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Re: Copper Fuel Lines - Bad?

To: ctschmitz@CCGATE.HAC.COM
Subject: Re: Copper Fuel Lines - Bad?
From: Joe Curry <spitlist@gte.net>
Date: Wed, 08 Apr 1998 19:17:11 -0700
Cc: triumphs@Autox.Team.Net
Organization: Curry Enterprises
References: <9803088920.AA892057882@CCGATE.HAC.COM>
Tom,
OK, I've read your question and some of the replies and at the risk of
getting flamed by those who have trashed theidea of using copper in fuel
lines,  I know of two cars that have copper lines between the float
bowls of twin SU's.  One of them is mine.  I did it because of the very
severe bend required to fabricate the thing.  I have had it in for about
a year and there appears to be no problem with corrosion or varnish in
the carbs.

ctschmitz@CCGATE.HAC.COM wrote:
> 
>      Hey Y'all -
> 
>      I've just come back from 2 weeks of jury duty and it's taken 4 days to
>      get through the digests. There was a thread a week or so ago about
>      fuel lines (copper, rubber, steel). My apologies for resurrecting this
>      thread, but I have a concern that I didn't see addressed in that
>      thread.
> 
>      I'm in the final stages of completion on my '70 Spit and installed a
>      copper fuel line that I fabricated from 1/4" copper tubing that came
>      from the local Orchard Supply Hardware, so you know that it is soft
>      copper intended for water plumbing use. About two weeks after I put it
>      in I came across the following bit of information which was nestled in
>      the "Brake Plumbing" article at the Dimebank Garage website.
> 
>       ". . .little or no warning. (Copper also catalyzes the auto-oxidation
>      of fuel, the mechanism of sludge formation. Copper should never be in
>      contact with fuel.) The British have developed . . . ."
> 
>      I haven't gotten to the point of filling the tank and firing the
>      engine up, but with today's reformulated fuels this comment kind of
>      scares me. The last thing I want in my car is something that is going
>      to clog up my SU's.
> 
>      And now to the concise questions -
> 
>      Vicky Brit sells copper fuel line kits. Do they use a special alloy
>      intended for use in fuel systems?
> 
>      Are there any chemists out there who can explain the above
>      parenthetical quote?
> 
>      In this context does "fuel" refer to racing fuel and not pump gas?
> 
>      Do I really need to worry about this and yank the copper tubing and
>      install steel?
> 
>      Thanks in advance!
> 
>      Tom

-- 
"If you can't excel with talent, triumph with effort."

 -- Dave Weinbaum in National Enquirer

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