Hysteria about copper fuel lines seems like a lot of hoey to me. I've
owned boats for years (24 to 35') and every one of them has/have copper
fuel lines. I've never had any problems and I'll bet if anyone looked up
the marine code, copper is required. The requirement is more likely due
to static elimination between the tank and the engine etc. Copper does
not promote varnish. The only issue that would concern me is that on a
boat there is less vibration (no road, but still engine) which could, I
stress could, lead to stress fractures in the copper.
Vic Whitmore
76 Spitfire (& 35' Chris Craft)
Thornhill, Ontario
Joe Curry wrote:
>
> 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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