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MG MGF Technical - DIY Hydragas Fluid

Hello,

My F is sitting at around 330mm and it's uneven. RH side is lower than LH by 8mm. Glad I sit on the higher side to compensate. :o)

I'm finally building my own hydragas pump (more news to follow on that). What fluid should I use?

I'm thinking at 100% rad fluid (50% water, 50% coolant). Is this alright? Mind you that here in Lisbon never freezes so I might as well dump the alchool. All I need is a corrosion preventive fluid. Is this fine?

Regards,

Valter.
Valter

Valter, see at Diete's site:

http://www.mgfcar.de/pump/index.htm

In Taiwan they use Quote:

75 percent pure coolant and 25 percent alcohol (methylated spirit) gets used in Taiwan
as hydragas fluid mixture :)

Unquote

Johan
Johan Slagter

Still valid ratios for the stuff.

By coincidence, I put my old DIY pump to garbage after nearly 4 years and bought a second hand professional today. (Liquid Lever pump, rare used)
The old was poor serviced by "the lazy owner" ;) and sadly rusted away inside. (springs rusty and sticking none return valves)
Unfortunately I had adhered the main parts together with 2-component adhesive and I realy have no sense to heat it up and dismantle for the repair.
However that pump had earned its money :)

Valter, and other who made an own.
Immidiately drain your pump after any use and flush the pump with spirit.

Good luck

Dieter
Dieter K.

And this shows the value of the original fluid rust inhibitors.... One can just wonder how the whole system looks inside,especially if there are any air-pockets left.
Do you still have the picture of the Rover Hydragas fluid container on your site Dieter ??

/ Carl.
Carl Blom

Yep, I have

http://www.mgfcar.de/hydragas/hydracontainer1.jpg
http://www.lame-delegation.de/mgfcar.de/hydragas/hydracontainer2.jpg
Dieter K.

Hi again.

I went to a Rover dealer for genuine parts and they had the fluid for sale. 5 lts of it will cost you €40.
But you can buy a small bottle (1/4 liter) for €10 and dilute it.
One can read on the bottle:
Non frost countries, such as Portugal, it's fine to dilute this entire bottle with 6.5 lts of destilled water.
Frost countries use 3.3lts of destilled water and 3.3lts of denatured alchool.
The bottles reads also "Hydrolastic suspension liquid".
The men behind the counter says it's the same fluid as Hydragas suspension.
P/N for this is AKF1296M.

It's good to do/use this? Should I believe him?

Regards,

Valter.
Valter

If I was to refill /renew the system I would go for the "homemade" fluid! Then at least I know that there are some good rust-inhibitors added from the coolant. In a total air-free (no oxygene present)system it might be OK with the original fluid - but just take a look at the pictures of the original container. Left on the shelf indoors at room temps for less than a year..... / Carl.
Carl Blom

Carl,

I can always use coolant instead of destilled water and mix that with the glycol based hidrolastic fluid.

My question is: is the hydrolastic fluid exactly the same as the hydragas one?

Cheers,

Valter.
Valter

>If I was to refill /renew the system I would go for the "homemade" fluid! >
If this may help I have recently refilled my hydra system with my homemade fluid: Castrol coolant and alcohol -50+50%-. This time did not add 30% of distilled water to avoid the rust factor. So far the system seems to work fine. Best. JM
JM Vega-P.

>> My question is: is the hydrolastic fluid exactly the same as the hydragas one? <<

Yes it is - if it's not, then my old Hydralastic sprung Mini is going to have problems!!! LOL
Rob Bell

Thanks.

I think I've sourced a manual pump capable for the job. Next weekend I'm going to try and raise the car. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers,

Valter.
Valter

>I have recently refilled my hydra system with my homemade fluid: Castrol coolant and alcohol -50+50%-. This time did not add 30% of distilled water to avoid the rust factor>
May be a good idea. Once I cut a failed hydragas unit to find lots of rust all around. If the system can work with a fluid with no or less water content perhaps the unit may last longer. I would like expert opinions about. AB
Allistar Brown

Allistar,

looked like this, did it ;-)
http://www.mgfcar.de/cut_unit/index.htm

Cheers
Dieter
Dieter K.

Hello all.

I am currently playing with the hydragas suspension on my Metro . I only bought the vehicle a short while ago and basically have noticed that the nose of the car is getting friendly with the bumps in the road. I went to my local garage and they reckon it'll cost 40 for both sides . Anyway I pulled off the front wheel on the side affected most and found that there was alcohol smelling fluid leaking out of the bottom of the hyragas unit a sort of luminous green stuff. My question is, is there any way of repairing the unit or do I require a new one, why or how do these units die.
Alex

they die in different ways.

1) blow lower diaphragma > hydra-fluid loss
2) blown upper diaphragma > nitrogen gas loss, height drops, but no hydra-fluid visible lost
3) rust away of inner valves. Poor damping.

Alex, I have bought a Metro front displacer recently in error.
RNK10002 Metro front (1990 on)
http://www.mgfcar.de/hydragas/all_02637_t.jpg
You can get it cheap, see email.
Dieter K.

This thread was discussed between 18/11/2004 and 28/11/2004

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.