In preparation for evacuating my hydro system, I was wondering if some of you could share your methods on doing this safely. I understand that the fluid can be pressurized to over 200 psi, so I just wanted to see how dangerous (if it is that) this is and how you go about preventing a mess on the garage floor.

Any advice (as well as good stories!) would be appreciated.

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- Merrick
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3/71 Morris Mini K

Well I will be doing mine in a week or so with the following method.

Wear safety glasses and maybe long sleeve overalls
Use long, narrow instrument to poke valve
Position vehicle over a drain or container of some sort
Poke valve and release fluid

or

If you have a tool to unscrew the valve, do that.

Are you going to have the vehicle supported in the air, or just on it's wheels?

If it is on it's wheels, then you will have a hard time getting to anything once it is depressurised. (won't fit a jack under it etc.)

If supported in the air there is also much less pressure in the system.

How are you going to repressurise the system? If you haven't already, look at making your own hydro pump, you will need a valve for this, and you can then use the valve to 'safely' release the pressure in the first place.

That being said, I used the valve and hose off an old foot pump as a way of releasing the fluid into a container. Use a bottle to minimse spay.

Also note, this is not a fluid tight connection, just minimises the mess.

Cheers

Matt.

PS Why depressurising the system?

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68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

Get yerself a 1.5-2 litre PET drink bottle....punch a screwdriver sized hole up near the neck (say about 2 cm down....waggle the poker you intend to use on the Schrader Valve around so that you can poke it through to where the lid normally screws on the bottle.

Heed all the above advice (especially eye protection) and carefully release the fluid into the drink bottle....short spurts is best.....you will get the vast majority of it this way.

When pumping it back up...try and flush the system if it is old and mucky.

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"Show me the Mini!"

here's my method:
http://www.angelfire.com/mech/ducho/elf_hack.MOV

(youll have to cut and paste into a browser)

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Inconspicuously Conspicuous
Appreciation without Depreciation
forever chasing clearer skies...

Thanks for the advice.

I did build my own hydrolastic pump out of a grease gun, a tractor tire fill valve, and multiple reducers/adapters. It works great for filling- it's just the evacuation part that I've never tried before.

The car's already up on jack stands, so I think I'm set.

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- Merrick
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3/71 Morris Mini K

Remove metal valve cap, turn it over, use point in its centre to push valve stem in. Watch your eyes....
Dump it on driveway and hose away.

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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.