starter not turning over;but then it did?

[mixtboy]

parked on a hill and went off for a nice day in bath. came back to van, turned key... lights on dash came one (red/amber) but then when key was turned fully, nothing from the starter. it didn't turn over. just nothing. then i turned it off. tried again, nothing. fortunately, i was parked on a hill facing the right way (down!) and i bump started, no probs... i let it idle for 2 mins before turning it off to test the starter again. again, nothing on the key turn. bump started it again... drove home 40 miles. when i got home, i parked it in the garage, turned it off... turned the key, and voila, starter motor kicked over and it started. tried it three times in succession and it started each time.

any idea what this could be causing this? i want to take the car out tomorrow but don't want to have to be parking on hills (facing down!) everywhere i stop!!!

i've checked all the wires off the coil, distributor, leads into the plugs, starter and essentially every spade connector i can find... all seem to be connected. please enlighten me if you have any experience of this happening... thanks!

[bmcecosse]

Had you perhaps left the lights on - resulting in an almost flat battery? Otherwise - bad connection at battery/earth cable/solenoid. Could also be a problem with the starter. Or - possibly a troublesome key starter switch. Next time it happens - try pushing bthe button on top of the solenoid. And make sure you know how to use the starting handle properly!

[les]

Good point Roy, quite reassuring is a starting handle!

[MarkyB]

If the dash lights went off when you turned the key to start, check the battery connections and the battery itself.
If they didn't, look at the solenoid and the big brown wire that connects to it.

[mixtboy]

thanks for the advice. it may have been the starter motor caught up in the flywheel... that has happened on my vw camper and to unlodge it you put the van into third and roll it backwards a few meters. i see in the haynes manual for a minor it says to put it into gear and then rock the vehicle back and forth, side to side!

i also cleaned the fuel pump points. it's now started six times consequtively?

where can i buy a starter handle? my morris didn't have one with it. also, any opinions on replacing the S.U. fuel pump with points for one with electronic ignition? i am already changing the dizzie points set for electronic ignition as i know it does improve things... but what about the one in the fuel pump?

ta

[LouiseM]

where can i buy a starter handle?

Put an ad in the 'wanted' forum as someone here may have a spare one, or they come up on e-bay pretty regularly

[MarkyB]

Don't replace the SU pump!

Once an electronic one fails it's game over, no user serviceable parts inside.

SU pumps soldier on for about 30 years between services.

[simmitc]

Starting handles also available from most parts suppliers and certainly autojumbles and scrap yards.

[bmcecosse]

Your thinking is very muddled! Your engine was started by bumping - and then stopped - and the starter still failed to work - so the problem is NOT that it was jammed in the flywheel. Cleaning the fuel pump points would have absolutely no effect on whether or not the starter will run...... Electronic ignition parts will not fit a fuel pump..... and as above - the electronic versions of the SU pumps have not covered themselves in glory. I also believe standard points ignition is best for a reasonably standard Minor engine too - it's perfectly reliable with reasonable maintenance and it can be fixed at the roadside - if (when!) the electronic ignition fails you are stuck. Unless of course you carry the old points dizzy as a spare!

[mike.perry]

If the starter does get jammed then fit a spanner on the square shaft on the end of the starter and wind the bendix out.