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TR2/3/3A Copper fuel line.....

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K

karls59tr

Obi Wan
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Is it OK to use a copper fuel line from the SU's to the vicinity of the stock fuel pump or does gas have a reaction with copper?Also..where is the best place to mount a mechanical fuel pump on the 3?
 
Generally copper is not used for fuel line because of fatigue issues, not because of fuel interactions. Steel line is used regularly. Truth be told, a well supported copper line joined to other components using rubber fuel line would probably be perfectly OK.

I cannot answer the fuel pump question but have a question of my own. You asked about where to mount a mechanical pump. Did you mean electric pump? I would have thought a stock TR3 would have a mechanical pump from the factory.
 
Yes I too thought you meant electrical pump. If so, they work well mounted down low to get gravity feed from the tank. Mine is in the rear axle well, safely mounted where the floor panel turns up. I put a filter between the tank and pump which is changed by removing the LH rear wheel.

Electric pumps fill the carbies without undue churn, or the need to lift the hood to prime manually. Extends starter motor/ring gear life and doesn't drain the battery. Consider wiring in an automatic cut-out switch in the unlikely event of an accident.

Viv
 
vivdownunder said:
Yes I too thought you meant electrical pump. If so, they work well mounted down low to get gravity feed from the tank. Mine is in the rear axle well, safely mounted where the floor panel turns up. I put a filter between the tank and pump which is changed by removing the LH rear wheel.

Electric pumps fill the carbies without undue churn, or the need to lift the hood to prime manually. Extends starter motor/ring gear life and doesn't drain the battery. Consider wiring in an automatic cut-out switch in the unlikely event of an accident.

Viv
Click to expand...

Re: a question regarding the old mechanical pump :
if you convert to an electrical pump, is it best to remove the old pump & use a blanking,
or just disconnect it & leave it in place,
or keep it in line and use it too ( in Tandum with the electric pump)?

thanks & sorry to divert the thread, Karls59tr.
 
Are you asking about copper tubing as used in residential water lines or the copper/nickel alloy tubing that is often used for automotive brake lines? The Cu/Ni alloy is fine for fuel lines.
 
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Sorry, I should have been more clear. My comments about copper fatigue were directed at commercial plumbing copper, not the Cu/Ni alloy as WiscTR said.

Guy, generally the mechanical pump is bypassed when an electric pump is installed. I have heard a lot of reasons given. On our Spitfire and GT6 I have removed the mechanical pump and installed blanking plates (homemade) over the pump mounting boss.
 
dklawson said:
Sorry, I should have been more clear. My comments about copper fatigue were directed at commercial plumbing copper, not the Cu/Ni alloy as WiscTR said.

Guy, generally the mechanical pump is bypassed when an electric pump is installed. I have heard a lot of reasons given. On our Spitfire and GT6 I have removed the mechanical pump and installed blanking plates (homemade) over the pump mounting boss.
Click to expand...

I make my own vintage motorcycle fuel and oil lines from refrigeration tubing,soft copper.These machines vibrate way more than a TR and copper was factory,and fatique is not an issue.
Tom
 
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