The other day together with my wife (not a particular Austin Seven enthusiast) we were out in my seven when both of us noticed a strong smell of petrol. I pulled over to investigate and could see petrol shooting out under pressure from the banjo coupling connecting the petrol pipe to the carburettor. Each stroke of the petrol pump produced a nice jet of petrol spraying over the engine and exhaust manifold. I very quickly switched off the engine and found the connecting bold had come loose. Once re tightened we then continued home without further incidents. I have since changed the fibre washes and put some non hardening gasket sealant on the thread to prevent future loosening of the connection.

It was a very hot day when this happened and I am amazed that we didn't catch fire. Does petrol need something else other than a heat source to ignite such as a naked flame or an electric spark such as you get with spark plugs.

John Mason

Location: Nottinghamshire

Petrol can self ignite at around 230°C which is quite low and probably close to the temperature of an exhaust manifold. For this reason it's important not to have neat petrol squirting about in the engine compartment!. Later cars with Zenith 26VA carbs have a flitch plate on the nearside with a channel to direct any drips away from the manifold. However I do like a belt and braces approach and apart from making sure that all pipe unions are tight and well sealed I also carry a 1kg fire extinguisher in the car. You never know.

Location: Gard, France 30960

A few years ago I had a very worrying moment with the chummy special. I was driving a few yards backwards and forwards slamming on the brakes to centralise the shoes (Morris minor hydraulic conversion), a bit of petrol spilled from the petrol tank cap, front tank of course, onto the exhaust and burst into flames. It must have been a very small amount but it was enough to blacken and slightly damage the bonnet paintwork and send me into panic mode. I'm glad the Nippy has a rear tank.

Location: Calbourne Isle of Wight

A worry also to owners of AB & AC Type Sevens where the petrol tap is located directly over the exhaust manifold. These taps are notorious for leaking and need lapping in every so often to keep them leak proof. Why Austin's ever designed their positioning in this way is a mystery but eventually the tap was moved outboard, away from the manifolding.

Location: Melton Mowbray

Many years ago at a SA7C Doone Rally during driving test antics, Ian Dunford's Chummy
caught fire due to fuel spillage from a leaking petrol cap. Lucky for him I was able to grab an extinguisher from someone elses car and was able to put it out. It was however a worrying moment for all present. Lesson learnt...avoid all fuel leaks and carry an extinguisher which is easy to get at when needed. I really must get one!
Vince Leek

Whilst on the subject of extinguishers, I'd suggest every Seven should carry one - not just for the petrol-fire possibility. You probably have very old electrical wires running (and rubbing) through the holes in the firewall - unless you've well-grommeted them (and even grommets wear through). Plus rubbing up & down between tank-rear and dash with every bump, on older models it's only a matter of time before that 'trapped blue smoke' escapes. When the latter happened to me I re-actively reached under the dash to quickly pull the wires out, had the red-hot wires burn through to the finger bones, flavoured with molten rubber. I think the smoke was blue, maybe the air was that colour after I saw and felt what was done! I'd be surprised if my experience was unique.
Cheers, Bill in Oz

Location: Euroa,Victoria

In fifty years of regularly driving Sevens and it's never happened from a fuel and I've witnessed a lot of fuel squirting about....not intentionally I hasten to add. Absolutely nothing wrong with the advice offered an extinguisher being compulsory in Europe. A fire blanket isn't a bad idea either (or in emergency a rug, had to use one when a junction box melted and caught fire).

Location: Ferring, West Sussex

May be a bit late but Lidl did have some extinguishers last week and were still available yesterday at the Weymouth and Dorchester branches, so might be worth a look. I have three ,one for the workshop,one in the kitchen and the last for the car. For those that don't know me,I lOst thirteen cars when my business burnt to the ground,the fire being caused by the candle company next door. I HATE CANDLES !!!

Location: Piddle Valley

I think petrol evaporates so quickly from hot surfaces that it doesn't usually reach its flame point (280 degrees) but of course the resulting vapour is dangerous. I believe that oil and especially brake fluid are more likely to catch fire as they sit on the hot surface and hence reach flame point. Old type brake fluid especially dangerous.