Aluminium fuel lines?

[BBBrad]

This may seem a little strange, but Im in the process of setting up my to and fro fuel lines in my car. I can get hold of some very nice thickish walled ali tubing in 8 & 10mm. It bends very nice, looks good and from memory the specs well exceed efi fuel presures etc. I cant recall seeing any car etc with ali lines. Is this for saftey, legal issues? Is there any rules that say you must use steel/bundy type tubing?

[solberg Fan]

I found the Ltsa site on fuel lines:

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/publications/vir-manual/general-vehicles/13-miscellaneous-v2-2.pdf

It just said that it must be made of a suitable material. But i dont know if you have tp get it inspected? There must be some one here that knows?

[KinLoud]

Alluminium and its alloys is much less resistant to fatigue cracking than steel, especially around high stress areas like joint, flares and fittings.
Steel is much more forgiving.

Ken
Ham
021 408 863

[BBBrad]

Yea, that crossed my mind. But then I thought of the ac lines that run around the car. They must be sujected to a hole heap more stress/pressure/ heat differences etc than your average fuel line? I'm hoping that if I support it properly and dont do anything silly with it it shoud be just fine. I just hope that someone doesnt make me pull it all out in the end.
Someone must know for sure? You race guys must know?
Thanks

[vvega]

as long as they are correctly supported with runber inslated clamps they will be fine

they are used in aircraft and are subjected to a fair wack of vibration in there

another prolem you may have is alloy requires a slightly different angle flare to reduce fatigue cracks
you just also polish the tube and flares as any scratches or marks will be the point that it forms a crack

AN - fittings and flar angles are what your looking for

v

[BBBrad]

Thanks vvega, Thats what I wanted to hear. I suppose my car will be abit like a low flying aircraft anyway:)

[Santa'sBoostinSleigh]

just found this in the motorsport manual:
lines must be made of steel
http://www.motorsport.org.nz/Pdf/M33%20App2%20SchA.pdf
however, if its not a racecar it may be different

[GT4 20]

It may also be worth considering thet in the event of a fire in the cabin area that aluminium pipes will succumb to heat quicker than steel will. I know what type of material for fuelines I'll be using in my race car
Gary

[vvega]

It may also be worth considering thet in the event of a fire in the cabin area that aluminium pipes will succumb to heat quicker than steel will. I know what type of material for fuelines I'll be using in my race car
Gary

it might also be worth considering were the fuel tank is and where the fuel lines run to and from
they dont enter the cabin and they are about 5 foot long

normally its the rubber pars of the line that burn first..so the alloy is the least of your worries....
im hope your not building a race race you sema to be missing a few of the very simple fundimentals :d


......

tank sits in the tunnel
pump is about the middle
motor is in the back




v

[vvega]

just found this in the motorsport manual:
lines must be made of steel
http://www.motorsport.org.nz/Pdf/M33%20App2%20SchA.pdf
however, if its not a racecar it may be different

can you tell me where
ive looked though it and done keyword sheachs and the only thing i can find referance to in lines is the brake lines

i even looked upi everthing to do with fuel....
man thats a pile of stuf

v

[Santa'sBoostinSleigh]

just found this in the motorsport manual:
lines must be made of steel
http://www.motorsport.org.nz/Pdf/M33%20App2%20SchA.pdf
however, if its not a racecar it may be different

can you tell me where
ive looked though it and done keyword sheachs and the only thing i can find referance to in lines is the brake lines

i even looked upi everthing to do with fuel....
man thats a pile of stuf

v

oops i actually think i lied there
just double checked and i think it was the brakes i was reading on
thats what happens when you are pretending to do work at work and really flicking between work/TS/sideways/MSNZ

my bad sorry!