What's the current thinking on fuel lines, and what material to make them out of?

I seem to remember being advised against copper some time back as it doesn't react well with Unleaded petrol?

So, what else is recommended? I've got to replace the lines in my tin top, as I'm converting to injection and need to extend the lines to the boot where the swirl pot will live. They need to be pretty stiff, otherwise they'll sag between the clips under the car. If I use plastic, if it's soft enough to bend around the route under the car, surely it'll be soft enough to sag?

Your opinions please!!

Chris

only story I heard about copper is that it can foul the injectors but this is after huge mileage, more than any of us need to worry about.

I would use copper pipe - many on heere have done yet I have not heard of any problems arising to its use.


if you are feeling flush, ThinkAuto do aluminium fuel pipe - thinking about it B&Q do aluminium pipe in 1 m lengths 10/12/14/16 mm??

[Edited on 24/4/08 by 02GF74]

you can place a very small filter just before the injectors...

atleast its what i have

Tks

Ive used 5/16" kunifer before with no ill effects. Careful with the bends as it can kink easily if too tight. On the ZR i used braided throughout but this will need plenty of clips.

Im also using copper tube with a filter on the rubber pipe before the injectors which sounds pretty safe

copper micro bore central heating pipe is what I used on the Falcon.

The only problem I could find on google was to do with petrol with a high-sulphur content, as found in 3rd-world countries. Eventually the gubbins get fouled up with something like copper sulphate.

My pressure line is copper , the return line is nylon tube, I have seen injection Sierras with plastic flow and return lines, I am sure copper would be fine the story about fuel contamination would only affect very high mileage cars.
Paul.

search on my name and copper.

Mate used to work in the industry and he explained it to me. Basically the petrol reacts with the copper and deposits something into the fuel. this then sticks to the injectors. Over time it then buggers up the injector. How many miles ..... no idea.

Put another way, he did a long rant about how i'm going to die in a firey ball of flame and came back from work with some bmw mini fuel lines for me. I didn't have the heart tell him how many thousands of kit cars have copper pipe in them.

Most if not all modern cars use plastic pipe for the supply as well as the return . I used plastic pipe with a steel insert inside at each end for the return (stops pipe collapsing when clips are tightened) and copper for the feed with flares at each end.. The problem with using modern car pipes is most have quick release fittings and would be difficult to shorten etc.

I came across some 8mm OD seamless 316 stainless steel tube in a pneumatics/hydraulics suppliers last week, it's not cheap but I don't imagine there wouldn't be any issues with that and should work well with the 8mm ID high pressure fuel hose.

Well, following advice from Conrod yesterday, and posts here, I've picked up some 8mm od copper central heating pipe from B&Q.

If the injectors get messed up, I'll get another set. 2.0 Mondeos are not exactly hard to find!

Fingers crossed!!

Chris