Theew is a thread over at the C1/C2 Corvetteforum about oil pressure signal lines. One person claims two have failed. Everyone says they are copper. WRONG!!! The OEM signal lines looked like copper,but they are copper plated STEEL. If you have an original you can verify this with a magnet.
If you have a repro, I highly recommend that you check it with a magnet to be sure it really is copper plated steel and not copper. If your line is copper colored and non-magnetic it is, indeed, copper and is GUARANTEED TO BREAK.
Copper is very ill-suited to this application because it rapidly work hardens and becomes brittle in the presense of vibration and strain (movement) and is a totally inappropriate material for any automotive fluid line.
If you have a copper line, replace it with either a correct copper plated steel line or a plastic line until you can find the proper part.
I don't know the validity of the claim - to casual observation the line LOOKS like copper because of the plating, but the report of failures makes me suspicious. If you did buy a copper oil pressure signal line you should demand your money back and take steps to insure that the vendor stops selling these parts and replaces their inventory with a correct copper plated STEEL line.
You can certainly consider this to be a safety issue, and in addition to making a mess and stranding you if the line breaks, there is also the possibility of serious consequential damage if you loose most of the oil. Judges should also consider checking all copper colored oil pressure signal line with a magnet to insure that they are steel and certainly warn the owner of the consequences if they are not magnetic.
Duke
If you have a repro, I highly recommend that you check it with a magnet to be sure it really is copper plated steel and not copper. If your line is copper colored and non-magnetic it is, indeed, copper and is GUARANTEED TO BREAK.
Copper is very ill-suited to this application because it rapidly work hardens and becomes brittle in the presense of vibration and strain (movement) and is a totally inappropriate material for any automotive fluid line.
If you have a copper line, replace it with either a correct copper plated steel line or a plastic line until you can find the proper part.
I don't know the validity of the claim - to casual observation the line LOOKS like copper because of the plating, but the report of failures makes me suspicious. If you did buy a copper oil pressure signal line you should demand your money back and take steps to insure that the vendor stops selling these parts and replaces their inventory with a correct copper plated STEEL line.
You can certainly consider this to be a safety issue, and in addition to making a mess and stranding you if the line breaks, there is also the possibility of serious consequential damage if you loose most of the oil. Judges should also consider checking all copper colored oil pressure signal line with a magnet to insure that they are steel and certainly warn the owner of the consequences if they are not magnetic.
Duke