What temperature do you bake PVC?

[mahieber]

I can tell all ready where this thread is going to go, but I need to ask because my wife won't let me experiment with the oven.

I am bound and determined to get my custom intake done and rerouted to the other side of the engine compartment. One option would be to use 2 3/4 ID electrical PVC conduit. I envision heating it up and forming it to the shape I need. I want this to look good, as well as having a smooth path for the air flow.

Someone told me a trick for heating up and bending PVC. He said cut it a little longer than you need, put slip on end caps on one end, fill it with sand, cap the other end with a slip on cap, and heat it in the oven. He claims you get smooth bends, and the sand keeps the PVC from collapsing from its own weight when it gets soft.

The only trouble I have is that he doesn't remember what temperature he used to use when he did this kind of thing. Does anyone have experience with molding PVC after heating it up in an oven? Inquiring minds want to know a proper temperature to use in a household oven. Preferably, something that won't set off the smoke alarm or the carbon monoxide detectors. .

 

[Jason_25]

hah I can already see this heading for the "whoops" forum.....

 

[Bruce L]

I used PVC for my custom intake and it worked for awhile. It eventually warped from the under-the-hood temps.

 

[mahieber]

You must have taken the sand out of it huh?

Did you use straight pipe, or did you bend it? If you bent it, how did you heat it up?

What are you using now?

 

[mahieber]

Well after a great deal of research (not field testing) ihave found an authoritative source.

"A controlled uniform temperature of approximately 270° F is required to soften PVC conduit or CPVC pipe. These materials may be reheated and reformed if necessary without damage." Courtesy Bradshaw Mfg., Inc.

Now if I can keep my wife out of the house while the oven preheats...:fire:

 

[nosaj122081]

Just a couple things I thought of readin' your post-
After you heat it up, make sure you bend it around something... If you try to do it with your bare hands it will kink (I've bent PCV before and had that problem)... Maybe around a paint can or something. And if your PCV idea doesn't pan out you could always use some rubber, colored silcone, or braided lines... Good luck!

 

[Iggy flywheel]

chef

Why dont u try a torch to heat up the pipe Or go to the local muffler shop. They can bend u a 3" muffler pipe this is what I did for my section between the maf and TB It looks good....... used radiator hose to make connections

 

[nosaj122081]

Careful if you use a torch, it doesn't take much heat... I tried that method once, but must not have done it precisely right 'cause the whole house stunk like burning PCV for a week and I had to peel the puddle of pipe up off the floor .

 

[mahieber]

"You’ll need a fairly good heat gun for forming PVC because a hair dryer just won’t get the job done. A propane torch will also work, but you have to be extremely careful not to scorch the PVC or, even worse, set it on fire. Burning PVC can be dangerous because it gives off smoke that is quite toxic. " (actually hydrogen chloride gas) Courtesy Technova World :roll: