Copper Fuel Line - original?

[Buzzard Wing]

The fuel line on my Cub is copper. I am trying to figure if it is worth replacing or not, mostly it will depend on how it fits once I get the hood and exhaust together.

Was it originally copper??

The exhaust is being re-conerted to an underslung from a messy fix, manifold and exhaust from a number (172?) Cub. http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Bu ... CN3424.jpg (by the way the hood looks like NEW now)

I looked searched through previous posts and found that 5/16" brake line seems to be the preferred material, I think something shiny would go well with the rebuilt carb. http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Bu ... c4c64a.jpg

Thanks,
Larry

[Lurker Carl]

Copper fuel line is a no-no. Copper become brittle when subjected to vibration and will crack. GW's been using the 5/16" brake line and forming it with a pulley. Make sure the line does not "dip" on it's way from the tank to the carb - you want a gentle continuous downhill tube where water and debris and air pockets can not collect.

[THOM]

I see Tom at TM Tractor is now selling after market steel fuel lines

[artc]

do my eyes decieve me.....or does that carb (that looks to be std ih cub)not fit on the manifold properly

never noticed that before on my cubs

[George Willer]

do my eyes decieve me.....or does that carb (that looks to be std ih cub)not fit on the manifold properly

never noticed that before on my cubs

Art,

The parts manual shows 2 different manifolds... but there must be at least 3. The first two have the same flange for the IH carb, but the second of the two has larger ports. That one in the picture is obviously sized to fit the later Zenith carb. It looks like the one from my 154, but the flange is definitely larger. I suspect from a 184 or 185?

Oops! I looked at the pictures again and see there are two different ones. Raise the total to four! Are we looking at one from a power unit in the closeup?

[Buzzard Wing]

Yikes... tough to know it was wrong on the bottom end too when you don't know what right looks like.
I knew the top (exhaust) was wrong, the hole (ID) was larger than normal for a Cub. That is why there is a bushing in there now. I figured that it came from a numbered Cub from a picture I ran into. The exhaust was the same. But what I did not consider was that the carb could have been different too!

It does bolt right up, and I did manage to hack an underslung exhaust on it. http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Bu ... 7935ee.jpg
Do you think it will cause a problem?? I am pretty inclined to run it like it is. Providing it runs after I get done with it!

Thanks

[nosih]

As to the Copper vs Steel Fuel lines, I have seen NOS ones of both styles. The copper fuel lines I have seen have all dealt with the tractors prior to the 300/400/etc.. From that time & later, all fuel lines appear to be steel, even what appear to be later replacements for the earlier tractors.

[Buzzard Wing]

Got fuel line (20") with fittings for $2.58 and the ferrules for $2.89 at Pep Boys.

[Slappy]

I once thought about relpacing the rubber fuel line on my H with a copper line until someone on the YT Forum wrote and told me it was the best way to develop something called HCMTOF Syndrome ("Holy Cow My Tractor's On Fire").

I wish I could remember who wrote it, but he went on to give the complete narrative of his experience - it was sooo funny. I couldn't stop laughing - that is, until I remembered it was true. Nothing's funny about a fire near your gas tank. Use steel.