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  #1  
Old 03-29-2012, 02:58 PM
Mark7986 Mark7986 is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Fairmont MN
Posts: 41
Default Copper Primer Line Flare

How has everyone flared their copper primer line. My flaring tool (which is almost new) is so sloppy I can't get a good flare on the 1/8 inch line. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks
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  #2  
Old 03-29-2012, 04:33 PM
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Walt Walt is online now
 
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My order of preference:

1) Dump the primer lines, nothing but trouble.
2) Eliminate the primer lines, they are going to fail.
3) Get Stainless steel lines.
4) Solder them.
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  #3  
Old 03-29-2012, 05:21 PM
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scard scard is offline
 
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Stainless injector lines all pre-fabbed have been great for me for 1000 hrs. It seems that I'm the only one that loves my primer system. I use it on every cold start in hot, very hot, and cool weather. Works for me, perfectly.

Funny story about cold: Tanya fired up at Petit Jean one "cold" morning last season and we all thought one ignition had failed! I started walking across the ramp with that (Oh, ****) feeling while she let it run. I wiggled the wing tip and walked up to the cockpit and asked her "what is the deal?". "It is fine, just cold." . Ok.
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Last edited by scard : 03-29-2012 at 05:31 PM.
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  #4  
Old 03-29-2012, 05:24 PM
TS Flightlines TS Flightlines is offline
 
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Copper lines are a pain. We switch them over to stainless braid teflon.
Tom
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  #5  
Old 03-29-2012, 05:43 PM
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Other than getting rid of them (not needed with FI), SS or teflon lines from Tom (above) is your best bet.

When you have copper it's not if they'll fail but when.

Oh yea, never use copper line in between the primer valve and fuel supply, if that line breaks you'll be spraying fuel everywhere when you turn on the electric pump or be sucking air into the engine pump, neither one is good for your health!
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Last edited by Walt : 03-29-2012 at 05:49 PM.
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  #6  
Old 03-29-2012, 07:37 PM
David Paule David Paule is offline
 
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For what it's worth, my 1955 Cessna 180 has OEM copper primer lines and there has not been an AD on them.

That suggests that the fleet experience is favorable. It's not entirely gloom and doom, apparently.

On the other hand, and this might invalidate this experience for RVs, since the Cessna 180 uses gravity feed for the fuel. Still, I'd think that if a line was going to crack it would regardless of whether the fuel system was pressurized, and that fuel leakage from a cracked primer line would show up on an annual inspection, by sighting the stains.

My plane has had two engine removals and installations since new.

Dave
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  #7  
Old 03-30-2012, 04:12 AM
Bob Axsom Bob Axsom is offline
 
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Default It has been a long time ...

I have 1/8" copper lines with approptiate strain relief loops to 3 cylinders and have experienced no trouble with them (coming up on 700 hours and 8 years of operation). They do require some special work with solder and fittings at the cylinder end (see ACS catelog in the tubing fitting area) but I guess you know that and only want an answer to your question. I bought a Parker Hannifan (sp?) flare tool that was supposed to work for several sizes of tubing including 1/8" but it just made a mess of my copper tube ends. I went to the Aircraft Spruce catalog and found a dedicated 1/8" tubing flare tool that worked for me. It consisted of a pair of metal blocks that clamp around the tubing and has the female flare cone machined into one end around the tube hole and punch/pin male tool that gets tapped into the open end of the clamped tube. Sounds crude but it worked fine for me.

Bob Axsom
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  #8  
Old 03-31-2012, 08:33 PM
Mark7986 Mark7986 is offline
 
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Location: Fairmont MN
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Default Flare tool

Thanks Bob, I ordered one form aircraft Spruce
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  #9  
Old 04-02-2012, 06:59 AM
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Bob Martin Bob Martin is offline
 
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Default flare tool

I too used the ACS tool for my fittings and it worked well. FYI...do some training on scraps to perfect your skills. Look at the tiny cut end carefully before you start to flare. The tubing cutter leaves a rim inside the tubing, so I used a tiny drill bit to clean the debri and make sure the inside diameter was clear. took my time tapping the mandrel with many small blows, being mindfull of a centered flare. Once flared I filed the outer edges to remove any cracks in the copper to prevent future cracking and make sure the outside diameter is correct to fit inside the fitting. After you do a couple samples you feel very good about your flares. I also dipped the mandel in oil before I started tapping on the metal to help it form the metal smoothly instead of possibly scarring it. It is tiny work for big hands and tools but I felt very good about my results. Good Luck with your system.
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Last edited by Bob Martin : 04-02-2012 at 09:16 AM. Reason: sp
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  #10  
Old 04-02-2012, 07:37 AM
WingsOnWheels WingsOnWheels is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walt View Post
Other than getting rid of them (not needed with FI), SS or teflon lines from Tom (above) is your best bet.

When you have copper it's not if they'll fail but when.

Oh yea, never use copper line in between the primer valve and fuel supply, if that line breaks you'll be spraying fuel everywhere when you turn on the electric pump or be sucking air into the engine pump, neither one is good for your health!
Do you know of a good source for stainless line? I haven't seen annealed SS line on ACS or other sources.
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