Our Minis
OOur Miniswasn’t that effective...? I had nothing
to lose, so I grabbed a couple of
spanners, tightened the joint, and
repressurised the suspension back up
with the Liquid Levers pump. No
more drips.
It was a distinct case of déjà vu the
next time I went to fetch the Elf
though, and this time, the passenger
side wasn’t just a little lower, it was
down on the bumpstops and had lost
all pressure. The underside of the
rear subframe was soaked withhydro f luid. This meant only one
thing - a failed displacer. On the
bright side, my dodgy pipework was
still holding.
After talking to Tim at MiniMail,
I already knew that it’s not usually
the displacer itself which fails
(although this can happen), but more
usually, the pipe which comes out of
the unit which has the f lexible hose
attached to it. Tim even offers
reconditioned units with the
problem parts replaced with modernI
t’s starting to be a familiar pattern.
I spend some time on the Elf, I’m
happy with the progress that’s
been made, I take it for a decent run,
and then tuck it away in the unit in
the belief that next time I want to go
out in it, it will just be a case of jump
in and drive off. The Elf always has
other ideas...
You may remember that in my
haste to get the Riley back on the
road in time for Himley Hall back in
May, I decided that I’d attempt a
repair on the rusted through
hydrolastic pipes rather than replace
them. It’s a quick, temporary fix but
meant I wouldn’t have to drop both
subframes down to get new pipes in
place. No-one was more surprised
than me when the system
pressurised, and the car took us to
Himley on the magic carpet ride that
is hydro.
After a few days back in the unit,
the car was clearly staring to list
towards the passenger side. A quick
look under the car revealed a drip of
hydro f luid from the compression
joint between the new copper and the
old steel pipe. Maybe the repairDown, down
Despite repaired pipes, the Elf refuses to stay suspended.
The Elf doesn’t seem to be
happy unless it’s jacked up
and on axle stands.- Look into options for
the front seats. - Do something about
the paintwork.
To do listFirst job was to undo the flexible hose at the back of the subframe.Gerard Hughes
Editor
MINI LIFE Been into
Minis for as long as I can
remember. Worked on the
first issues of Mini
Magazine in 1996, and was
editor from 1997 to 2001.
Never been too far away
from Minis, the scene or
the magazine.
MINI SPEC Standard
1969 Riley Elf with lots of
rust, split seats and mostly
functioning mechanicals.MINIS OWNED
Quite a few over the years
MkI 1275GT, van, several
estates, Status 365 and
many cheap and cheerful
saloons.Our Minis
wasn’tthateffective...?I hadnothing
to lose, so I grabbed a couple of
spanners, tightened the joint, and
repressurised the suspension back up
with the Liquid Levers pump. No
more drips.
It was a distinct case of déjà vu the
next time I went to fetch the Elf
though, and this time, the passenger
side wasn’t just a little lower, it was
down on the bumpstops and had lost
all pressure. The underside of the
rear subframe was soaked withhydrof luid.This meant only one
thing - a failed displacer. On the
bright side, my dodgy pipework was
still holding.
After talking to Tim at MiniMail,
I already knew that it’s not usually
the displacer itself which fails
(although this can happen), but more
usually, the pipe which comes out of
the unit which has the f lexible hose
attached to it. Tim even offers
reconditioned units with the
problem parts replaced with modernI
t’sstartingtobea familiarpattern.
I spendsometimeontheElf, I’m
happywiththeprogressthat’s
beenmade,I takeit fora decent run,
andthentuckit awayintheunit in
thebeliefthatnexttimeI wantto go
outinit,it willjustbea caseofjump
inanddriveoff.TheElfalwayshas
otherideas...
Youmayrememberthatinmy
hastetogettheRileybackonthe
roadintimeforHimleyHallback in
May,I decidedthatI’dattempta
repairontherustedthrough
hydrolasticpipesratherthanreplace
them.It’sa quick,temporaryfix but
meantI wouldn’thavetodropboth
subframesdowntogetnewpipes in
place.No-onewasmoresurprised
thanmewhenthesystem
pressurised,andthecartookus to
Himleyonthemagiccarpetride that
is hydro.
Aftera fewdaysbackintheunit,
thecarwasclearlystaringtolist
towardsthepassengerside.A quick
lookunderthecarrevealeda drip of
hydro f luid from the compression
joint between the new copper and the
old steel pipe. Maybe the repairDown, down
Despiterepairedpipes, the Elf refuses to stay suspended.
The Elf doesn’t seem to be
happy unless it’s jacked up
and on axle stands.- Look into options for
the front seats. - Do something about
the paintwork.To do listFirst job was to undo the flexible hose at the back of the subframe.Gerard Hughes
Editor
MINI LIFE Been into
Minis for as long as I can
remember. Worked on the
first issues of Mini
Magazine in 1996, and was
editor from 1997 to 2001.
Never been too far away
from Minis, the scene or
the magazine.
MINI SPEC Standard
1969 Riley Elf with lots of
rust, split seats and mostly
functioning mechanicals.MINIS OWNED
Quite a few over the years
MkI 1275GT, van, several
estates, Status 365 and
many cheap and cheerful
saloons.