Created by: | Orig. Posting Date | User Name | Edit Date |
| Mar 14, 2020 09:29AM | Turnip82 | |
| Feb 2, 2020 11:01AM | RogerOtto | |
| Jan 31, 2020 10:24PM | 66Cooper'S | |
| Jan 30, 2020 11:34AM | Morninglightmountain | |
| Jan 30, 2020 11:27AM | jedduh01 | |
| Jan 30, 2020 09:11AM | Alex | |
| Jan 28, 2020 10:16AM | jedduh01 | Edited: Jan 28, 2020 10:18AM |
| Jan 28, 2020 06:45AM | Spitz | |
| Jan 27, 2020 10:59AM | swindrum | |
| Jan 23, 2020 07:58AM | jedduh01 | |
| Jan 23, 2020 05:59AM | charrison | |
| Jan 22, 2020 03:53PM | RogerOtto | |
| Jan 22, 2020 11:31AM | malsal | Edited: Jan 22, 2020 03:31PM |
| Jan 22, 2020 10:42AM | Spank | |
| Jan 22, 2020 10:38AM | Spitz |
Posted:
Mar 14, 2020
09:29AM
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Total posts: 20
Last post: Mar 21, 2020 Member since:Jan 22, 2020
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When I was planning on pumping my hydro lines I was telling my dad about making this pump from a grease gun. He remembered using a hydrostatic text pump years ago plumbing back in Ireland. I looked them up and found one on amazon for less that $30, it has a gauge already on it and has an open reservoir.
I also ordered a female schrader valve and all I had to do was get a galvanized adapter and nipple to make them work together. It worked flawlessly for pumping the Lines as this pump goes up to 25 bar. The only criticism I have is that the pump is mounted to the tank and the tank is aluminum so it had a bunch of flex in it and eventually bent. I plan on reinforcing the tank to give it more strength. I was probably less than $40 into it but more importantly I got to spend the day working on my car, not building a tool.
I also ordered a female schrader valve and all I had to do was get a galvanized adapter and nipple to make them work together. It worked flawlessly for pumping the Lines as this pump goes up to 25 bar. The only criticism I have is that the pump is mounted to the tank and the tank is aluminum so it had a bunch of flex in it and eventually bent. I plan on reinforcing the tank to give it more strength. I was probably less than $40 into it but more importantly I got to spend the day working on my car, not building a tool.
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Here is the pump I built using the www.austinamericausa.com site.I used the NAPA Tractor Tire fitting and a brass fitting adaptor between this fitting and the grease gun.
I visited a John Deere tractor distributor and they suggested the grease gun pictured. It has two settings - high volume, low pressure and low volume, high pressure.
when mounted vertically as pictured the grease gun plunger can be removed and liquid can be added without taking apart the grease gun when more liquid is required.
I added an inexpensive pressure guage from Tractor Supply.
Roger Williams
1966 Austin Cooper S
LHD, WET, Personal Export
1966 Austin Cooper S
LHD, WET, Personal Export
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spitz
Looks like Todd's America site is gone bye bye
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I used a refrigeration hand pump through a set of hvac gauges with a valve stem attachment. worked fine.
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I cant take credit for that Master Cylinder pump assembly = Ill agree tho it was a great tool
I borrowed it /rented it from another mini owner from Texas . Whom now has sold his car and this tool onward.
He built it for his hydro car and had the right parts and it worked great.== I don think you could re make it very cheaply.
From the master it had an adapter fitting to a one way ball valve ( so when you pressurize it doesn't push fluid back to cylinder.
Then the Pressure gauge 350 PSI = to a proper hydrolic line.. then to a low loss tire fill valve.
The Low loss valve lets you press the Schrader valve , FILL and keep pressure= then take the schader off and close the system before disconnecting the line.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jedduh01
Edited:
Jan 28, 2020
10:18AM
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Image Gallery
I now see this forum does not let links work correctly.
cut and paste or google search.
//www.austinamericausa.com
under - Technical advise
Suspension and steering.
I learned about the tractor tire fill valve trick from my friend and long time British car mechanic Peter Jergens. Peter owns "British Sports Cars" here in San Luis Obispo and has been using his homemade grease gun/tractor tire fill valve pump for years. I've borrowed it several times.
Now, thanks to a great tip from Don Cameron in Canada, who sent me an email and photos of the hand pump he'd just built after visiting my site, these assemblies are even easier to make.
Don used the Tractor Tire fitting from NAPA, part number 90-234. He then went to a Hydraulic shop that sold him a brass fitting that adapted from the garden hose threads on the Tractor fill valve to the 1/8th inch pipe threads on the grease gun flex hose. He says it fit and worked perfectly. The brass adapter was $3. Nice solution Don, thanks!
I made my own grease gun using Don's method. I couldn't find the same adapter that Don used, but with an additional brass "bushing" I was able to step down from 1/4" to 1/8" pipe threads. Again, about $3 for the adaptors and $18 for the Tractor tire valve.
I spent a total of $55 to make this pump out of all brand new parts.
NOTE:
Many users of the grease gun fill method have complained that it takes too long and leaks a lot of fluid. One of these folks decided to try an air powered grease gun (you'll need an air compressor) and wrote back to say that it worked fantastic and pumped the car up in literally seconds.
