Can I usee copper pipe for exhaust pipe?

[Looking4new]

The typical exhaust gas temperature is 1,000 F. Copper melt point is about 1900 F. Why cant I use copper pipe for exhaust pipe?

 

[Shaneard]

Once it gets real hot (towards manifold) it's going to anneal and get very soft, it's already soft to begin with. The vibration from the running engine will more than likely make your joints fail in no time with the heat. Ever wonder why you don't see things restored with copper exhaust? Because it won't hold up well.

 

[Billrog]

Electrical conduit works well & not to heavy lasted over 20 years on my last tractor.

 

[CADplans]

If the exhaust were short,, copper would work, it would be strong enough.

The big concern I would have is safety.
With copper, the outside temp would be close to the inside temp.
With steel, the conductivity is so bad,, the exterior is MUCH cooler.

How badly you are burned by accidental contact has much to do with the rate of heat flow.
Copper has VERY high heat flow,,,

 

[Egon]

Why not? Give it a try. Copper may be more expensive than steel.

 

[k0ua]

Why would you want to? What are your thoughts on a benefit of using it? I don't see any..

 

[nikdfish]

Copper work hardens, if temps aren't causing annealing, vibration might lead to fractures if not fully supported...

Nick

 

[Looking4new]

Why would you want to? What are your thoughts on a benefit of using it? I don't see any..

I don't have torches/welder or the means to bend steel piping, I can buy short radius copper elbows. That is the reasoning behind it.

 

[PILOON]

Why not buy flexible metal exhaust as sold by most auto parts.
No need for elbows etc and simply use 'U' clamps to attach.
From memory it can be had from 1" thru 2.5" in 1/4 inch increments, might however be 'special order' at some stores.

 

[hturner12]

You can get angled exhaust pipe connectors use band clamps, u clamps or weld up. If you don't have a welder mock everything up mark it take it to a welding shop or muffler shop have them weld it.

 

[hturner12]

Why not buy flexible metal exhaust as sold by most auto parts.
No need for elbows etc and simply use 'U' clamps to attach.
From memory it can be had from 1" thru 2.5" in 1/4 inch increments, might however be 'special order' at some stores.

Flex go up to 8 in I think

 

[Billrog]

At one time you could by rolls of flex pipe but when I bought some here recently at an auto parts store they said since it's become illegal to use on automobiles the max. length is 14" . There may be other places that still sell it in lengths.

 

[hturner12]

Go to Walker automotive exhaust. I just checked Orileys the sell it by the ft various sizes. Get the part number from Walker and just order it. By the way do you have reference to it becoming illegal. Every over the road tractor uses it. Unless your exhaust is attached only to the engine you have to have some thing that can move and take vibration

WALKER(R) EXHAUST SYSTEMS :: Universal Pipe

 

[coolreinfarm]

Somebody will probably steal the copper, around here they take rainspouts off the courthouse and steal copper out of houses. Use steel, it only has a scrap price of .02 cents per pound.

 

[hturner12]

I talked to a guy at a junk yard that I get parts for my truck, he told me cars are up to a whopping $4.00 / hundred

 

[Looking4new]

Part of my thinking is that I can do the tricky bendy stuff in copper (I can solder but not braze) and stake the joints with a self tapping screw. After the bendy parts a 3" stack held in place with standoffs (they are hangers if it was horizontal).
I don't care how loud it is, I'm half deaf anyway and I live in the country and never start to do anything other than drink coffee before 10 A.M. IF I find it is too loud, I have a muffler that was destined for my Farmall but missed the sale.
The whole purpose of this is (a) to make the engine breath better and (b) to get rid of the grass burner exhaust.

(a) 4 stroke engine strokes= suck, squeeze, pop, fooey. injection, compression, ignition, exhaust. Stuff a potato in your exhaust pipe and see how far you get. Not far. I have always run on the premise that in order to get anywhere with an internal combustion engine you MUST get the exhaust (fooey) out!

(b) the grass burner exhaust turns the snow blower black (normally it is orange), turns my loader arms black and tries to plug up when I am pushing snow banks.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I don't think a soldered joint would hold up to exhaust gas temps especially near the engine. I think your best bet is to do a wire mockup of how the exhaust needs to run, take that to a local muffler shop and have them make you a pipe. You could add a muffler to the vertical rise if you wanted (most likely would need one for sure).

 

[k0ua]

You mention being "half deaf", which many folks our age are, especially if they were exposed to a lot of gunfire or rock music concerts without hearing protection. Well with that open header you are proposing to make, then you will soon be "fully deaf" and wont have to go around "half deaf" any more. Here is the deal with hearing loss; it is cumulative. If you are "half deaf now, you need to be protecting your hearing all that much more. That is like if you have lost the vision in one eye, and are "half blind", you probably need to be wearing eye protection to keep from going fully blind.

They are your ears, but I will tell you that I have lost a lot of hearing acuity, and I am extra careful to always wear hearing protection to prevent losing any more than I have to. I appreciate mufflers on vehicles, and I would appreciate it if the government would not tax us and make us wait long periods of time to put a suppressor on our firearms.

 

[Egon]

If you try copper use the screws as intended and put on pipe clamps prior to soldering. Make sure some flux is on before fitting together.

 

[bcp]

I think you should use PVC pipe and fittings to build your exhaust system.







Then take it to a muffler shop and tell them to copy it in steel.

Bruce