Tommy's A-series Misery - Austin Seven work continues...

[Tommyboy12]

I got the valves out of the 7 today. Most came out easily but one of them fought me bitterly. I had to drown it in plus gas and heat which ruined the valve spring in the process. Thankfully they're a tenner for a new set.

I also found a rounded tappet lock nut which I currently can't get out. Thats also stopping play alongside the valve for lapping them back in. I've had to order a small nut splitter to try and get the stick lock nut out.

I also decoked the head and block face today. Took a while with a brass brush in a Dremel. Here's the head before I did the last chamber. I'll run the head over some fine grit sandpaper to make sure there's no high spots before I refit it.

While cleaning the block and pistons I found out I've got a very over bored engine with +60 pistons. That means I have a mighty 792cc of side valve power! Note as well that there's little numbers stamped into the block near each valve. The expectation of an Austin 7 owner in the 30s was that you took the valve so out regularly for lapping and decoking so the block and valves are all numbered to help.

I also fitted my new windscreen with the help of two budding volunteers.

I didn't photograph it but I also rebuilt the front shock absorber with new drop link bushes and the friction discs all greased up. I also fitted a new starter pull cable.

That's it for today. One step forward on a few jobs but definitely left the engine in an even more disassembled state than when I arrived which is frustrating.

[comfortablynumb]

You have become @HMC aicmfp!

[Tommyboy12]

Started to progress on rebuilding the engine last night with a couple of hours of tinkering. First up I removed the broken tappet stud with a nut splitter and a chisel. It eventually broke loose and threaded out.

Then I set about lapping in the valves and refitting them. It turns out it's a bit painful to fit valve cotters upside down when gravity is working against you but eventually they went back in and now I have 8 nicely sealing valves! Hopefully that means the compression is back up on the low cylinder.

I also drained my fuel*. It smelt very pleasant*

Next up in going to fit the head and manifold and see if I can get it running!

[Tommyboy12]

I spent much of this weekend with @sharley17194 underneath his Vanden Plas 1100 at the Practical Classics Resto Show. If you stopped by the ADO16 stand at any point you will have seen us (or at least our legs) poking out from underneath a rusty looking shed.

The car was trailered in on Thursday night and we had a long list and over the course of three days we replaced the engine mounts, freed off the clutch, replaced the master and slave cylinders for the brakes and clutch. All the rubber hoses and a bunch of hard lines for the brakes. Rebuilt the brake calipers and driveshafts and also replaced the petrol tank, exhaust and carburettor, swapping from twin carb to a single bigger carb. We also replaced the dynamo with an alternator and fitted a new fuel pump. The chrome was mostly polished as it was covered in a protective paint. We did get the brakes to work and the clutch but unfortunately an issue with a sticking float stopped us driving out of the show. We also couldn't replace the exhaust as intended as the exhaust that was brought was too large.

It was all in the name of another road trip! A group of about 30 of us are heading to Holland for EMWalhalla (very similar to FOTU) and I am planning to take my Aggro VP and said to Simon that he should be taking his 1100 VP. He said bet but on the proviso that I spend a weekend getting rust in my eyes.

Day one

Day two

Day three

And a nice* clean* engine bay

Watch this space. This car will be coming to the Netherlands in 7 weeks!

[Tommyboy12]

Day 5,311 of trying to get the Austin 7 started. I actually did a fair bit to it today. I did a load of wiring including replacing all the wires wrapped and crimped with bolts with proper connectors. I rewired the lights after I found some cruddy wiring connectors too.

The cleaning of the fuel tank has also commenced. The fuel sender unit was completely bunged up with crud and seized solid. The car did come with a spare in a box of bits but the float is holed and has fallen off. I'll have to try my hand at soldering one good one together from these two.

I also went back through the carb to check the jet height and cork seals as it was dripping petrol when we last tried to run it. It all seems to be in reasonable fettle although there is some issues with the jet height being a bit low. It should be too much of an issue. I also had to make up some gaskets for the inlet as apparently the reason there were stacked gaskets is that the inlet manifold studs hit the carb if there aren't more than two gaskets. Great.

I also went through and reached all my ignition wiring as it's still not starting. I think I perhaps have it too advanced so I'm going to have to play with it some more.

We did get various coughs and bangs out of it but it absolutely refused to turn over for any more than 2 or 3 complete (albeit weak) revolutions.

[RayMK]

37 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

Day 5,311 of trying to get the Austin 7 started. I actually did a fair bit to it today. I did a load of wiring including replacing all the wires wrapped and crimped with bolts with proper connectors. I rewired the lights after I found some cruddy wiring connectors too.

The cleaning of the fuel tank has also commenced. The fuel sender unit was completely bunged up with crud and seized solid. The car did come with a spare in a box of bits but the float is holed and has fallen off. I'll have to try my hand at soldering one good one together from these two.

I also went back through the carb to check the jet height and cork seals as it was dripping petrol when we last tried to run it. It all seems to be in reasonable fettle although there is some issues with the jet height being a bit low. It should be too much of an issue. I also had to make up some gaskets for the inlet as apparently the reason there were stacked gaskets is that the inlet manifold studs hit the carb if there aren't more than two gaskets. Great.

I also went through and reached all my ignition wiring as it's still not starting. I think I perhaps have it too advanced so I'm going to have to play with it some more.

We did get various coughs and bangs out of it but it absolutely refused to turn over for any more than 2 or 3 complete (albeit weak) revolutions.

I'm sure you'll get the A7 running soon.  I was surprised by your carburettor which looks more like an SU rather than a Zenith.  Early Reliant sidevalve engines use a Solex AIC 26 or sometimes a Zenith 301Z.  As the Reliant SV engine is a derivative of the Ruby unit these may be an option, though availability is always a matter of luck for old types.   I've never liked SU carbs (if yours is in fact an SU) with their oil damped twiddly bits and needle sensitivities but that's just my irrational bias 😁.    

[Tommyboy12]

2 hours ago, RayMK said:

I'm sure you'll get the A7 running soon.  I was surprised by your carburettor which looks more like an SU rather than a Zenith.  Early Reliant sidevalve engines use a Solex AIC 26 or sometimes a Zenith 301Z.  As the Reliant SV engine is a derivative of the Ruby unit these may be an option, though availability is always a matter of luck for old types.   I've never liked SU carbs (if yours is in fact an SU) with their oil damped twiddly bits and needle sensitivities but that's just my irrational bias 😁.    

It is indeed an SU. A very early H-type. It was originally fitted to a Morris 8. To be honest I quite like an SU and am very used to them. While it's different from later HS and HIF types it works on the same principle so I understand it. It should have a Zenith side draft but I'm making do with what it came with. It should run on the carb as it's not too large I just need to get things fettled to the right settings