Hi guys,

So I was driving around on the weekend and the car (73 Leyland) was feeling great with the new tyres. I went into a small pothole and the left side of the car has dropped especially the rear. Drove it home slowly, the wheel was slightly scrubbing the arches, parked it home and realised the fluid was leaking out of the hydro nipple at the rear. Looked up the internet and read it might be possible to get it up by pumping air into it. Tried that, didnt work.

Im a newbie in the mini world, can you guys tell me what needs replacing.

I will be getting it towed to minisport, would be good to know what I am in for.

Please advise on what parts would need replacing as well and if I should replace the right too.

Thanks

The valves at the back are similar to a car tyre valve. If one is leaking it may just be a matter of letting the fluid out, fitting a new valve, and pump back up. Minisport will have the proper pump and all that shouldn't cost much and can almost be done while you wait.

I don't know where you read you can add air. The normal pressure is almost 300psi. More than 7 time car tire pressure, and it's all liquid no air in there.

Check elsewhere for any evidence of leaks. Under the bonnet look down the hole that the braided hose disappears into and around the hydro bag at the rear. Look for fluid leaks. Worst case a bag will need replacing. They are getting hard to find now days.

Rather than tow you can drive carefully and slowly with the hyro right down (says so in the drivers handbook) but depends how good your bump stops are. Tyres may scrub on the guards.

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

Sorry just re read where you said your Tyres are scrubbing. If it's bad and you think you might damage guards then best not drive. Other solution is someone may be able to come to you with a pump to save towing.

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

Thanks for your reply philb!

The article I read said you can pump it if it has dropped and you need to move it as a temporary measure. But if it is 300 psi that wont be possible! Thanks for the heads up.

RAA will tow it for free so I am not going to bother driving it. I suspect my bump stops are not in the best condition as well.

Will get them to have a look and diagnose.

RAA won't know anything about it. You need a mini specialist to "pump up your hydrolastic"

put your location in your profile and someone near you will recommend somewhere, or have a pump at home

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Read the posts.

RAA will tow it for free. So towing is an option.

He will get it towed to minisport. Clearly he is in SA unless the towing company is feeling particularly generous.

Worst case you could be in for new bags and lines on the side that's down. Minisport sell them for 165 per bag, so worst case budget two of those. Have no idea what the charge for lines/valves. Do some homework www.minisport.com.au.

I would guess that it'd be under 700. Any more than that and start considering the conversion to dry.

I think Simon means Suburb/Town Location. A surprising number of people have home made pumps.

Once you try pump too it up it will be obvious where the leak is. I helped pump one up last week and the valve was leaking, changed the valve and it was all good.

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

So many people said to me that there gonna get rid of the fluid suspention and go to cones cause there sick of not being able to get new parts for them and have to buy 40+ year old parts with no warranty to fix it with at the mitg show yesterday

PM sent.
Good luck with your fix.

On a side note, I was on a veteran car rally last year when a 1915 Reo broke down with a suspected magneto problem. He called the RAA and expected them to fix it roadside. Ummmm....not sure if they'd look at that. Lol.

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Justin

Its great once you have the pump, nothing stops you from working on the suspension. Before that you are kind of hogtied to a workshop for any work on your hydro or suspension gubbins. Luckily they're pretty easy to create yourself.

Happy to help you fix the suspension pulsk001, if you happen to be in the ACT region.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

Excellent. More parts for those of us that love the hydro.

It's a superior ride and many people wish to simply keep the cars as original as possible. Also from what I have seen a lot of the 40 year old parts are of a far superior quality than any new parts.

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

A lot of money

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Ive had both factory hydro mini and factory cone mini and reckon the cones are alot better ride

The bloke with the red qld plated mini with the trailer at the show on sunday is pulling his out in another mini he has and throwing in cones

Maybe they were a good ride 40+ years ago but why would morris /leyland go from using cones when they first built the mini in 59 to hydro in the mid 60s then back to cones from mid 70s till the end of the classic mini in pom land in 2000

Because of costs.. Same reason they went to rod change until the end.. Stopped rotodipping and rust proofing the body..

By the mid 70s BL was losing money and looking at any way to reduce costs.

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Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484