Water manifolds

[David.H]

What is the best way to seal the bolt head or stud nut where it meets the cast aluminium manifolds (Water outlet & inlet branch)?
The parts list says that a "set screw" (BC20/BC21/BC22 ) is used without any under head washer (neither flat nor spring).

As a point of order!! I understood that a set screw was fully threaded to under the head, and a bolt had a plain shank.
The Parts book illustrations clearly show what I would describe as "sets" as "bolts", and elsewhere in the parts list fully threaded fasteners are called bolts!
Did the terminology change, or have I been labouring under a misapprehension for years? Of course, to confuse the issue, short "bolts" are often threaded right up to the head to give sufficient thread engagement!
Is there anywhere published a list of fasteners used on Austin Sevens by diameter/thread/head style? 
I wonder if/when Austin ever "commonised" the part numbers across the range of vehicles...Austin 12's etc must have used the same etc fasteners as Sevens.

[Austin Carr]

Some fastener details for a 1932 LWB Box Saloon at the bottom of the page:-

http://www.austin7.org/Data%20Pages/Tech%20Data/

[Nick Lettington]

Last time I changed mine, I inserted a single fibre washer with a blob of blue goo either side for good measure. 8 years on still holding water... But I'm no purist and there may be a better way.

[David.H]

Some fastener details for a 1932 LWB Box Saloon at the bottom of the page:-

http://www.austin7.org/Data%20Pages/Tech%20Data/

Thank you very much, I will spend a quiet half hour working on this!
Very helpful link!
David

---

Last time I changed mine, I inserted a single fibre washer with a blob of blue goo either side for good measure. 8 years on still holding water... But I'm no purist and there may be a better way.

That was the way I was thinking, but I wonder what was used "in Period"....perhaps it dribbled a bit!
D

[Bob Kneale]

To provide a good watertight seal  (practical if non original), I countersink the hole in the top of the casting with a 45 degree cutter, just deep enough to accommodate
 the volume of an 'O' ring of the same i/d as the unthreaded portion of the stud and screw down the nut (or setbolt head) to squish the'O' ring into the cavity. A better engineering solution would be to counterbore  the cavity just deep enough for the volume of the 'o' ring to squish up fully within the counterbore space. I suspect though that most of us have access to countersinks...............

Fit a plain steel or fibre washer between nut and 'O' ring and the job's perfect for thousands of miles - it's the rubber/cork gasket against the block or head face that's  more likely to give out. I've done several engines like this and I've still got friends!  

Life would have been so much easier if 'O' rings had been readily available all those years ago!

Hope this helps

Cheers
Bob

[Nick Turley]

What is the best way to seal the bolt head or stud nut where it meets the cast aluminium manifolds (Water outlet & inlet branch)?
The parts list says that a "set screw" (BC20/BC21/BC22 ) is used without any under head washer (neither flat nor spring).

As a point of order!! I understood that a set screw was fully threaded to under the head, and a bolt had a plain shank.
The Parts book illustrations clearly show what I would describe as "sets" as "bolts", and elsewhere in the parts list fully threaded fasteners are called bolts!
Did the terminology change, or have I been labouring under a misapprehension for years? Of course, to confuse the issue, short "bolts" are often threaded right up to the head to give sufficient thread engagement!
Is there anywhere published a list of fasteners used on Austin Sevens by diameter/thread/head style? 
I wonder if/when Austin ever "commonised" the part numbers across the range of vehicles...Austin 12's etc must have used the same etc fasteners as Sevens.

I find Dowty washers are the best solution.
Hope you find that helpful.

[AustinWood]

I fit dome head nuts to prevent water coming up the thread.

[David.H]

Thanks for the advice. I will try 8mm Dowty, I think they should do it!David