Austin SEVEN, Handbook

Page 1: ... i HANDBOOK OF THE SEVEN f PUBqCATION No 1725 PRICE ONE SHILLING r tHE AUSTIN MOTOR CO LTD LONGBRIDGE BIRMINGHAM J 11 j I t1 ...

Page 2: ...X NORTHFlELD C bl SPEEDILY BIRMINGHAM ENGLAND Cod BENTLEY S LONDON SHOWROOMS 479 483 Oxford Street W 1 Tel ph MAYFAIR 7620 Tel gwm AUSTlNETTE TELEX LONDON AND HOLLAND PARK HALL HOLLAND PARK AVENUE W ll Tel h PARK 8001 RepairandServieeDepotfor Seven and Ten Cars 25 NORTH ROW LONDON W Toi ph MAYFAIR 6211 S p mb 1938 I W of Book 1725 P eM quo h mb m CA ...

Page 3: ...uld repairs be executed by other than an authorised Austin Dealer for safety s sake always oblain a guarantee Ihat genuine Austin Spare Paris are used See Ihe slalemenl 01 the end of Ihis book with reference 10 Accessories In correspondencealways quote your car number body number will befound on the scuttle under Ihe bonnet 011the nearside chassis number on chassis under the bonnel on offside AFTE...

Page 4: ...s spare wheel and 4 tyre and blank number plates All littings are chromium plated except the wheel centres which are 01 stainless steel The Austin Seven is particularly suitable lor the woman driver It requires little physical ellort to drive and control and lor that reason its use enables her to do shopping calls without latigue visit her lriends attend social and other unctions or make excursion...

Page 5: ... 1 B II hea ingsthcoughout Oil p ity Iloin 1 lIo ing withdiff nti 1 nd 1o qu tuh B 1Ih ings nd th thcoughout Fin 1d ivchy h ft nd pi 1 hm Oil cop ity t pint A j I A P trol Pump Priming Lever S th E B DrainPlug tartmg e ngme Before attempting to start the engine make sure that the change speed lever is in neutral position and the hand brake on II the car has been standing for some time starting sho...

Page 6: ...es If after the foregoing measures have been carried out the engine fails to start the reason will probably be faulty ignition or carburation If faulty ignition is suspected first examine the wires and see that the sparking plugs are connected Then test the gap of the plug points by means of the thick end athe gauge provided in the tool kit If the points are dirty clean them If carburation gives t...

Page 7: ...should be withdrawn Irom the switchbox It can be withdrawn only when the ignition is off The lighting switch also controls the rate at which the dynamo charges the battery High Charge should be used in the Winter and when the car is used very little in the Summer Low Charge is lor Summer use when the batteries are not used a lot lor lighting or frequent starting and the car is used fairly frequent...

Page 8: ...is practice beats and wears it badly When descending a long bill or before commencing a steep descent engage one 01 the lower gears and do not accelerate The Gear Positi 12 The engine will tb n belp to retard the speed 01 tbe car When using the brake keep tbe clutcb in disengaging it at the last moment il topping tbe car Skidding Skidding is sometimes due to sudden braking on a greasy or loose sur...

Page 9: ...hind the gear box Turn the shaft to expose the nipple 11 Grease rear brake balance lever Examine water level in radi ator and fill up to within one inch of the top 2 Examine oil level in the crank case and add more oil if necessary The dip rod indi cates the level of the oil Change the oil first at 500 miles then every 2 000 to 3 000 miles 3 200 to 4 800 km when the oil reservoir gauze should be c...

Page 10: ...wing Extension 16 1 means of the brace on some models including vans it is not necessary to remove them entirely Pull the wheel outwards about tin and turn it a little to the left so that the large hole will pass over the nut The wheel can now be pulled off the hub When replacing these slotted hubs make sure that the large holes in the wheel centre are properly fitted over their pegs and tighten t...

Page 11: ...re placing it in the cover During the final inflation see that the edges of the cover are sea ted evenly round the edge of the rim Check this by the moulded line on the cover which should be about a quarter of an inch from the rim all the way round Covers are marked with a red spot near the wire edge This indicates the lightest part which should be fitted immediately over the valve Uneven Wear Bec...

Page 12: ...ump on to the diaphragm lIange In hot weather when petrol is likely to evaporate or when dilliculty might be expected on cold mornings it is advisable to lilI the carburetter by operating the hand priming lever on the pump before attempting to start the engine lt will be appreciated that il the engine comes to rest when the rocker arm is on the high point 01 the eccentric the priming lever will be...

Page 13: ...n that the strangler flap is closing properly and if necessary adjust the wire A choked slow running jet will also cause difficulty The jet should be cleaned only by blowing through it either with a tyre pump or orally Trouble can also be experienced if the throttle is not open sufficiently when the strangler knob on the dash is in the first notch In this case turn the adjusting screw a little to ...

