Anyone bend Nicopp fuel line?

[70chall440]

I just got in some Nicopp (nickle/copper) 3/8 fuel line for a project and the line keep collapsing when using a decent hand bender. I have never worked with this stuff before but I didn't think it would be like this, everyone and every advertisement says how easy it is to bend but I am not seeing it. Perhaps I just got some crap tubing or something or is there something to this I should be aware of?

 

[kiwigtx]

You probably need a proper bending spring - much the same as those used for PVC conduit.

 

[Remusa12]

you should be able to bend it by hand without damaging it, a bender could be putting too much pressure on a soft material.

 

[70chall440]

Thanks, no way to get a spring through 7' of tubing and bending it by hand doesn't work either from what I can tell.

 

[Photon440]

Thanks, no way to get a spring through 7' of tubing and bending it by hand doesn't work either from what I can tell.

Spring benders don't go through, they go around the tubing. Length shouldn't be a drawback.

 

[kiwigtx]

Thanks, no way to get a spring through 7' of tubing and bending it by hand doesn't work either from what I can tell.

Is it possible to fill the tube with fine sand first, then blow it out afterwards?

 

[1 Wild R/T]

My experience has been you can bend it by hand but not nearly as tight a radius as a bender will do... It you want tight bends use steel line....

 

[Jeff Brundage]

I just got in some Nicopp (nickle/copper) 3/8 fuel line for a project and the line keep collapsing when using a decent hand bender. I have never worked with this stuff before but I didn't think it would be like this, everyone and every advertisement says how easy it is to bend but I am not seeing it. Perhaps I just got some crap tubing or something or is there something to this I should be aware of?

Ive used Nicopp line along with ss and regular steel and copper and aluminum. The Nicopp is the softest, so soft it is hard to keep it straight on long runs, (like down a frame rail.) If you want pro looking lines you need pro level tools. The best bang for the buck is the ridgid 600 line of tube benders. Go with swagelok if price is no object. I wouldn’t put sand in the tube, too risky if it doesn’t all come out. If you cant afford a good tools, try a little vaseline on the outside to help the tool slide around the radius easier. Also you can lube the inside with a small amount of motor oil and put wire ( 8ga for 3/8) through the tube to prevent it from crushing. Remember, only make one bend with the wire inside the tubing, then pull it back to where the next bend is as so on. If you do more than one bend with the wire inside it can get trapped inside. With good benders you shouldn’t have any problems and make bends like in the pictures.

 

[70chall440]

I really appreciate the response and your lines look awesome.

i have no problem at all buying tools, it is one of my weaknesses and I love good tools. I have a number of benders, I cannot say they are high quality but they are not super cheap either. I have never tried the Rigid 600 but I will give it a try, I am going to need a 3/8 and 1/2.

I am going to keep playing with the line, perhaps a little lubrication would be helpful, I would really like to use the Nicopp especially for the EFI 6 pack feed system, it looks really nice.

 

[70chall440]

Again, thanks for the recommendation I just ordered a 3/8 and a 1/2" Rigid bender.

 

[69_Coronet]

I just finished replacing the fuel line on my 69 Coronet with 3/8" Copper Nickel tubing from Inline Tube (Inline Tube part number CN6) and it worked well for me. It has a wall thickness of 0.028". I didn't have any problems with the tube collapsing when I bent it. I have attached a picture of a test piece that I bent and the bender that I used. The bender is an Imperial 470FH.

Inline Tube doesn't list what the composition of their tubing is, so we can't compare it with the NiCopp that you are using. At one point I looked at using some Swagelok fittings with this tubing, but they only mentioned 0.035" wall in the fitting specs, so there is heavier wall tubing than I used available. I expect that heavier wall tubing would be harder to bend and require a larger bend radius.

I did use a bit of lithium grease on the sliding portion of the tubing bender, which made the bending somewhat easier.

Hope this is some help to you. Cheers!

 

[70chall440]

Thats awesome and thanks for posting. I really believe the line I bought was/is crap, it looks good but is far more copper than nickle for sure (has a copper color to it). I actually ordered one of those benders as well yesterday (going to have a pile of them). I am going to try the lubrication and see if that helps since I have 100' of this stuff, I would like to have a plan to use it. I did just order some steel tubing as well so I have options.

