Metal tubing in cooling system

[boomdriver]

Does anyone know if there are problems with using different metals in the cooling system?
I ask because I am looking for a practical type of tubing for the replacement of certain hoses and some old tubing. Is there any reason why heavy gauge copper cannot be used? or does anything in the cooling system have to be steel or aluminum? Stainless braided hose is also a consideration, but thats big time expensive.

Somewhere I was told that the antifreeze reacted with copper. Since copper tubing comes in straight sections and endless bends and other shapes and sizes I was wondering if that can be used? I need to replace the stuff under the block and the POS heater control valve at the heater core.

 

[LindenBob]

There may be others to chime in here that know better than I but industrial buildings that have chilled water towers which use a glycol (antifreeze) solution are piped with copper tubing with no adverse effects. Refrigeration grade copper is heavier wall than plumbing copper with a much higher burst pressure rating also.

 

[LindenBob]

Another solution could be stainless steel tubing which also can be soldered together with 5% silver solder (purchase at HVAC supplier, like United Refrigeration) and when polished is beautiful. Search Truly Tubular for any stainless steel fittings you may need.

 

[89blackvette]

No copper tubing please. Copper will become brittle with age and heat cycles and tend to break under vibration. Use Stainless Steel if you must replace the rubber stuff with metal. NEVER NEVER use copper for fuel lines fro the same reaason, leaking coolant is one thing leaking fuel is a bad thing. Best is to use is Stainless Steel braided lines with AN fitting like those used in aircraft.

 

[boomdriver]

cool, thanks !
I'll start searching for a supply of stainless tubing & fittings.

On top I want to use braid and use the tubing by the heater and under the block to the oil cooler.

 

[Radar]

I too would suggest avoiding copper. If I recall my chemistry classes, there is a potential for galvanic corrosion due to the dis-similar metals. I think that aluminum is a more noble metal than copper so any aluminum parts would corrode away (because it is the nobel thing to do - give up their life) to protect the copper. Your engine might have the aluminum heads that would have this issue. So stick with stainless or aluminum tubing.

I think this is correct, pehaps there is someone on-line who knows more. I know that water heaters have that anode rod inserted to protect the steel pressure tank form corroding. The tanks are glass lined but that can have small fissures that will corrode. This is why a plumber uses dielectric unions to isolate the copper plumbing lines from the water heater's tank.

Thanks
Radar

 

[boomdriver]

Radar, yes, I think you;re right about alum being more noble than copper. The aluminum is FAIRLY well protected from electrolysis as long as the antifreeze/water ratio stays up there, but run straight water or old antifreeze thats turned acidic, and I can tell you 1st hand how easily it eats into the water jackets and passages of the aluminum head....it literally looks like someone took acid and poured it into combustion chambers until it ate metal and drained out a water passage.
The coolant pipe under the motor is aluminum, but I think I'm going to work toward braided stainless hoses. I am just looking at ways to eliminate as much rubber as possible. At joints I can use silicone couplings, otherwise its going to be solid or stainless braid. Thanks for the input.

 

[John Dingman]

They have been making radiators out of copper since the beginning of time.