Page 14: ...ents as with ordinary petrol there will be no trouble when using leaded fuel petrol containing a small proportion 01 tetraethyl lead The appearance 01 the valves when running on leaded fuel dillers Irom that associated with ordinary petrol but this is a well recognised lact to which no signilicance should be attached The deposit from such fuels can be removed by scrubbing the valves and their seat...

Page 15: ...break it by squeezing Ice in this hose will stop water circulation and may cause boiling Before using anti freeze mixture tighten the cylinder head nuts to make sure that none of the mixr ure gets into the cylinders The mixture may do considerable damage if it contaminates the engine oil 11 I Flushing To prevent the gradual formation of deposits in the cooling system with consequent impeding of th...

Page 16: ... After this the gap between the contacts will not require adjustment until a considerable mileage has been covered unless the contacts have burned The work of re setting the contacts when this has occurred should be left to a skilled mechanic For the normal adjustment first turn the engine by the starting handle until the contacts are seen to be fully open Then using the ignition screwdriver slack...

Page 17: ...A H T C bl B Mould dT io l and ensure thatit terminals are tight C Wuh D C bl S mod before making thIS test Ii D I cH I 111 I j c High Temion Terminal il I 30 l B I po I i I il i j Short Circuits To test for short circuits in the Iow tension wiring the cables from the switcbboard to the coil and coil to distributor which would equally cause irregular running have the engine turned while the igniti...

Page 18: ...sults To give the maximum strength this type of plug is non detachable but when it is necessary to clean ihem after a few thousand miles service it is a simple matter to take them to a good garage and have them cleaned on a sandblasting machine This will have the effect of removing the unbumt particles which adhere to the internal insulation as well a any soot or oil which may have accumulated dur...

Page 19: ... deteriorate the presence of these impurities must reduce its efficiency as a lubricant and in time cause avoidable wear Oils of the best quality resist contamination 34 j l jl 1 I i Ij 1 1 1 I I I Cleaning Ibe Oil Jet li 111 1 li I II I I I I I I 1 and consequent wear to the greatest extent Nevertheless it is imper ative that the crankcase be drained periodically to remove foreign matter and subs...

Page 20: ... V cnnm Engine Summer Doubl Pa nt E olube Motorin Adroidi ed Mobiloil Sh 1I wtrol XL 40 C NP A Wint Doubl Patent E olub Motorin Adroidi ed Mobiloil Sh 1I Ca trol XL 30 M NPXX A Gear Box Tripl Patent E rolub Motorin Adroidi d Mobiloil Sh 1I wtrol XXL 40 C NP3 RR Wheel Huhs h 1I R R Ca rol E o Bdmolin H B R Mobilg aod G a Heavy Grea C G a No 4 Grease Gnn Rear Axleaod E P Spi x Ca trol E oleum Motori...

Page 21: ...sher covering both sides of it with gre e When tightening up the nuts holding the oil reservoir to the crankcase do not pull up one nut tight but tighten each nut equally a little at a time JI 1 1 1117 W I I i1 See that the drainplug is screwed up tight then fill the crankcase with oil to the maximum level as shown on the dipper rod About half a gallon will be enough to fill Oil Gauge The oil pres...

Page 22: ...ich must first be removed with a spanner actually the wheel brace will remove the bolt very effectively Use the grease gun adapter Propeller Shaft The front splined end of the propellershaft is lubricated through a Oein the floortunnel on the near side and just behind the gearbox A small leather flap covers the hole Grease should be applied through the greasenipple monthly It maybe necessaryto mov...

Page 23: ...I I I I 1 AN INVITATION AUSTIN OWNERS and others interested are t invited to visit Britain s largest self contained motor works and see how Austin Cars are made The normal tour of the Works occupies two hours and appointments should be made whenever possible Tours commence daily except Saturdays and Sundays at IQa m and 2 p Q1 Visitors should ask the Commissionaire for the Reception Department or ...

Page 24: ...nd starting units on the Austin Seven car are arranged for wiring on the single wire system one path of the current being provided by the frame instead of a second wire It is therelore essential that all units are in good metallic contact with the frame Should difficulties arise that cannot be understood or remedied from the information given below application should at once be made to the Austin ...

Page 25: ...he output of the dynamo switch off all the lights and add the amount of current used for ignition about 2 amperes at normal speeds to the reading given on the ammeter The amount of current used for ignition may be somewhat higher than the above figure when starting The ammeter does not indicate the amount of current used by the starter A D F Cut Out and Fus Unit A Co 00 mow 6 Coo C A o fm o o o mo...

Page 26: ...drometer oss 0 capaCI y 48 I i I I I III H 1 1 il I The Electrolyte When the battery arrives e pty as in the case 01 cars sent abroad the lirst thing to do is to fill and charge it This means that a fluid is prepared composed of one part by volume of pure brimstone concentrated sulphuric acid with three parts by volume 01 distilled water Mix these in a glazed earthenware vessel Great care must be ...

