The car is struggling to start off the key

[Elainesminor]

Hello everyone

My daughter Chloe has just finished work and when she has come to leave, she says the car is struggling to start, She has had it started a couple of times, but it keeps spluttering and coning out. Do you think a push start? Might get it going properly?

Regards Elaine x

[geoberni]

Elaine

If it's struggling to start, spluttering and conking out, I doubt a push start or jump start will help.
It sounds to be fuel related, either too much, too little, or poor quality, i.e. contamination.

Have there been any other issues leading up to this or is it a sudden incident?
Has she refuelled on the way there this morning?

[rocco]

Seconded. Push starting a faulty engine is unlikely to be a good idea unless it's battery or starter motor related and you just need a quick, short term fix.

There are so many things it could be but your daughter would need to be prepared to provide more details or to answer a few more questions, starting with geobernis'.

When was the last service done? Does the fuel pump tick, dizzy cap cracked or worn, rotor arm condition, points in good order, fuel filter (if fitted) not blocked? That's for starters.

[myoldjalopy]

Is there fuel in the tank? And can we presume the car was running fine before this afternoon?

[oliver90owner]

As nearly always - check for a healthy blue spark.

Is the fuel pump ticking?

Check the choke cable is operating.

All easy to do.

Other comments like fuel filled recently are appliccable.

Then, we beed to know if fuel is short or excessive- starved or flooded?

[Elainesminor]

Hi guys

I’m so sorry I didn’t get back to you with the outcome and issue , after trying to start it over and over again I could hear it cough and splutter , it did start twice but just died , I asked if she was using choke , she said yes , I told her to push the choke fully in and try, she only turned over, not even a splutter , she pulled it back out to full and tried, splutter again , eventually she ran the battery flat trying, I said to Chloe “ she’ll be flooded now anyway “ she said she wasn’t cos she couldn’t smell petrol, I asked her where the fuel gauge was reading, Chloe replied 1/4 tank , it turned out she parked the car on the bank near work cos the car park was full and the fuel gauge was faulty and she’d ran out of petrol

Elaine xx

[Bill_qaz]

With no fuel at tank pick up you should be hearing the fuel pump constantly clicking.
Maybe a tip for future.

[myoldjalopy]

"she’d ran out of petrol"
I did wonder!
But a nice easy fix - we like them

[Elainesminor]

Good afternoon, everybody

My daughter Chloe went out last night in the car with friends. She returned About 1am And because it was so late and the noise the garage door makes when opening and closing it and the fact it wasn’t raining she just left the car on the drive, I got up at 9 am and it was already raining and it has rained all day but at 1 pm I decided I would go and do some shopping, After getting ready, I’ve gone out the back door and into the garage to find the car missing, After going back in, I had to tell Chloe that somebody had stolen her car, The reply I got was “ Mum, it’s on the drive “ , I said that’s a shock , anyhow, after getting over the shock I went out got into the car and I just had a funny idea. She wasn’t going to start and I was right ignition on full choke and she only turned over. I tried a second time with the same result so I eased the choke into 3/4 And tried twice with the same result, then pushed the choke into halfway and tried twice, but she still wouldn’t start, Just to stop me doubting myself I pushed the choke fully in and tried once, but I wasn’t expecting her to start without choke. Anyhow then I pulled the choke back to full again and tried another twice to start her., by this time Chloe could hear what was going on and came running out so I jumped over into the passenger seat and Chloe got into the driver seat turned everything off pushed everything in and then began from scratch ignition on choke out full then back in just a tiny bit turn the key and she failed to start. Chloe tried a second third and fourth try then turn the ignition off pushed the choke in and said she Wasn’t going to start, so we ended up pushing her into the garage and putting the battery on charge and hope she might start in the morning, Can anybody tell me why when she is left outside on the drive overnight and it rains? Why won’t she start or why? Is she a right pain to start?, Neither myself or Chloe did anything wrong nothing out of the ordinary for some reason the car just doesn’t like to be left outside on the drive when it’s raining

I just hope somebody has an idea that can help us and please don’t somebody say put the car in the garage overnight because that is easiest said than done when you don’t Actually, do it

Elaine xxx

[geoberni]

First thoughts, if you had a lot of rain, the ignition system might have got as little damp; which might have made it less happy to start, but, depending what the temperature was, the car might not have needed full choke, so with so many attempts to start it, it might have just been flooded.

I would never try to start mine with full choke unless it was full on winter.

