Fellow Hydro fans - having recently being involved with Ken's Elf (rego rejection), I am curious to learn if anyone has considered/tried/experimented with an alternative fluid in hydrolastic cars eg ATF, silicon etc. The reason for this strange request is that the quality (IMO) of current hydrolastic seems to me more like low quality crap antifreeze (read lime cordial) and of lower viscosity/quality to the original factory fluid. Apart from the huge task of removing the displacers to drain out all the old rusty crap, can anyone forsee any drama in using e.g. dextron as a replacement as I reckon it would be more corrosion resistant and probably never need replacing. Good thinking or just plain dumb

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1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

Forgive my ignorance... but I'm sure I read somewhere that hydro fluid is just a mix of water and antifreeze...

perfectly correct- but we all know there's antifreeze & antifreeze ie some more protective than others. I was just surmizing - no water, no rust/corrosion possible in the pipes, displacers etc.

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1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

Step 1) Buy 100% Ethylene Glycol (not just antifreeze from big W) You can actually buy a tectalloy brand one that is 1180g/litre Ethylene Glycol, (99.8%, plus bittering agent)

Step 2) Buy Distilled Water (Demineralised, NOT 'spring' water!! )

Decide on the ratio, more Ethylene Glycol = more viscous.

I run a 50 / 50 mix and it works well.

Some racers use 100% ethylene glycol with good results!

Don't mess with oils etc, unless you really know what you are doing is MHO!

Cheers
Matt

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

Wasn't there a lubricant of some type in the mix as well ? An ex dealer's son I know used to reckon the first ones released in OZ with hydro would make a sort of squeak/swoosh noise on bumps so a lubricant of some form was added ????

What I do know though is be carefull with it , it burns like hell when you get sprayed in the eyes with it .

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OK, thanks Matt. I guess using "straight" EG would make the ride firmer due to higher viscosity, would that be correct? I am guessing the hydro fluid (HYL 3848) sold by our friends in the trade is OK for 1100's, deluxes etc but too watery for Coopers fitted with the stiffer displacers .

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1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

yes Ian, the original fluid sure was pretty evil gooey stuff. Maybe the new fluid is intended to be more 'environmentally friendly'

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1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

Somebody on here (M1100?) posted the original recipe for hydro fluid a while ago. I know it had water and alcohol and a bittering agent in it, I can't recall the %.

Watch it putting oil or ATF in, you will probably rot the rubber.....

I hear from US Mini people that 50/50 water and glycol works OK.


I've used Karcraft's hydrolastic fluid for the last 12 years, never had a problem.

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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.

Quite a few guys advertise that they are using the original fluid (I can't believe that it's still available, I reckon some may be simply filling up the can with their own brew myself) whe n they are repairing the hydros. What's the quality of this stuff like?

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

I reckon it smells and looks like what I used 25 years ago, I've gone thru 8 litres in 12 years on various cars, and no problem.
It didn't rust the steel tin out, so must be good!

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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.

that was me... it was published in the vic club's magazine and I typed it out



http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1875&highlight=alcohol

I use 50/50 Castrol 95% Glycol antifreeze and tap water - comes out the same colour it went in - my 50/50 measuring is by eye - half way up the old cordial bottle

get drunk and say this "mercaptobenzthiazole", actually, say it when you're sober

I would have thought all the alcohol would diffuse thru the hoses etc in time...
maybe that's why when you drain an old one it's er... rusty looking.

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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 guess that poses another question , is there a useby date for hydro fluid in a car , should it be drained and replaced (well , 80% replaced anyway without removing everything to get it all out) every 10 years or so ?

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The triethanolamine is the lubricant and the sodium mercaptobenzthiazole is a bug inhibitor to stop nasties growing

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

Better to use distilled water, tap water has all sorts of ions in it to start promoting oxidisation (rust) inside your hydro system. Ethylene glycol IS a corrosion inhibitor but why tempt fate?

Matt

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