Using the grease gun style pump:
-You can screw this Tractor Tire Valve fitting onto a standard cartridge using hand pump style grease gun with an 18" flexible hose. To use, simply remove the end cover on the grease gun, as if you were going to install a cartridge, turn the gun nose down, and pour the Hydrolastic fluid into the gun. 50/50 anti-freeze and water can be used in lieu of actual hydrolastic fluid, which is still available. Leave the end cover off the gun and keep it turned nose down during the pumping procedure. Basically, the gun is acting as a funnel at this point.
Pumping up the Hydrolastic system:
-If the Hydrolastic system has been opened up for any reason, it will have air inside which must be removed prior to pumping up. To do this you'll need to hook up a vacuum pump and pull the system under a vacuum. Either an electric vacuum pump or a venturi style pump that operates on air from your air compressor will do the job. Once the system has been evacuated, it can be pumped up.
-Harbor Freight sells an air powered vacuum pump for about $10.
-If you don't want to mess with evacuating the system, here's what to do: Loosen the hydraulic hose fitting that is located just below the floor of the trunk. To access this fitting, remove the cargo floor in the trunk and you'll see two oblong rubber plugs that are pressed into the sheetmetal of the car's trunk floor. These are located up on the "hump" where the trunk floor curves up and over the rear suspension. Removing the plug(s) gives you access to the hydraulic fitting that connects the suspension hard pipe(s) with the rear displacer(s). Crack this fitting open. Begin filling the system as you normally would. As you are filling, wait for fluid to start to be expelled from the loosened rear fitting. It's sort of like bleeding brakes, and once the rear fitting is leaking, snug it up, and fill the system completely. Once the system is full, bleed off some pressure. This should blow out any remaining air. Top the system up and you should be good to go.
-If the Hydrolastic system has not been opened up, but one or both sides are low, you don't need to evacuate the system. Unless you are unsure if someone may have had it opened at one time. For example, a car that is just low because a previous owner thought it would be a good idea to lower the car by simply releasing system pressure. This car won't need to be evacuated. Or a car that has been sitting for a number of years and is "down" on one or both sides. This car won't need to be evacuated either.
-To fill the system, screw the Tractor Tire fitting onto one of the car's schrader valve service ports on the flexible hoses that come up out of the front Displacer Units. Fill the grease gun about half way up with fluid. Now depress the bleeder valve on the Tractor Tire fitting and slowly pump the grease gun handle until fluid runs out of the bleeder. Now you know you won't be pumping air into the system. Release the bleeder and continue slowly pumping the grease gun handle. Pump up each side of the suspension (if you are raising the entire car) alittle at a time. Rock the car once in a while to help the suspension settle. Continue pumping until the suspension is to the correct pressure and height: 220psi and 13-5/8" from the center of the front wheels to underside of front wheel wells. There is no measurement given for the rear wheel well heights, but if the rear is sagging, you'll need to adjust or repair the 2 auxiliary springs fitted to the rear subframe. Your manual will give details on making the rear height adjustment.
An alternative Hydrolastic Suspension System Fill Valve:
-If the Tractor tire fill valve is not available in your area, here's a solution. This actuall fitting was given to me by a former British car mechanic who used to work on the 1100's in England. He told me this is the fitting he always used with the grease gun style pumps.
It is simply a grease nipple, or zerk fitting, threaded into a metal shrader valve cap.
That's it!
| Hydrolastic Suspension Fill Fitting | ||||||||||
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| Alternative fill valve | ||||||||||
Re-hosing the hydrolastic displacers:
There are rubber reinforced hydraulic hoses that are crimped onto the fitting that rise out of the tops of the Hydrolastic Displacer Units at the front and the rear of the car. If the hydrolastic suspension system's rubber hoses fail, all is certainly not lost and there is absolutely no need for panic.
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Looks like Todd's America site is gone bye bye
"Everybody should own a MINI at some point, or you are incomplete as a human being" - James May
"WET COOPER", Partsguy1 (Terry Snell of Penticton BC ) - Could you send the money for the unpaid parts and court fees.
Ordered so by a Judge
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The grease gun pumps are agonizingly slow...
Sean Windrum
1996 MGF VVC
1970 1275 GT Racer
66 Austin Countryman
63 997 Cooper (Under Construction)
63 MG 1100
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You can use a brake or clutch master cylinder (bean can style), in its pedal box, mounted on a small frame.
Car engines make CO2 and trees absorb CO2. By running your engine you're feeding a tree and helping the environment.
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I built one using www.austinamericausa.com
check the Technical Advise section then click on Suspension, brakes & steering.
mk1-forum also has good instructions.
just do a search.
check the Technical Advise section then click on Suspension, brakes & steering.
mk1-forum also has good instructions.
just do a search.
Roger Williams
1966 Austin Cooper S
LHD, WET, Personal Export
1966 Austin Cooper S
LHD, WET, Personal Export
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spitz
Does anyone have a link, or supply me with instructions on making a pump out of a grease gun.
Thanks
Thanks
I guess all the parts to build one are readily available but as you're working with 300 plus psi it may be easier to buy the gauge and Schrader valve fitting then get a hydraulic hose company to crimp it all together for you.
If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.
Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.
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ebay search "hydrolastic pump''
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=hydrolastic+pump&_sacat=0
'
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=hydrolastic+pump&_sacat=0
'
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Total posts: 13996
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Does anyone have a link, or supply me with instructions on making a pump out of a grease gun.
Thanks
Thanks
"Everybody should own a MINI at some point, or you are incomplete as a human being" - James May
"WET COOPER", Partsguy1 (Terry Snell of Penticton BC ) - Could you send the money for the unpaid parts and court fees.
Ordered so by a Judge
