Has anybody tried to find clear fuel line lately? All I can find is yellow or blue tint. Makes me want to use copper, (if I knew how). Does anybody have a copper fuel line tutorial? 
Fuel line ideas?
- Thread starter Waspswatter
- Start date
Copper looks cool, but it will cause vapor lock if it is near the cylinder. I used it for about 8 months and it was giving me fits. If you had a fuel pump it would be cool but gravity fed doesn't have enough force to push the gas to the carb. I was putting the 7/8ths wrench in my pocket to loosen the fittings to get gas to flow.
I have a copper line on my bike and so far I have no problems. It's really not that hard, I bought everything at home depot and installed the line in probably 45 minutes. And it does look cool!
i have a few bikes with copper lines, never had a problem.
the easiest way to do it is to buy refrigeration line from Ace or home depot, and some real fuel line from an auto parts store that will slip over it. i think it's 1/2".
shape the copper the way you want it, you can put an old timey loop in it as long as it's still got a good gravity flow. you can bend the tubing around a small pipe, like a seatpost or something, just do it smoothly so it doesn't kink.
take the fuel line and cut two, inch and a half sections, put one on the carb, one on the tank, then cut the tubing to fit, slip it into the fuel line, and you're done.
make sure you cut the copper tubing clean, de-burr the ends, and blow it out to make sure no copper shavings get into your carb.
i don't even use hoseclamps.
check my bikes for some examples.
the easiest way to do it is to buy refrigeration line from Ace or home depot, and some real fuel line from an auto parts store that will slip over it. i think it's 1/2".
shape the copper the way you want it, you can put an old timey loop in it as long as it's still got a good gravity flow. you can bend the tubing around a small pipe, like a seatpost or something, just do it smoothly so it doesn't kink.
take the fuel line and cut two, inch and a half sections, put one on the carb, one on the tank, then cut the tubing to fit, slip it into the fuel line, and you're done.
make sure you cut the copper tubing clean, de-burr the ends, and blow it out to make sure no copper shavings get into your carb.
i don't even use hoseclamps.
check my bikes for some examples.
I've never had any problems whatsoever with my copper line and won't use anything else from now on given the ethanol issues. I would recommend the "old timey loop" as copper work hardens, with the loop you'll always have enough flex to be able to easily remove the line/carb for maintenance.
While I used a "compression fitting" (add threaded end w/o crimp/flair) to the filter - I did cheat like baird suggested above and used a small bit of clear 1/4" fuel line from the copper line to the carburetor as the carby has a barbed male fitting and I didn't feel like removing it & tapping the hole;
I would recommend getting a small cutting/bending tool set as they're really inexpensive;
Amazon.com: Pipe Cutting + Flaring Kit - Cutter, Bending Springs, F: Home Improvement $11.99
You can often get just the bending springs at an auto parts store for like $4 or so, sometimes you can even just find a spring, but with the tubing tool set it's so easy to make nice cuts, bends & flairs that it's worth it just to have for other projects. I used copper lines to route my lighting harness, keeping the wires nice & tidy (could use painted auto brake line or even stainless) for example;
While I used a "compression fitting" (add threaded end w/o crimp/flair) to the filter - I did cheat like baird suggested above and used a small bit of clear 1/4" fuel line from the copper line to the carburetor as the carby has a barbed male fitting and I didn't feel like removing it & tapping the hole;
I would recommend getting a small cutting/bending tool set as they're really inexpensive;
Amazon.com: Pipe Cutting + Flaring Kit - Cutter, Bending Springs, F: Home Improvement $11.99
You can often get just the bending springs at an auto parts store for like $4 or so, sometimes you can even just find a spring, but with the tubing tool set it's so easy to make nice cuts, bends & flairs that it's worth it just to have for other projects. I used copper lines to route my lighting harness, keeping the wires nice & tidy (could use painted auto brake line or even stainless) for example;
If you still want the clear, check the custom bobber/chopper motorcycle parts sellers on ebay, they have that stuff. Like endofthelinecs or others. Or sites like Lowbrow Customs, etc