[Elainesminor]

First thoughts, if you had a lot of rain, the ignition system might have got as little damp; which might have made it less happy to start, but, depending what the temperature was, the car might not have needed full choke, so with so many attempts to start it, it might have just been flooded.

I would never try to start mine with full choke unless it was full on winter.

Hiya

Thanks for getting back to me, The only reason I tried full choke is because she had stood outside for 12 hours in the pouring rain , I wish now I had maybe tried half choke then three-quarter then full rather than the other way around, I couldn’t smell petrol and neither could Chloe when she came out to have a try, She has sat in the garage now for approximately 90 minutes so if I had flooded her, will she be okay to go and try and start her now?

Elaine x

[myoldjalopy]

Fire her up! But go easy on the choke.
Your problem is likely either over-enthusiastic use of the choke, or damp in the ignition system. Hard to know at a distance.
Next time this happens, spray WD-40 all over the ignition HT leads and dizzy cap to disperse any damp before trying to start, going easy on the choke, unless it is very cold weather. Old/dirty ignition leads and dizzy cap can cause damp to interfere with ignition. Sometimes cleaning and drying these parts may cure the issue, otherwise replacement.

[geoberni]

Fire her up! But go easy on the choke.
Your problem is likely either over-enthusiastic use of the choke, or damp in the ignition system. Hard to know at a distance.
Next time this happens, spray WD-40 all over the ignition HT leads and dizzy cap to disperse any damp before trying to start, going easy on the choke, unless it is very cold weather. Old/dirty ignition leads and dizzy cap can cause damp to interfere with ignition. Sometimes cleaning and drying these parts may cure the issue, otherwise replacement.

As Above.

The only reason I tried full choke is because she had stood outside for 12 hours in the pouring rain

Choke is more to do with temperature and the resultant vaporisation of the fuel, than the air being damp.

High performance, i.e. race engines, can use water injection alongside fuel injection.
While water in the fuel itself can cause lots of problem, water vapour during the actual combustion process can add a lot of extra power.

[rocco]

I wonder the suggestions I made a few weeks back were heeded? Dizzy cap would be the first place I'd look if I suspected dampness.

[Elainesminor]

Fire her up! But go easy on the choke.
Your problem is likely either over-enthusiastic use of the choke, or damp in the ignition system. Hard to know at a distance.
Next time this happens, spray WD-40 all over the ignition HT leads and dizzy cap to disperse any damp before trying to start, going easy on the choke, unless it is very cold weather. Old/dirty ignition leads and dizzy cap can cause damp to interfere with ignition. Sometimes cleaning and drying these parts may cure the issue, otherwise replacement.

Hi there

I meant to message you back on Sunday, by the time I picked up your reply it was to late to go out shopping but I still decided to go and see if she’d start rather than leaving it to Chloe Monday morning, after getting in and turning the ignition on, after the fuel pump stopped I was just about to pull the choke out then decided to try her in reverse order so left the choke in and tried her twice , she spun over nice and fast but wouldn’t start so tried twice with 1/4 choke with exactly the same result so tried 1/2 choke and she spluttered but didn’t start, tried again and another splutter so gave her 3/4 choke and tried , she started but after a couple of revs she died but started up again next try but sounded a bit rough even though she was on 3/4 choke so thought I’d take her for a drive and get her warmed up and see if she was any better but I only had my trainers on and stalled her straight away ( can’t drive in flat shoes ) so turned the key to restart her and she started but stalled but started and stayed running next try so left her running while I nipped back into the house and swapped my trainers for a pair of my stilettos and by the time I got back to the garage, the revs had dropped right down and she was making a chug chug chug chug sound and I knew I needed to adjust the choke otherwise I know she would have flooded, After getting in, I gave her a couple of revs And as I was revving, I pushed the choke in to about halfway and she sounded much happier. Then I began to reverse her out of the garage. Only this time I didn’t stall her LOL., it took me approximately 1 mile before I managed to get the choke in and she ran without spluttering and by the time I got back to the house I just pulled straight into the garage and the only thing I noticed was as I was breaking and then push the clutch in to come to a stop in the garage the engine had cut out as well and after taking her out of gear and applying the handbrake rather than the ignition off I just wanted to make sure that she would start again so turn the key and she turned over then briefly started, but I couldn’t keep her running and she stalled then give her a tiny little bit of choke turn the key again and she started and stared running which confirmed what I was thinking which that she was still a little bit cold so after giving her a couple of revs I turned the ignition off pushed the choke in then put the battery on charge ready for Chloe Monday morning , After telling Chloe about what you had recommended, I recommended to her that instead of using full choke on Monday morning try and work her way up from there, Chloe said to me, mum she always starts for me in the morning in the garage, Anywhere she took my advice on Monday morning and tried Half choke but wouldn’t start She tried a second time, but still wouldn’t start then tried 3/4 Choke twice, but she still wouldn’t start then with full choke she fired up first try , I’m sure that Car Just doesn’t like me lol, Anywhere she started again first try after work and again this morning Chloe did it her way which is straight for full choke and she started first try but I definitely will keep your idea of useless choke for April through to September and even in the height of summer July and August I would actually be tempted not to use any choke at all and try her because I actually think full choke in July and August would be asking for trouble

