Conduit as gas filler pipe?

[dremu]

Background: My pickup has both side tanks, filler on each side, which is inconvenient. I'm stinking about moving the filler to one side, or making a crossover filler so I can fill from either side. There was a long thread about this the other week.

Anyway, copper pipe is stupid money (like $6 a FOOT for 1 1/4") ... so could I use, say, EMT conduit, which is much cheaper? I figure anything metal will be better than plastic for gasoline resistance... any other issues I should consider? Does gas eat galvanizing finish or anything?

-- A

 

[surpip]

wht not use the rubber line all the way across?

 

[dremu]

wht not use the rubber line all the way across?

Cuz the good rubber stuff with the spiral wire is also stupid money, and I need like five or six feet worth.

S'pose I could use radiator hose or something, but I donno how well it'd hold up down there.

-- A

 

[mechted]

S'pose I could use radiator hose or something, but I donno how well it'd hold up down there.

It doesnt hold up for too long... my PO taught me that one the hard way. I replaced a gas tank filler line after 4 months of owning my truck, no idea how long it had been there though

 

[ryan22re]

Aren't gas tanks galvanized inside?

Don't really see why it wouldn't work.

 

[chevydan3]

The thing about emt is that it bends really easily if you are using 1/2 or 3/4, plus it has pretty thin walls, so I think that it would be pretty vulnerable under a truck. I suppose that a 1" or 1-1/4" or even a 2" would work, but good luck bending 1-1/4" or bigger, unless you have a hydraulic bender that won't kink it. If you have the skills to use a bendfield bender like real electricians do than you will have no problem, but I am an electrician and can't hand bend 1-1/4 for crap.

 

[Avery4jc]

I don't wan to come across the wrong way but if it's $6 a foot and you need 5 or 6 feet that is only $30-$36. When dealing with gas don't you think you would be willing to spend $30 for your safety instead of spending $10-$15 on something cheap that will rought away and possibly spill gas one day?

-Avery

 

[dremu]

Well, it's 1 1/4", and it's straight, no bends. I'll use leftover filler hose bits for the kinks on the ends.

Yes, I *could* use copper ... though actually I gotta buy a 10' chunk of it, so it's sixty bucks. I am perfectly willing to spend the money ... if I have to. Otherwise it's half a tank of gas, a season or two of my favorite TV show on DVD, or a considerable amount of rootbeer

-- A

 

[3 on the tree]

Why not use exhaust pipe????? Thats what I did on a Scout when the tailpipe rotated up and melted the plastic filler.

 

[diesel4me]

Use it!..

I used conduit on one trucks filler neck when I made a flatbed,and it worked just fine..in fact,I bought the "elbow" I needed pre-bent at Home Depot for about 5 bucks!...I've also used chain link fence pipe with good results--its heavier zinc coating lasts longer than even EMT will!..I've made exhaust pipes from it too,that took 5 years to finally rust through!..(be sure to run a ground wire from the conduit to ground,to avoid static sparks when re-fueling!--a hose clamp works well to hold the wire to it..)...

As for the filler neck hose,yes,the "right" stuff is at least 10 bucks a foot! --I used radiator hose instead,and though it did not deteriorate,it did get hard as a rock,and would crack like plastic when I tried removing it a few years later...I hear silicone hose works good,but isn't much cheaper unfortunately..
Sometimes you can find "good used" filler neck hose at a junkyard..I think a "flex" hose for a radiator might hold up better than a "molded" hose like I used will..

 

[dremu]

I used conduit on one trucks filler neck when I made a flatbed,and it worked just fine..in fact,I bought the "elbow" I needed pre-bent at Home Depot for about 5 bucks!...I've also used chain link fence pipe with good results--its heavier zinc coating lasts longer than even EMT will!..I've made exhaust pipes from it too,that took 5 years to finally rust through!..(be sure to run a ground wire from the conduit to ground,to avoid static sparks when re-fueling!--a hose clamp works well to hold the wire to it..)...

As for the filler neck hose,yes,the "right" stuff is at least 10 bucks a foot! --I used radiator hose instead,and though it did not deteriorate,it did get hard as a rock,and would crack like plastic when I tried removing it a few years later...I hear silicone hose works good,but isn't much cheaper unfortunately..
Sometimes you can find "good used" filler neck hose at a junkyard..I think a "flex" hose for a radiator might hold up better than a "molded" hose like I used will..

Sweet! Yeah, I've got a nice brand spankin' ground strap waiting here for the project, as discussed in that other thread about dual tanks. I was thinking I'd hafta solder it, good tip on the hose clamp.

I have one or two extra filler hoses from the Pick-N-Pull, so I think that'll do for the twists and turns.

Thanks all!

-- A