Busted Overflow Pipe

[mikell]

The 8 cyl e34's have the expansion tank mounted on the firewall, and it is connected to the top of the radiator by a plastic (!) tube. While working on my headlights, I broke this plastic tube, which turns out to be pretty brittle after 11 years in the engine room. Right now, I have done a quick and dirty fix with rubber fuel line hose, but about 3 feet of the plastic stuff remains.

I could simply replace the plastic tube with an OE part, or I could find some metal tubing to bend to fit. Here's the question - does anyone know whether the use of copper tubing will eventually corrode and cause harm to the cooling system? Putting another piece of plastic in there just does not seem like the best solution, even though the OE part lasted a good long time.

Thanks for any input.

[uscharalph]

The 8 cyl e34's have the expansion tank mounted on the firewall, and it is connected to the top of the radiator by a plastic (!) tube. While working on my headlights, I broke this plastic tube, which turns out to be pretty brittle after 11 years in the engine room. Right now, I have done a quick and dirty fix with rubber fuel line hose, but about 3 feet of the plastic stuff remains.

I could simply replace the plastic tube with an OE part, or I could find some metal tubing to bend to fit. Here's the question - does anyone know whether the use of copper tubing will eventually corrode and cause harm to the cooling system? Putting another piece of plastic in there just does not seem like the best solution, even though the OE part lasted a good long time.

Thanks for any input.

I'm curious about your answer. I have a copper T in my car, bypassing my heater core.

[mikell]

Thinking about steel fuel line as a possibility. Anyone second that one?