Exhaust tubing? Wouldn't it rust out? A friend of mine is suggesting black pipe (Schedule 40). Yet another is suggesting copper. And another is saying Schedule 80 plastic black pipe.
What would you all run?
It's coolant. You know, the green stuff with added corrosion inhibitors designed specifically to be chemically compatible with cast iron blocks, aluminum heads, rubber hoses, copper radiators, etc. You'd probably get away with using steel, copper, stainless, aluminum but NOT the "sch 80 black plastic" approach. Black implies ABS and it is generally used as drain pipe and only rated to 85 deg C [185 F]. CPVC (higher temperature rating than ABS or regular PVC) is only rated for continuous service up to about 200 deg F. I'd avoid the schedule 40 black pipe as well simply because it'll weigh more than twice what it needs to.
Below is a path to the Ryerson stock list that shows carbon steel tubing options in the sizes you'd probably be looking at. The copper isn't a bad idea either and should be available at a local plumbing supply instead of a steel warehouse. Cost and availability, right?
http://www.ryersontull.com/stocklist/RedbookServlet?COM=GetTable&ID=1744Another consideration that the coolant may not address is galvanic corrosion. The theory is that some alloys have higher electrochemical potential and, using the coolant as the transfer medium, will steal ions from other metallic components in the system in order to reach a more stable energy state. Theory aside, I'd just electrically ground all metallic components and it'll most closely resemble an OEM installation.
