INTRODUCTION

In the design of Rover Cars every effort has been made to, simplify as far as possible the, amount of attention which the owner must devote to upkeep. For this manual we have endeavoured, by the use of illustrations, to make the instructions for items of routine maintenance as simple and as clear as possible. At the same time we realise that there may be occasions when the owner finds himself in some difficulty; such cases are dealt with by our Service Department and the information given on Page 117 will help you.

In the event of spare parts being required, they may be obtained through the nearest Rover dealer or in cases where difficulty is experienced, directly from us. A list of Rover Dealers is given at the back of this book.

It will be realised that from time to time, alterations in design and in the make of various accessories occur. and this instruction book, while being kept up-to-date as far as possible is not to be taken as a standard specification of our 1948 models. We reserve the right, to alter the specification at any time and, without incurring any obligation to incorporate such alteration in, cars already delivered.

The purchaser is earnestly requested to fill in the Guarantee form supplied with the car, upon receipt of which we will place his name on our list of owners and return- the completed Guarantee form.

THE ROVER Co. LTD
SOLIHULL, BIRMINGHAM,
ENGLAND.
JANUARY, 1948.

PREFACE

This little book has been written mainly for the beginner, but as we do not know whether you are a beginner or not, we would advise you to read it too. It gives little or no information about how to carry out repair work; that is dealt with in an entirely different way and you can read all about it on Page 117. What we do want to tell you about concerns chiefly those small things that you must do from time to time if you expect to get the best possible service from your car; lots of these items you can get done for you, of course, but there will still remain quite a few, which if you do not do yourself will not be done at all. In consequence your car will not give you the pleasure you have a right to expect from it and may well cost you more than it should.


"Apart from the fact that
he sometimes broke his
thumb"

By the way, this particular section of the book is not written for your benefit, it is only for the "other fellow," so if you feel like skipping' it, now is your chance . . . If you are still with us, we would draw your attention to one of the peculiarities of motor vehicle design; it is that nearly everything the Designs Department invent to save the owner trouble also provides the owner with yet another opportunity for getting into trouble. For instance, take the question of engine starting; there was a time when the driver had to dismount and wind the engine up from the front every time he wanted to start-his temper was often strained to breaking point, apart from the fact that he sometimes broke his thumb.

So the Designs Department gave him a button to push. Nothing could be more simple-you push a button, this completes an electric circuit and turns a pinion which engages with teeth on the flywheel; so the engine is turned and, we hope, will start. Nothing could be more simple, you say, but actually there are two fairly big pitfalls and most drivers have fallen into them both at one time or another.

The first is that a starter motor takes a lot of current. If you use it too freely the battery may give up the unequal struggle and both it and you will be left flat. Don't carry on pushing the button if the engine does not fire, find out why it won't fire-information on Page 21 may help you.

The second pitfall is not quite so obvious, but it can be much more expensive. When, the engine begins to turn under its own power, the starter pinion is flung out of mesh and comes to a standstill whilst, if all goes well, the engine continues to run. If the engine does not continue to run you will have to push the button again, but don't do it until you have given the flywheel a chance to stop-a few seconds will do. if you don't, the starter pinion (stopped revolving) will meet the flywheel (still revolving) and the meeting will be very expensive, a few gaps where there used to be teeth and maybe a broken starter housing.
CHOKING. Of all the gadgets provided by the manufacturer for an owner's benefit, the choke is probably the most misused. Most drive is love to push or pull a knob, especially do they love pushing a knob meant to be pulled and vice versa. - The purpose of a choke is to enable the engine to be started easily from cold and the purpose of this paragraph is to tell you to push it in again as soon as possible.
Let us explain what the choke does and why it must be used intelligently.
A petrol engine operates on a mixture of petrol and air. When the engine is warm this mixture is made up of about 13 parts of air and one part petrol by weight with the engine at full throttle. At halt throttle a mixture of about 17 parts air, and one part petrol will serve.