Page 27: ... the equipment be examined by a Lucas Service Depot Fuel Gauge The electric fuel gauge is automatic and registers the contents 01 the luel tank It is active only when the ignition is switched on Conse quently when the tank is being replenished lirst switch off the ignition to stop the engine then switch on again and the needle on the dial will record the amount 01 spirit which is poured into the t...

Page 28: ...tal polish 52 Wiring Diagram Austin Seven w M no 0 00 C A f o I mcow W o mow T 0 le CO OAO OAm OA The Fuse A fuse is provided with the electrical dipper unit to protect the equipment in the event of the re flector failing to function properly The fuse is of the cartridge type and is carried in spring clips alongside the dipping mechanism If the re flector fails to function remove the fuse from its...

Page 29: ...by its housing B has two somewhat similar by the adjuster A a conical ended screw to the shoes Adjusting the brakes Both the hand brake and the foot brake operate on all four wheels They require adjusting when the hand lever can be pulled nearly back to the full travel on the rack and when the pedal can be pushed nearly to the floor board The car should never be taken out when in this condition bu...

Page 30: ... it to the hub and before the shoes can be removed for re lining the hub and wheel bearing must be extracted For this a special hub extractor is available For the rear wheel brakes see illustration on page 41 remove the axle shaft nut haviug first taken out the split pin and extract the outer portion of the hub by screwing an extractor on the screwed eud and turning the extractor bolt which bears ...

Page 31: ...the locknut C and raising or lowering screw B being careful to tighten up the lock nut when the adjustment is completed A special spanner is provided in the tool kit for this operation Check this adjustment when the engine is hot f I Removing the Carbon When the head has been removed the valves and tops of pistons will be exposed to view All dirt or deposit should be removed by carefully scraping ...

Page 32: ...removed also the three barrel nuts on the valve side can be removed without difficulty when the valve cover has been taken off For access to the nut at the front of the cylinder block the dynamo and casing with the fan bracket and fan must be lifted clear First detach the ignition leads and the lead from the coil from their sockets in the distributor cover Disconnect the dynamo and remove the fan ...

Page 33: ... for end play removing further shims if necessary To take up end play at the steering cross shaft remove the shaft and add one or more shims as required Tracking Adjustment One of the causes of premature tyre wear is the front wheels being out f track The wheels if they are correctly tracking should not be parallel but should be t in closer between the rims in front of the axle than they re behind...

Page 34: ...se rapid wear In addition great train is imposed on the bracket holding the shock absorber to the frame 64 THE CLUTCH How to Avoid Misuse and to Adjust the Operating Pedal SOME drivers are inclined to use the clutch instead of changing down to a lower gear particularly when they are almost at the top of a hill and it is only necessary to change down for a few yards Foot pressure is applied to the ...

Page 35: ...ith petrol Do not use the same sponge and cleaning rags lor the chassis and springs d other greasy parts as are used lor the coachwork Polishing Alter washing and drying use a good cellulose polish S ch a prepar ation imparts a brilliant surlace and preserves and beautilies the body On no account should metal polishes be used The more the surlace 01the cellulose linish is rubbed by the polishing c...

Page 36: ... key is required The numbers and in some cases the letters are also stamped on the keys Th I tt nd th m nuf tu cc follow H TV orLL Th y le TowneM nuf duringCo St nd d Worb Will nh ll St ff ZENI Th W lo lLo k nd C GeMCo Ltd N le St W J ll S ff ELMO orE with numh fwm4892 to 509I M Mol nd Son Ltd Ch rlotte St Sirmingh m 3 MRN MRA orNAX WilmotS d n Ltd Ea n Worb c md n St Sirmingh m 69 Dust may be bru...

Page 37: ... ab olutely neoe ary to quote tbe type aud number of oar aDd aho the comm ioniug date ELECTRICAL AI o Mirro Hom Lamp St rt Cutout B tteri Dynamo T ffi ton Switchbo d Wind eenwip I Jo ph Lu Ltd G at Hampton Stred Bi mingham 18 Do d eoht Ro d Acton V I London WJ nd B nch LUCAS CA V INSTRUMENTS SMITH Speedom t Petrol Gaug Oil Gaug S Smith and Son MA L d C ickl wood Wo h London N W z LIFTING JACKS R T...

Page 38: ...u v B i hton Kin ly Luoa Luoaa Lu v Lu m Lu Lu d p Lu m 757 759 Hi h Ro d Ley on E 1O Leytonaton 3361 Sh ph d Bu h 3160 Dynoma na Ealux LondoH Lu rd p L pton London Lu v Put London 155 M rton Road Wand worth S W l8 Putn y 5131 MANCHESTER T alho Road S tf d Long o d 1101 NEWCASTLE ON TYNE 2 64 68 St Mary Place 25571 Mo olit Luoaa S tfo d TbeAUSTIN MOTOR Co Ltd Longbridge BIRMINGHAM G P O Box 41 Td ...