tranny cooler lines out of copper?

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mopardude318

mopardude318

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im probably gonna get flamed for this one here, but what the hell...as i was under my car last night trying to install a set of factory prebent lines for a stock car that has been heavily modified, they dont fit worth a damn. tried bending it by hand a little to tweak it and i went to far and it collapsed a little. oops. to hell with it i said, why cant i use copper line? its a little softer and easier to work with, and would look neat (to me) under there, polish it out then clear coat it. i mean, copper has been used for high pressure steam applications for decades, why the heck cant it work for measly tranny cooler lines?

can i do this?? get a roll of 5/16 copper and bend it out of that? or am i nuts and this is dangerous?

talk some sense into me guys, im just thinking out loud here....
 
well i know they used it for rear radiator apps on race cars but thats 16lbs...

depending on the trans set up could be putting out as much as 300psi @ 180* or so...
 
and to add, i remember i did make a quick patch in my lines on this same car out of copper, and rubber hose and i double clamped it where the hose goes over the copper...it was a JANKY quick fix, but surprisingly it help up fine for the 6 months i had it on the road...
 
I wouldn't. Copper tube burst pressure usually derates as temps increase. What might have a 500 psi burst at room temp 70* could have a burst of 125 at 180*. Not much of a safety factor with trans pressures/temps. Add in vibration and stress hardening and it may not last long, especially in long runs.

Look around the net for burst pressure calculations ( Barlows Formula)
 
okay 10-4. i guess id get the same answer as to using aluminum line?

ill prolly just get a roll of steel line and bend it up...
 
I have had copper tranmission lines on my car for nearly 5 years with no leaks, it is a street car so it doesn't get beat on. just do not use them for gas lines as they corrode and turn green and cause the carburator to plug up
 
Copper lines are not meant to hold a double flare. Period. If you do it, you do it at your own risk. People use things all the time for what they are not intended. That doesn't make it right.
 
Copper lines would look awesome all polishished and clear coated. There is 3 types of copper line, type L (medium wall), type M (light wall) and type K (heavy wall). Type L is the most common. I would use type K (soft temper, good for severe service including steam). Good luck. If you do use copper post pics please.
 
I wonder if cunifer lines would work. Cunifer isn't pure copper, which is generally too soft for high pressure hydraulic systems; rather, it's an alloy of copper and nickel. In Europe they've been using cunifer for brake lines for years — I plumbed my entire brake hard line in cunifer. It bends easier than steel line and instead of having to use a special tubing bender you can make some decent looking bends by hand, if you want pretty you can always bend it around the radius of a pipe.

http://www.cunifer.com/

Cunifer is DOT approved. The site lists 3/16 with a theoretical burst pressure of 17,000 psi and a max working pressure of 3200 psi; and the 5/16 at 9,450 psi and 1800 psi, respectively.

The only downside I've been seeing recently is that it's turning every-so-slightly green. But I haven't had a leak yet.
 
mattmatthew said:
I wonder if cunifer lines would work. Cunifer isn't pure copper, which is generally too soft for high pressure hydraulic systems; rather, it's an alloy of copper and nickel. In Europe they've been using cunifer for brake lines for years — I plumbed my entire brake hard line in cunifer. It bends easier than steel line and instead of having to use a special tubing bender you can make some decent looking bends by hand, if you want pretty you can always bend it around the radius of a pipe.

http://www.cunifer.com/

Cunifer is DOT approved. The site lists 3/16 with a theoretical burst pressure of 17,000 psi and a max working pressure of 3200 psi; and the 5/16 at 9,450 psi and 1800 psi, respectively.

I`ve ran 3/8" soft copper trans. lines on every hotrod I`ve built(on my 4th now) will pbobldo the same on this one, and it should be as fast ads the hemi was, minus the gearing and big slicks. pay attention to what kind of connections you put on-versus the line pressure.
by the way 2 were chevys and 2 were(are) mopars. bob
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I think regardless of what you use. If you dont have the right tools your going to booger it up again. if you dont have a bender ive seen guys and heard of guys using a socket in a vise to make small bends.
 
I have used copper lines for trans cooler without any problems. Never heard it was not designed for double flair and have done this many times. Copper tube and pipe is used in a/c systems at high pressure and heat. Steel lines cheaper than copper I think thats why orignal equipt. I am not an expert just my thought.
 
I would not use copper...it does not take vibration very well, and will eventually fatigue and crack ( usally near the fittings) and is not meant for higher PSI applications.
 
No!!! use steel or braided hose. I ran braided seen in the first pic. Anything altered from factory should be an upgrade. Sounds like your looking for easy not quality. There is a reason copper bends easier. Weak.
 

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I say go with braided line also. If you can't find that you can use hydraulic hose. Either will take a lot of heat but make sure it's not directly touching exhaust.
 
there is not one thing wrong with copper we use it in fishing boats for darn near everything. high pressure steering lines fuel lines hydro return lines grease line tubes main engine cooling pipes transmission cooler lines just to name a few and as far as vibaration goes thats why we use copper its good with vibaration and corrosion we change it every 20 years.
 
67cudafb said:
I have used copper lines for trans cooler without any problems. Never heard it was not designed for double flair and have done this many times. Copper tube and pipe is used in a/c systems at high pressure and heat. Steel lines cheaper than copper I think thats why orignal equipt. I am not an expert just my thought.
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jimjimjimmy said:
there is not one thing wrong with copper we use it in fishing boats for darn near everything. high pressure steering lines fuel lines hydro return lines grease line tubes main engine cooling pipes transmission cooler lines just to name a few and as far as vibaration goes thats why we use copper its good with vibaration and corrosion we change it every 20 years.
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Pretty much. Only downside I can see of copper is that it IS more flexible, and therefore needs better support. Conventional A/C and heat pumps use copper, so you are talking about routine operating pressures of 250 at temperatures much hotter than you'd like to hold onto. (Hot gas line on compressor)

"The Copper Tube Handbook"

[ame]http://www.copper.org/publications/pub_list/pdf/copper_tube_handbook.pdf[/ame]

http://www.copper.org/applications/plumbing/techref/cth/cth_main.html
 
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