"Most drivers love to
push or pull a knob"
These mixtures are only satisfactory when the engine is warm; to start the engine and to cover the warming-up period much richer' mixtures are required. For instance, if an engine is cold, and the outside air temperature is very low, a petrol-air mixture of about one to one is required; that is a very rich mixture indeed but it is only required for a moment or two.

This very rich mixture is provided by the carburettor at the actual instant of starting with the choke control' tight out, but as soon as the engine is firing on all cylinders the air-petrol ratio is stabilised at the warming-up mixture of about 5-1. This is still too rich for use after the first few moments of running, so we arrange for a still leaner mixture, about 9-1, obtained by pushing the choke half-way in.

Even at 9-1 the mixture js still so "wet" that excessive cylinder bore wear would follow if it is used too long and this is were we must ask for your help; you must push the choke in-right in and you must do it as soon as the engine gets warm enough to run on the proper mixture. Remember, with the choke half-in the mixture ratio is 9-1 for full throttle and 12-1 for part throttle; with the choke right in, the ratio is 13-1for full throttle and 17-1 for part throttle. There is lot of difference between the two and result of that difference means engine wear may be increased by between two and, three hundred per cent.
Now, as this is only a preface, it cannot be allowed to anticipate the entire contents of the book; the two examples given are only two of many things to which we would draw your attention, so we ask you earnestly to read the rest of the book even if your standing as a motor owner is very long and very high indeed, because if your attention is only held by one small point, it will have been worth while.

SPECIAL NOTES IMPORTANT TO THE NEW OWNER.

In order to obtain the Certificate of Guarantee operative with your car, it is essential that you should, with the minimum of delay, either fill in and post the guarantee form supplied or ask your supplier to do it for you. Failure to do so may seriously jeopardise any claim you may have on the Company under the terms of the standard guarantee.


THE CAR NUMBER.
The car number will be found on a plate fixed to the scuttle, exposed when the left-hand side bonnet top is lifted (Fig. 1).

Owners are requested to quote this car number in all correspondence; it ingot be emphasised that the registration number of the car is no use whatever to us.

FUSES.
In the event of any electrical component failing to function, first examine the fuse on the voltage regulator box on the left-hand side of the scuttle (see Fig. 1 and Page 81).

THE RUNNING-IN PERIOD
The running- in period is 500 miles (75 Km.) during which period 35-40 m.p.h. (55-65 k.p.h.) should not be exceeded, but even after that the car should not be driven at prolonged high speeds until it has done 1,000 miles (1.500 Km.). Never race the engine when cold at any time during the life of the car.

The instructions pasted on the windscreen are only general and to get the most lasting benefit the owner will not only obey' these, but also see that he does not, on prolonged stretches, do even 40 m.p.h. (65 k.p.h.) if it means using full throttle during the first 500 miles (750 Km.).


Fig. 1. Car Number Plate and Fuses.
A-Car number plate.
B-Fuse "AUX IGN."
C-Fuse "AUX."
D-Spare fuses

"First examine the fuse"		 For the first 750 miles (1.000 Km.) it is recommended that the oil placed in the engine sump, gearbox and rear axle by the manufacturer be used; at 750 miles (1.000 Km.) this should be changed in accordance with the service check-over to be given by your dealer.
In the early life of the car we recommend the use of an upper cylinder lubricant, either: Wakefield's Castrollo, Mobil Upperlube, Shell Donax U, or Motorine U.C.L, which, should be added to the petrol in the proportion of one fluid ounce to four gallons of petrol (three centilitres to twenty litres of petrol).

PETROL
The petrol filler cap is at the rear 'of the left-hand side of the car; the tank capacity is 11 gallons (50 litres) including a reserve of approximately 1 gallon (4,5 litres).
Any good brand of No. 1 petrol or benzole mixture is suitable for the car, but, if the best results are to be obtained, We strongly recommend using a good Alcohol Blend or Ethyl Petrol.

