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Posted by: 9146986 Jun 7 2004, 07:23 PM

I added a post a few days ago regarding the paranoia surrounding the use of copper fuel lines, only to find it has been deleted.

Is this happening to anyone else?

PK

btw the gist of the post was that aircraft would probably vibrate about a hundred times more in ten hours of operating time than any 914 would in it's entire lifespan. All the vibrations in aircraft are retained in the airframe and transmitted throughout it. Properly supported 914 fuel lines do not vibrate, and properly installed copper replacement fuel lines are probably less of a liability than the original plastic. There are quite a number of cars that have had the plastic fuel lines replaced with copper and no issues.

Posted by: seanery Jun 7 2004, 07:47 PM

perry,
are you sure you posted it, not just previwed it?

Posted by: dmenche914 Jun 7 2004, 09:51 PM

If copper lines are failure prone to cracking from vibration, I'd at least consider a soft copper, something fully annealed, rather than any as cold worked copper, which would tend to be more brittle

dave

Posted by: Brad Roberts Jun 7 2004, 09:54 PM

Perry,

Be careful writing up long posts.. if your browser refreshes for any reason prior to the actual "posting" you will lose everything. I now stop and copy/paste into notepad prior to getting too deep into a respsonse. I have been bitten several times.


B

Posted by: JOHNMAN Jun 7 2004, 10:23 PM

Why would you use copper as opposed to steel brake lines?

Posted by: Mueller Jun 7 2004, 11:11 PM

Hey Perry....I agree with you ...people get into these BS mind sets (it's not allowed in aircraft or when F1 cars starts running this or that then I'll put it on my car)

You cannot just say that if not allowed or done in a certain field then it should not be done on a street or race car........

I think the post was deleted, the original author might not have wanted people to read it and be mislead since half the time not everyone reads all of the responding posts.

Posted by: Bruce Allert Jun 7 2004, 11:24 PM

I posted a question a few days ago and received several good answers.

Perry, your post was not there. It may be like Brad said...

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=12702 is a link to that post

......b

Posted by: SpecialK Jun 8 2004, 12:10 AM

Soft copper is WAY easier to bend, and a whole lot cheaper! I never did buy that "work hardened" crap if you're just replacing the lines in the tunnel. I've done HVAC work for 18 years, and never once have I seen an air conditioner just start leaking, and they're vibration machines! 3/8" soft copper is used as the liquid line (depending on tonnage) on central A/C's at pressures well over 300 psi, so I seriously doubt a 914 fuel pump will cause any damage (even less of a chance if you're running carbs @ 2 - 3 psi). Of course, after you've exited the firewall you'd want to switch to rubber/braided hose (high pressure for FI), and I'd only use SS braided because it looks cool.
If you're worried about banging and chafing in the tunnel, slide some heat shrink over the copper tubes before you install them.
My 2.75 cents.

Posted by: campbellcj Jun 8 2004, 12:18 AM

I have some aluminum tubing with AN fittings sitting here (waiting to be installed in my "spare time"). Not sure why you'd want to use copper vs. aluminum or high-quality rubber fuel line?

Posted by: SpecialK Jun 8 2004, 12:30 AM

Again, cheaper and easier to bend (depending on the type) than aluminum...high-quality rubber fuel line would be nice, but I think it would be a PITA to run up the tunnel, and would take up much more room making it more susceptible to chafing on the shift rod. But if you have the stuff sitting around, I'd use it (I repeat, just for use in the tunnel, rubber entering and exiting).