The hydrolastic valve I ordered nine days ago to make a budget hydro pump arrived in my PO Box today. It came from an aviation parts supplier in the USA and was accompanied by no less than 17 pages of documents, although some were just duplicates. They covered certificate of conformance stating the item has been manufactured, calibrated and/or tested to ATC's specification (presumably an aviation requirement), invoice, packing slip, Certificate of Origin for free trade agreement, commercial invoice and export document. The valve itself was in a small box inside a much larger box.

All this for AUD$60 purchase price, including shipping.

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

Wow!!

Thats a bit of a rarity to get that much documentation with a part/product these days.

Ive been meaning to get this exact same part for a while now to complete my pump also. Seems like a good price you got it at Doug!


Whats with the Lead warning on the brass components?

Contains lead to avoid static??

I got my H-556 from Sky Geek for about $60 delivered. http://www.skygeek.com/ats-556.html

I rang around a few local hose shops and they couldn't get it for me. I have since come across an Aussie supplier and the total delivered is closer to $80. https://www.airtecdirect.com.au/product ... tion-h-556

What pump are you using? Plumbers test pump or a grease gun.

Haven't decided yet.

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

Did you get this at trade?

many years ago, but I got mine from Blackwoods... and using a brake master cylinder

_________________
did I tell you that I won a trophy?

No, just a normal retail customer.

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

I did mine on the cheap, $0.00.
Mini clutch MC on a Fiat 124 pedal box, 2 S/h front brake hoses with a pipe in between.
The fitting is a Schrader brass valve cap turned down and soldered into a brass fitting.
Has worked fine for 30 years...

To use it, I bleed the hoses, screw the end hose and fitting onto the hydro valve, then tighten the pipe nut. Schrader valve acts as a check valve.

_________________
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.

The original pumps have a vacuum pump also to evacuate air from an empty setup I wonder how important this is.
I have seen the master cylinder homespun ones before and work well.

Vacuum not needed for general pump up, my BMC dealer in the 60s seldom used it unless new bags being fitted.
If there is any air in the system, I just pump it high, blow down as fast as possible, then pump again.

It mystifies me WHY BMC chose to put the fill valves at the back. The Morris 1100 (which predated hydro Mini) had them above the front bags, near the highest point. Easier to bleed then.

_________________
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.

An update on building my pump.

I purchased a second-hand RIDGID model 1450 plumber's test pump off eBay for $50 last week. I chose this one because it's a commercial quality tool, well made, has a good replacement parts program from the manufacturer and was located 10 minutes away, so no shipping cost. Maximum pressure is 725 psi so almost double what's required for the Mini hydro system.

These pumps retail new in Oz for around $500.

Yesterday Pirtek replaced the hose end fitting allowing the Schrader valve to screw straight in at a parts and labour cost of $47.50. The pressure relief valve knob was missing so I bought a replacement general purpose knob for $5 from JayCar.

So it has cost me $162.50 all up. A litre of original formula hydrolastic fluid from MKO was $15.40

Old fluid will dump into the large plastic tub and new fluid sucked from a bottle through the inlet tube. I'll report back once I've used it in anger.

In case they are of interest below is a sales brochure plus operating instructions.

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

I still have my grease pump derived hydro pumper upper. It seems to be giving good service still after a decade. I prefer the idea of the Rigid plumbers pump, but like that I can keep the fluid in it ready to go if I please.

Its hard to get a grease pump now though I have noticed. For a while there these things were all over the market, and super cheap at less than 100 dollars each. I don't know why they disappeared. Happy days there. I loved being innovative in the workshop!

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=59552&hilit=hydro+pump

EDIT: There's a cheaper pump available now, and it holds a much more reasonable 8 litres too for 70 dollars https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/8L-High-Pre ... SwlptZ5YI-

_________________
SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

Yes, I saw that one, but figured it would also need the Schrader valve so I would have to add $60 or so purchase price, plus $47.50 for the adapter and labour to fit to the high pressure hose. Also, whilst not essential I felt it good to have an inbuilt pressure gauge.

I'm guessing that 8 litre one and the other low-priced red rectangular metal cased plumber's test tools sold on eBay are made in China so may not be as good quality or have replacement parts. Others have said they work well but I guess it's personal choice. I'm always happy to pay a bit extra for better quality, whether that's a washing machine or car tool or whatever.

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

Lead content[edit]
To enhance the machinability of brass, lead is often added in concentrations of around 2%. Since lead has a lower melting point than the other constituents of the brass, it tends to migrate towards the grain boundaries in the form of globules as it cools from casting. The pattern the globules form on the surface of the brass increases the available lead surface area which in turn affects the degree of leaching. In addition, cutting operations can smear the lead globules over the surface. These effects can lead to significant lead leaching from brasses of comparatively low lead content.[10]

Silicon is an alternative to lead; however, when silicon is used in a brass alloy, the scrap must never be mixed with leaded brass scrap because of contamination and safety problems.[11]

In October 1999 the California State Attorney General sued 13 key manufacturers and distributors over lead content. In laboratory tests, state researchers found the average brass key, new or old, exceeded the California Proposition 65 limits by an average factor of 19, assuming handling twice a day.[12] In April 2001 manufacturers agreed to reduce lead content to 1.5%, or face a requirement to warn consumers about lead content. Keys plated with other metals are not affected by the settlement, and may continue to use brass alloys with higher percentage of lead content.[13][14]

Also in California, lead-free materials must be used for "each component that comes into contact with the wetted surface of pipes and pipe fittings, plumbing fittings and fixtures." On January 1, 2010, the maximum amount of lead in "lead-free brass" in California was reduced from 4% to 0.25% lead. The common practice of using pipes for electrical grounding is discouraged, as it accelerates lead corrosion.[15][16]

?