PETROL AND OIL LEVEL GAUGE
The petrol and engine oil level gauge are combined in one instrument situated at the top left-hand corner of the instrument panel (Fig. 2). The gauge will always show ZERO when the ignition is switched off.

If it is desired to read the petrol level with the engine stationary, turn the ignition key to the ON position, when the level will be immediately indicated' on the gauge.
It. must, be stressed that, while the gauge will always give a reliable indication of the petrol level, it is not a precision instrument and therefore cannot be employed to derive accurate petrol consumption figures. Such tests should always be made with an auxiliary tank of known size.
The gauge also serves to give a rough check on the engine oil level and should be used at frequent intervals. To do this, switch on the ignition, press the small button adjacent to the gauge and the oil level will- be indicated. For an accurate check use the engine dip-stick (see Lubrication Section Page 30).

PETROL RESERVE SWITCH.
The petrol reserve valve is controlled by a switch in the centre of the instrument panel, which must normally be in the MAIN position (Fig. 2). Turn the switch to the RESERVE position when it is desired to draw on the reserve petrol supply. Do not forget to return the switch to the MAIN position when the tank has been refilled.
The operation of the 'switch' closes a valve in the main feed tube in the tank, thus causing the petrol to be drawn up the reserve feed tube. Access to the valve is obtained by' removing a panel in the boot floor.


COOLING

WATER.
The radiator should be examined frequently to make sure that it contains plenty of water. When filling, use soft water for preference; rain' water will do, as this prevents to a great extent furring up of the inside of the radiator, cylinder jackets and pipes. In any case, occasionally empty out the water by opening the drain taps at the bottom of the radiator and on the cylinder block and refill with clean water. If complete draining of the system is desired, it will be necessary also to remove the car heater body and empty separately, as this portion of the system is not emptied when the two drain taps are opened. This action would, of course, only be necessary when the car is being stored in cold weather.

The total capacity is 20 pints (11,5 litres) on " 60 " and 24' pints (13,5 litres) on " 75 " models.
It will be necessary, if the radiator is filled when the engine is cold, to check the water level again after the engine has reached working temperature, when it may be found that additional water is required.
This is due to the thermostat preventing the water from entering the cylinder head until working temperature has been reached.

ANTI-FREEZING MIXTURE.
The thermostat also makes it necessary to take steps to prevent the possibility of the radiator freezing when running in cold weather.

For this purpose we recommend the use of an anti-freezing mixture or a radiator muff. If a muff is used it must be kept closed until the engine is thoroughly warmed up.


"It is necessary to prevent the
radiator freezing in cold weather."

If an anti-freezing mixture is used, it is imperative that when the winter is over, steps be taken not only to drain off the mixture but to flush the system through several times with very hot soda water in order to remove all traces of it. Failure to take this precaution may eventually, after a season or two of neglect, lead to the complaint of boiling.

As some anti-freezing mixtures have a corrosive effect upon the thermostat and the. water pump gland, we have found it necessary to confine our recommendation to that which we know to be suitable from personal experience.

BLUECOL has been tested and. found satisfactory in every respect; for your own protection, we advise, you to use nothing else.

IGNITION CONTROL
The timing of the ignition is controlled automatically by mechanism in the - - distributor. In addition an OCTANE SELECTOR is fitted. This is a vernier adjustment attached to the distributor (see Figs. 8 and 10) fitted with a sliding portion controlled by an adjusting screw and a calibrated scale marked R (retard) and A (advance) with a number of divisions between.
The ignition is set with the heavy line the scale on the sliding portion against the mark on the selector body, thus leaving one division further possible advance and four divisions retard.


"Should it be necessary
to use low grade petrol." 		This setting is correct when using an Ethylised or an Alcohol fuel and a clean engine, but should it be necessary at any time to use a low grade petrol or should pinking develop as a result of the need for decarbonising, the control can be retarded a little by turning the screw in an anticlockwise direction. Do not forget to return it to the original position when reverting to high-octane fuel or after decarbonising, as only in that position will the maximum performance be obtained.