 

[69_Coronet]

From what I have seen, the Copper Nickel tubing is normally about 90% copper with the other 10% being mostly nickel. It looks like AGS Automotive Solutions makes actual NiCopp, here is their web page showing the various standards their product meets: https://agscompany.com/product/nico...fuel-transmission-line-tubing-coil-3-8-x-100/. I have never used their products, so I can't speak to their quality. Hopefully you can sort out the issues you are having. Here is a page that discusses the use of Copper Nickel tubing in brake systems: https://www.copper.org/applications/marine/cuni/applications/brake_tubing/. Cheers!

 

[70chall440]

Oh I am sure I will get it sorted out, maybe not with this line but I will get it going either way. I went with this because I had read how easy it was to bend and corrosion resistant it is but after playing with it, I am concerned that it is so soft that if a rock or something hit it, it would smash flat. I ordered some steel line, one roll is straight steel, the other is coated so we will see which I like better.

 

[kiwigtx]

Heating the tube will also help with the bending....just don't hit it with too much flame to cause discolouration.

 

[70chall440]

Good tip, thanks.

 

[70chall440]

So I have tried all of the tips/tricks and nothing works, the line kinks if I try and make a 90. I can make a very wide 90 no issues but I cannot make a tight 90. I just tried some 3/16 nicopp brake line from another company and granted it is much smaller than the 3/8" but it bends very nicely. I am convinced that it is just crap Amazon tubing and I am sure if I got some better quality stuff it would be fine. I will try it all again when I get in the good bender just to confirm but I am pretty convinced it is **** tubing.

 

[RJRENTON]

As far as filling the tube with sand to prevent collapsing the bend, perhaps you could consider something soluble like sugar or salt, which could be washed out with hot water.
The bending tool shown in #11, with the built in protractor is an excellent tool to use for exactness and repeatability. IMO, the NiCopp material may be too soft and prone to metal fatigue especially in vibration applications, like engine fuel lines. And if flair fittings are being considered, even if double flairing the connection, pinch-off can occur during tightening. Brake lines are usually a steel-lead tubing that is easily formed without damage. I believe this matetial is/was called "Bundy-Flex", but not sure its called this now. It used to be available at any auto parts stores in diameters from 3/16" - 7/16" and 18" - 72" lengths.
BOB RENTON

 

[70chall440]

Thank Bob for the information. I am using a quality Nicopp line for the brake lines I have to make but I believe I am going to stick with steel for the fuel lines. I plumbed my Challenger using aluminum 3/8" line but it is on my list of things to redo at some point mainly because I am running EFI on it and I recently read a bunch on aluminum fuel lines and EFI not being a good set up.

On my Cuda I used coated 3/16" steel lines and it worked very well, bent nicely and flared well too. I have a hydraulic flare tool which makes really nice flares.

 

[RJRENTON]

Thank Bob for the information. I am using a quality Nicopp line for the brake lines I have to make but I believe I am going to stick with steel for the fuel lines. I plumbed my Challenger using aluminum 3/8" line but it is on my list of things to redo at some point mainly because I am running EFI on it and I recently read a bunch on aluminum fuel lines and EFI not being a good set up.

On my Cuda I used coated 3/16" steel lines and it worked very well, bent nicely and flared well too. I have a hydraulic flare tool which makes really nice flares.

FYI.....Some additional info on "Bundy-Flex" aka Bundy pipe and it universally accepted alternate.
Bundy tube, sometimes called Bundy pipe, is type of double-walled low-carbon steel tube manufactured by rolling a copper-coated steel strip through 720 degrees and resistance brazing the overlapped seam in a process called Bundywelding.
It may be zinc or terne coated for corrosion protection. It is used in automotive hydraulic brake lines in cars manufactured in the US since the 1930s.
The Bundy Tubing Company, started in the US, was bought in the 1980s by what is now the British company TI Automotive.
A 1969 study by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommended the replacement of Bundy tube with 90-10 copper-nickel alloy UNS C70600 (Kunifer pipe) because of corrosion concerns.[1] Kunifer pipe has since been adopted by European automakers Volvo, Rolls-Royce, Lotus Cars, Aston-Martin, Porsche, and Audi.[2] Bundy tube still retains the advantage of higher rigidity, which means less volume expansion under pressure.
Just some additional points to ponder or consider with your tubing choices....
BOB RENTON