Has anyone out there ever seen copper fuel lines?
There are a few in the belly of my 54'C-180 ... Some 3/8 some 1/2 inch.
I have owned this aircraft 38 years and always figured it was original install.
Now wondering ...

They were original and common in some of the older aircraft...but I doubt that it was original in your 180. At any rate, I'd replace them. Copper has a nasty habit of work hardening and cracking.
John

Believe Zzzz had a copper oil pressure guage line give up on him.

Scarey, copper lines should be in a museum, they went out with buggy whips and button up shoes. Many of my old (circa 1912-1930) aviation books are full of stories with mishaps caused by a cracked or broken copper oil or fuel line. Those pilots would have loved the Gates hoses, Aeroquip, whatever, we get to use! On a certified plane no less? Says this experimental guy.

I removed the failed copper fuel line from the firewall to the "wet" fuel pressure gage in my first Cessna, a 1967 T41B (aka R172E). During one flight, my passenger commented "I smell fuel!". No statement has ever garnered more of my attention, she having far better sense of smell than I. Following a very-gentle landing and abbreviated taxi due to shutting off fuel selector during rollout, we evacuated and ventilated the cabin. Subsequent inspection revealed said copper line had developed a tiny breach, with attendant drip.

Lesson learned: Current certification rules that prohibit pressurized fuel and oil lines in the passenger compartment are justified.

Remedial action: Converted "wet" fuel pressure indicating system to electrically powered, remote-transducer type pressure gage.

Fly safely.

Pretty sure my 54 is all original and the lines are aluminum from the finger strainers to the gascolator.

Thanks folks ... It has become apparent that the fuel system in my c-180 has been compromised. All offending lines have now been removed and replacements are under construction.
The under floor plumbing for the hydraulic wheel skis is also copper, so I will upgrade that as well. Run up is delayed as the project continues ...

I wouldn't know, all of my fuel lines are cracked and corroded waiting replacement

In all seriousness are you creating the replacement fuel lines, or is a someone building them for you? If someone is doing them for you, I could really use their number!

wannabe wrote:Believe Zzzz had a copper oil pressure guage line give up on him.

Yep. There'll be no copper lines anywhere in my Bearhawk. I've used mostly 5052 tubing with a little 3003 on the really complex bends, at least for fuel. I was tempted to use poly but decided to go aluminum.

Had a copper primer "feed" line crack in a Luscombe once...not much fun. I get pretty picky about that sort of stuff anymore.
John