Just stumbled across this entry on the Penrite website. Thought it might be of interest. Here's the link - http://www.penriteoil.com.au/tech_pdfs/ ... 0Fluid.pdf

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Thanks for that.
I use a 50/50 mix of the same, commonly used in USA by people on the minimania.com forum.
I've been told either de-ionised or distilled water is fine in the mix.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I like how they could have created a product line with a price to match, but instead just admitted users could just use a straight up pre-mix. Its nice to see the honesty.

This ignores their other classic oil lines which paint a picture of being optimised for MGs or Minis but aren't anything special...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

About 12 years ago Penrite used to sell Hydro fluid with the usual mark up. They gave up because nobody was buying it. (well why would you buy anti freeze for that price?)
This was the bulletin from back Then...



Didn't John Smidt say that his fluid was the correct mix made by the original supplier?
I think that sounds a much better choice.

After the first Rylstone Classic , i decided to lift my car up a bit to eliminate the constant scrubbing of the flares with a full load of fuel , luggage & spares , so after a bit of research i came up with this concoction ,





I ended up putting a 70/30 mix of Castrol Coolant , and De-mineralised Water in it with the aid of my homemade Hydro Pump , which worked a treat ,

I haven't worked out for certain what the role of the alcohol was in the original fluid.
I think it was for either anti-biological, or anti freeze, but quite possibly both... It certainly doesn't change the viscosity by any significant amount.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

In saying that Mick , i've heard of people putting X amount of Metho to the mix , not sure why , wouldn't the Metho detract the water factor , or does the Metho constitute for the Alcohol factor?

The Metho is a type of denatured alcohol that has an additive to make it poisonous and otherwise not tasty to the old soaks (methanol or similar). The people mixing it in they were doing the same thing (de-icing, or anti biological or whatever the true purpose) with the potentially complicating factor that now methanol is introduced into the mix.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Was there alcohol in the original formulation??? Ethylene glycol (which used to be the main constituent in anti freeze - but who knows what it is these days) is not strictly an alcohol - although it does have OH molecules.. I would have thought it was there to stop the suspension freezing.

While methanol is poisonous its included to make you throw up because metho is mainly vodka (ethyl alcohol)

Cheers, Ian (organic chemistry 101 was soooooo long ago:)

My mate has an original recipe

He got it from a BMC chemist yrs ago

He has had some trouble buying some of the chemicals needed as per original, with regards to people making bombs.

It is correct as it has that funny smell to it, that pulling apart and old hydro subframe has.

Been meaning to get the recipe from him, but just havnt done it yet.

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The British recipe...


The Australian recipe from HC Sleigh (Golden Fleece was the lubricant supplier for Zetland)

I have made the original UK fluid for a few years now for use in my own and customers cars, with the ingredients purchased through a chemical company here in Melbourne.
I have had to replace hydro bags that have become noisy when metho has been used.

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Have a Nice Day.
If already having a nice day please disregard.

The first fluid was red and from memory this caused squeaking with early cars, so they had the change the recipe.

I think I have a bulletin somewhere explaining it

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This is the only place in any BMC or Leyland documents I've seen that mentions the hydro fluid ingredients (near the bottom of the second page).

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

I can't decide which I prefer the taste of least. The triethanolamine phosphate, or the sodium mercaplobenzthiazole. Both seem so enticing!

What's their roles 850man? Are they for flavor or for something else? You have an awful lot of them in your picture..

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.