel or brake lines? They used to fill blimps with hydrogen too, doesn't mean it was better. The fact that the copper is way more likely to tear/break/rupture in a minor accident is enough reason for me to not use it. I will always choose what is safest.

[jimTN]

BAD! Copper breaks. Go to a fitting shop and get the real stuff, copper lined steel like the original was. It is not expensive and I believe cheaper than copper.

[ford38v8]

Nick, copper will work harden from vibration, and/or heat-cooling cycles. The original equipment OEM rolled copper plated steel tubing manufactured by Bundy is available from the usual suspects.

The copper plated appearance of the original lines has apparently caused many to believe they were solid copper.
Opinions like "I don't think copper tubing will fail" are comparable to NASA executives saying they didn't think the Challenger's 'O' Ring would fail. Of course that was true, until the day it failed.

See you on the 8th with the battery box.

[klicker]

Just had all the cooling system replaced on a 4-yr old $5000 refrigerator because of corrosion causing a leak in the copper tubing. The repair guy said it is the cheap imported copper that is not pure. I definitely would never use it in brake lines.... and after this, would probably avoid it in fuel lines.

[ford3]

there is not a car maker in the world that uses copper line for fuel delivery, that should tell you some thing

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by ken ct

Ive had copper line from the tank to the firewall for going on 20 yrs also from the pump to the carb,NO PROBLEMS. Must be fastened down good every couple of feet so it don't move or vibrate.N/G for brake lines though. OMO and you will get many of them for and against it. ken ct.

I'm with Ken. Follow what he says if you use copper and it won't be an issue. You must have a flexible hose between the firewall end and the fuel pump.

GB

[Ol' Ron]

Never had a problem with Copper fuel lines. Never use it on brake lines, won't stand the pressure.