Nylon vs Copper

3

38coop

Senior Member
I am going to install an under the dash oil pressure gauge. What would work the best, nylon or copper installation tubing. This is on my 49 ford car. Thanks.
 
I have used the nylon tubing that is supplied with no leaks or problems. It is easier to snake around the engine/ dash but be careful not to have it laying against the block or exhaust.
 
copper. It will hold its form and easy to shape around anything in its way. Turn a loop or two at the end makes it look pretty and helps reduce vibration.

Nylon looks cheap. Wont hold any shape or form and when your done it looks like it was tossed in with little effort.

Also the copper if it comes in contact with anything hot it will not burn a hole in it like nylon.
 
You can buy the copper by the foot at napa and works with the same fittings as the nylon if thats what you got as a kit
 
The best would be stainless steel but most folks would have a hard time finding or fabricating with this tubing. Copper is also difficult to fabricate into a usable tube assembly due to the small size required. Copper also has a tendency to become brittle over time and can crack at any point where flexing might occur or at the connecting ends. Nylon is used quite a bit in aviation due to its long term resiliency. Manufacturers avoid using it in very high ambient temperature applications (over 200 degrees F) or where direct sun light might deteriorate it but it can take medium heat applications with good long term reliability.
 
Nylon looks trashy
Copper looks classy

No worries in your flathead engine environment with it turning brittle.
Copper won't melt if it happens to touch and exhaust part
 
I make em out of stainless for the Packard restorations I do, but in the day Packard used nickel plated steel so it's a perfect compromise. Polish it 1st then make the line. And yes, a coil in the hard line goes a long way toward longevity, and for a bit of flashy craftsmanship make sure the coiled up part can be easily seen. Wrapped around a 2" exhaust pipe for shape which is not too big or too small. I only make new Packard lines for cosmetic reasons, have never seen one with a broken or rotted oil pressure line. Just sayin, and I know you really don't need stainless. Polished copper would be just as nice on a flattie.
 
I have had the nylon spring a leak on an off topic car before. Had hot oil spraying on my feet. But that incident did lead me to realize I had an electrical short under the dash that caused the line to melt through. Copper for me from then on. You can also coil copper line so that it gives some with the engine movement .
 
Also if you do use nylon. There is a support thimble that slides inside the tube the compression furrel crushes against. You have to make sure to use it otherwise you will have a leak.
 
skidmarks said:
Also if you do use nylon. There is a support thimble that slides inside the tube the compression furrel crushes against. You have to make sure to use it otherwise you will have a leak.
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Not all fittings for nylon require the inner fitting.

R
 
Don't use copper--one of our car club members used copper on his '27T roadster. A couple weeks ago he was driving home from a car show with a friend behind him--friend noticed oil on his windshield and got the T stopped. He still had oil pressure so it wasn't dry, but down about 3 1/2 quarts--copper line to oil pressure gauge had cracked--brand new flathead with only a couple hundred miles on it. Good luck. Rod
 
38coop said:
I am going to install an under the dash oil pressure gauge. What would work the best, nylon or copper installation tubing. This is on my 49 ford car. Thanks.
Click to expand...

"Best" is a matter of what you are willing to settle for.
New oats or oats that have been through the horse.

This would be best. It is teflon line with stainless braid covering. You can get the line in bulk length and install the fittings easily yourself also.
You can lay this line right on the exhaust manifold and it will never melt.

http://www.jegs.com/i/Earl's/361/64191924/10002/-1

Other materials would work for awhile.
 
I have had good luck with the nylon line that came with the after market guages I put in an old IH truck . But no doubt metal would look better and be stronger. I bought some very flexible type of metal line at a diesel injection shop that was designed for return line to the diesel tank on the tractor. Very easy to shape and install and not all that expensive. I don't know what material it is but don't think it is copper.
 
Do to it's flexibility; I have used the plastic lines in cases where I wanted to run it in the harness with wires, covering the last section to the engine with fabric loom.

But; if it is exposed, I would use copper. When using copper; plan your routing well, copper is easy to form once; not so much the second time (at least appearance wise).
 
As Pete has mentioned horses, then I will say "It's horses for courses"

Copper work hardens. It can be and should be annealed (made soft again) It usually comes already annealed, when new.
The critical thing with copper is that it needs to be well supported. Having nice neat loops in it is fine, but that doesn't stop vibration.(it will probably increase it) It just helps where there is relative movement between two parts that the copper tube is supported on.
It is not the ideal material when there is relative movement because it WILL eventually fail, in that situation.
As Pete say's Teflon is great in a heat situation. A quality Nylon type tubing would be more suitable than copper tube in the relative movement situation, IF it is protected from chaffing, excessive heat (rated?) etc.
It's a matter of assessing the application and deciding what best fits. Does it come down to price, aesthetics, reliability, performance.....
 
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I used the nylon line in my 54 Ford. Been there for 6 or 7 years. I examine it periodically and it shows no sign of problems.

I installed some small diameter rubber hose around it where it may rub on anything.
 
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