tr2 Speedo cable / petrol pipe

[Richardtr3a]

I am trying to bend my copper fuel line from the pump up to the flexible under the thermostat housing on my 3A.

 

I have a proper pipe bender and can not get a smooth tight curve.. It seems to move to a kink quite easily. The bend from the fuel pump is very tight because I am using an adapter which allows the olive to move up the pipe about 1/4 ". I did not like it balanced on the very end of the pipe. This will be impossible with my bender.

 

Is there any one who has an old useless speedo. cable approx 1/4" outside diameter which I could feed down the pipe before any more attempts. I am happy to buy it plus postage etc. or just a loan would be very helpful.

 

Thanks,

 

Richard & H

 

 

[RogerH]

Hi Richard,

I don;t quite understand the problem but if you are trying to put a bend close to the end of a pipe why not put the bend along a bit and then cut the surplus off.

 

1/4" pipe shouldn't kink like you said

 

Roger

[RobH]

Richard - are you annealing the copper pipe first by heating to bright red and quenching? (Obviously not done with fuel residue in the pipe though! ) Roger is right- its difficult to get a good bend right at the end of a pipe. Best to bend first then cut to length.

[Richardtr3a]

I am making the bend in a decent length of pipe and cutting off the surplus, but I can not get a smooth bend even at a larger radius.

 

I will try the annealing but it means finding old plumbing tools unused for many years.

 

Thanks very much for the advice so far.

 

R & H

Edited January 23, 2016 by Richardtr3a

[RogerH]

Hi Richard,

does your 'proper' pipe bender hold the pipe snugly. IE you have a 1/4 pipe is trhe groove in the bender 1/4".

 

If the groove is much bigger than 1/4 (eg 5/16) then it will kink

 

Roger

[foster461]

If the tube wall thickness is too thin the pipe will be more likely to kink than bend.

[Lebro]

Annealing is probably the answer. Get it almost red hot with a blowlamp. then chuck it into cold water. It should then bend without too much trouble.

 

Bob.

[stuart]

Fill the pipe with sand and tape over the ends then bend it.

Stuart.

[Richardtr3a]

Thanks for all the advice. Yesterday I was fitting a new 2 door fridge and it was delivered with a water supply pipe. The pipe was much too long and now we have a long length of plastic tube that will not kink and fits very tightly into the 5/16 Kunifer.

 

Unfortunately it will not go past my earlier attempt to make a tight bend. I have ordered a new length of pipe and will start again.

 

If it is successful I will be able to offer anyone, who has the same problem, a meter of small bore plastic pipe to help them bend the Kunifer.

 

Thanks,

 

Richard & H.