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Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt

I did this job at the weekend but the engine was on a stand so a lot easier, in this case both studs were broken but we were able to locate the housing on the broken studs, the ends of the studs were ground flat and the casting was used as a guide for a large drill just to mark the start for the hole, a small pilot hole was drilled followed by the correct size drill for the tap, care should be taken not to drill to deep, in our case the broken stud did not go to the bottom of the hole and the drill could be felt as it broke through the end of the stud. These holes are only about 3/8 inch deep and I used a first, second and bottom tap to make the thread, I also made a guide for the tap to insure the thread was at 90 degrees but something like a 1/2 socket could be used. To clear the oil filler pipe when tapping the thread I used a 1/4 inch socket extension bar the tap fitted nicely in the end.

Location: Pembrokeshire

Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt

Should it become necessary there is a repair plate which I think John Barlow supplies: http://www.austin7spares.co.uk

Method shown here: http://www.ba7c.org/technicalArticles/waterBranchRepair.html

I hope someone will step forward to volunteer hands-on help to you.

Location: North Herts

Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt

Not a Ruby, but a 1931 ish engine. It has nor run for many years & I am re-commissioning it to see if it will go. I put water in the system today & no obvious leaks apart from one at the top hose alloy casting on the head which cured itself (!) and a more serious one from the side bottom hose alloy casting.
If I had the engine running & warm enough some trusty Barrs Leak would at least bung it up, but I have yet to persuade the engine to fire up. (Have spark, precious little compression & a cleaned out sidedraft carb, so it WILL go!)
Is it too dangerous to attempt to undo the (pretty solid) fasteners that hold the alloy manifold on? In can imagine studs coming out (or are they bolts snapping).....
Easy answer is to let it drip to find it's level & top up when the engine fires up & let it leak away until warm enough for Mr Barr.
David

Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt

Yes, leave the manifolds alone. If you just want to make it run, just to say you have done it, water not required.

If insist on water, plasticene or araldite, until/if the Radweld takes effect.

Plugs out, thimbleful of fuel in each cylinder, plugs back in, and wind it up - if it is going to go at all, that usually produces a result.

Simon

Location: On a hill in Wiltshire

Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt

I'll try that...a blast of Plus Gas into the carb usually helps too. It is a bit oily in the combustion chamber as I squirted oil in there a few days ago to help the rings etc. Haven't checked compressions, but there is some!
D

Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt

David Harrison
Not a Ruby, but a 1931 ish engine. It has nor run for many years & I am re-commissioning it to see if it will go. I put water in the system today & no obvious leaks apart from one at the top hose alloy casting on the head which cured itself (!) and a more serious one from the side bottom hose alloy casting.
If I had the engine running & warm enough some trusty Barrs Leak would at least bung it up, but I have yet to persuade the engine to fire up. (Have spark, precious little compression & a cleaned out sidedraft carb, so it WILL go!)
Is it too dangerous to attempt to undo the (pretty solid) fasteners that hold the alloy manifold on? In can imagine studs coming out (or are they bolts snapping).....
Easy answer is to let it drip to find it's level & top up when the engine fires up & let it leak away until warm enough for Mr Barr.
David


I always wonder at people trying to run an engine that has "not run for many years". This could totally ruin an otherwise good engine. Years of standing will inevitably have allowed an amount of corrosion inside....cam lobes, crank pins/main bearings, valve stems, piston pins and rings etc, etc. This then causing scratches/gouging. It may be possible that it eventually runs but at what real damage to the engine and future unnecessary expensive repairs.. A strip and clean of the entire engine is really the only way forward.
Too often one sees on TV wheeler dealing programs this happening and one winces at the thought of the poor future buyer purchasing a quick resprayed tarted up beautiful-on-the-surface vehicle only to be stuck with expensive future repairs.
Sorry for rant people but why inflict unnecessary damage on our already hard worn little jewels,

Location: Devon

Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt

Willie has the side water branch adaptor on Ebay , item 292110802146

Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt

Despite dire warnings I pressed on. Clean oil, clag out of the rad and a spin over without the plugs. Oil pressure appeared, no alarming noises. Freed off the hand throttle. Advance & retard is stuck so disconnected it & moved distributor to retard. took the dust cover(?) off the side-draft carb & checked again that the (old) plugs sparked....they did! A bit of fuel in the tank...no leaks, but the tap is a bit sweaty. A spray of plus gas in the intake and I got a splutter! Opened the throttle a bit , more plus gas & it started & ran pretty smoothly; no clatters, Oil pressure ok, and showing a charge! A fair bit of smoke from 30 years of dust on the exhaust pipe burning off I knew the clutch disengaged, so tried first & drove down the drive. Select reverse & drove back! Only problem is that on a lot of left lock the N/S front wheel tightens up, so braking may be "interesting". I will see if I can lubricate the cross shaft & if that helps.

Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt


Re locking front brakes when reversing, have a look at the cotter pins in the brake actuating arms. I think the nuts should be at the front.
If not, fitting new cotters the right way round may make some difference.

Charles. In Split (Croatia) with Opal -- not a girl friend.

Location: Norfolk

Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt

Charles Levien

Re locking front brakes when reversing, have a look at the cotter pins in the brake actuating arms. I think the nuts should be at the front.
If not, fitting new cotters the right way round may make some difference.

Charles. In Split (Croatia) with Opal -- not a girl friend.


I agree, nuts front, balls out!

Oxford Jack, in Split with Bertie - not a boyfriend

Location: Split, Croatia

Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt

The topic of brake cotter direction has been covered many times recently. The factory
drawings in handbooks and elsewhere show front cotters with nuts to rear. Refer several posts by Bill Sheehan.
If arm too far forward, locking problems increased. The arranegment possibly useful for worn pre Girling brakes.

And I strongly endorse Dennis Nicolas comment above. With Sevens it is very easy to remove head and sump so seems a pity not to.

Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: Austin Ruby : Side Water Branch - Broken Bolt

I suggest removing the oil filler tube by unscrewung it, and plug the hole to avoid dropping bits and muck into the crankcase. Use a right angle drill to drill out the broken bit, trying to ensure that it is properly centred and in line with the bolt axis. Gradually increase the bit size until you can clean out the hole to size with 5/16" taps. Be very care ful not to impinge on the cylinder outside wall. Assuming all this works (it has for me in the past), use a 5/16" stainless steel stud in place of the bolt,loctited in place, make sure it has the right projection through the water joint, and fix the joint using 5/16" brass or stainless dome nuts on fibre washers; this way there should be no need for sealant on the joint face or on the studs. I'm a bit far away to lend you my drill, but a local tool hire company should have one quite cheaply.

Location: Just north of Cambridge