i need to replace the steel fuel pipe on my car (corrosion advisory) - its fuel injected, apart from going to the d"s"tealers what alternatives can i use ? - i was thinking copper microbore pipe - would this be ok ?
cheers
mark
i need to replace the steel fuel pipe on my car (corrosion advisory) - its fuel injected, apart from going to the d"s"tealers what alternatives can i use ? - i was thinking copper microbore pipe - would this be ok ?
cheers
mark
plastic fish tank piping doesn't corrode but can melt near to hot exhaust pipes.
It also goes brittle as hell no doubt, and may well not even be suitable in terms of not dissolving over long term exposure!
Copper pipe of the right diameter should be available, although from experience, it ain't all that cheap (£4.50/m high street, about £1.50 cheaper at an autojumble I went to). But any copper pipe will do so long as it's big enough internally for the needed fuel flow, and externally for the joints to other bits of the system.
Alternately, if you're really tight, go take a look round the breakers, till you find a car with new looking copper pipe of the right size and length - I've done similar for battery cable in the past, and it worked out a hell of a lot cheaper :)
I wouldn't advise using copper pipe at all on a car. For brakes or fuel lines. I know corroded pipes on cars are often replaced with copper ones, but the disadvantage of copper, is that it age hardens and can crack, especially if subject to any vibration. Use 'Kunifer' or another make copper nickel tubing. Far safer than copper IMO. It doesn't corrode, and more importantly it doesn't age harden or crack. Mike.
Also sprach "Mike G" :-
And would only cost a couple of quid more for the length required.
It also wouldn't be suitable for high pressure injection systems.
Plus off the shelf from any decent motor factor. Mike.
luna_s ( snipped-for-privacy@moonbasealpha.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
No.
Use proper fuel injection piping. There's petrol at ~50psi inside that pipe at all times the ignition is on.
Respect that, and pay the few quid that the correct stuff will cost from any motor factor on the face of the planet.
Also sprach Adrian :-
Brake pipe (which is what the kunifer suggested is) manages far far higher pressures than that every time you use the brakes.
Guy King ( snipped-for-privacy@zetnet.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
What about the "copper microbore" the OP referred to - which I took to mean a bit of leftover central heating pipe...?
Also sprach Adrian :-
Unsuitable - that's why people were recommending proper kunifer pipe!
luna_s ( snipped-for-privacy@moonbasealpha.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
Yes, I know it's unsuitable. That's why I told the OP it was unsuitable... - I wasn't replying to anybody suggesting Kunifer.
Message-ID:
"what alternatives can i use ? - i was thinking copper microbore pipe - would this be ok ?"
thanks for the replies everyone, think you done well and scared me off copper pipe !, might just try the main stealers to see what they charge - just that theres a lot of bends in the run, no idea how much itll cost tho....!
mark
Cupro/nickel piping, is available in a selection of bore sizes. Providing the right size is chosen, any cupro/nickel piping is suitable for fuel injection. It doesn't have to be labelled, or sold as such.
There's petrol at ~50psi inside that pipe
Which is low pressure as far as the pipe capability is concerned. Mike
Also sprach Adrian :-
Sorry, I thought you were.
You could replace with steel - and then brush waxoil all along the length of it. that'll stop corrosion
Well I recently replaced my steel fuel line with copper (at least, as far as I know it's plain copper, was autojumble), and as the steel line had managed
36 years, I'm not going to stress too much about the lifespan of the copper - If it does a tenth of that I'll be happy :)I did miss the bit about it being fuel injection in the original post though, that's what happens when trying to reply at silly times of day..
It's not a Mk1 Punto is it?
There was a recall on steel fuel pipes - Fiat did mine for free. Al
Age hardening needn't be a problem as long as you take the pipe off about once a year and anneal it. Get it red hot with a blowlamp, gas torch etc, then quench it with water. Obviously doing a short length at a time. One of the annual maintenance jobs, when cars had coiled copper feed pipes in the engine bay from the chassis to the carb. Back in the good old days. :-) Mike.
Mine runs from a rubber bit at the tank union, to the engine bay, where there's another short length of rubber before the pipe into the fuel pump (that's got a threaded joint). But no coiling, presumably the rubber takes up the movement and vibration. I think it's original, but hard to tell.
I'm happy enough to think my 68 car counts as the good old days, it's certainly the oldest (only by a couple of years though) I've ever had :)
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