Thank you so so much for the help and advice

Elaine xxx

[Elainesminor]

I wonder the suggestions I made a few weeks back were heeded? Dizzy cap would be the first place I'd look if I suspected dampness.

Hello there

About the Dizzy cap, it might be in a man’s mind to obviously check the dizzy but you have to remember this is mainly my daughters car and she is only in her 20s and although I am in my 50s it is still the first old car that either of us have driven and if she fails to start the only thing that goes through our mind to do is adjust the choke In case we are either not using enough or using too much, Checking the dizzy has never gone through either of our minds if she feels to start, My mind works exactly the same as Chloe’s, She’s old and sometimes cranky And our initial thought is try again then again then again and before you know it we’ve usually tried that many times that we’ve either ran the battery flat or flooded her Put in my kiss I don’t do things by half. I usually flood and run the battery flat so please bear in mind we are two ladies not a male with mechanical mind. lol

We do appreciate the help that we get from here so please don’t take it to heart what I’ve said or the way I have said it

Many regards, Elaine and Chloe xx

[myoldjalopy]

Glad the car is going again but - "before you know it we’ve usually tried that many times that we’ve either ran the battery flat or flooded her"
Really, a Morris Minor in good running order should be very easy to start. It should not be so reluctant to start that the battery gets drained through trying. Either the car is being flooded by too much choke, or the car needs a good service, paying attention to the condition of the components - cap, leads, points etc.

[Elainesminor]

Glad the car is going again but - "before you know it we’ve usually tried that many times that we’ve either ran the battery flat or flooded her"
Really, a Morris Minor in good running order should be very easy to start. It should not be so reluctant to start that the battery gets drained through trying. Either the car is being flooded by too much choke, or the car needs a good service, paying attention to the condition of the components - cap, leads, points etc.

On the whole she’s usually fine for Chloe but I don’t actually drive her that much and I am guessing Sunday afternoon when I went to go out natural instinct after standing for 12 hours outside in the rain and it was pretty cold. Well in my opinion it was cold cold enough to have to wear my leather gloves, and it is only a guess but I am guessing because I pulled the choke fully out I was choking her But I did only try twice on full before easing it in to three-quarter She still wouldn’t start yet Chloe manages to get her to start on the morning first try and she says it starts first try after work so why wouldn’t she start for me Sunday afternoon because I did exactly what I have watched Chloe? Do when I have been in with her sorry my mistake the only thing Chloe does and I have just clicked on about it. Is she pulls the choke fully out then pushes it back in just a tiny tiny little bit, so maybe 90% joke, but she never fails to start for Chloe !!

Elaine x

[rocco]

Hello there

About the Dizzy cap, it might be in a man’s mind to obviously check the dizzy but you have to remember this is mainly my daughters car and she is only in her 20s and although I am in my 50s it is still the first old car that either of us have driven and if she fails to start the only thing that goes through our mind to do is adjust the choke In case we are either not using enough or using too much, Checking the dizzy has never gone through either of our minds if she feels to start, My mind works exactly the same as Chloe’s, She’s old and sometimes cranky And our initial thought is try again then again then again and before you know it we’ve usually tried that many times that we’ve either ran the battery flat or flooded her Put in my kiss I don’t do things by half. I usually flood and run the battery flat so please bear in mind we are two ladies not a male with mechanical mind. lol

We do appreciate the help that we get from here so please don’t take it to heart what I’ve said or the way I have said it

Many regards, Elaine and Chloe xx

Hi Elaine

I wasn't the only one who suggested that the damp might have impacted the electrical system. I thought my simple suggestions and those offered by others would be useful to you. It seems a bit pointless to ask for it and then claim you won't do more than adjust the choke and drain the battery.

We're all at different levels of capability and mine isn't particularly high but having decided to own such an old car it was a good idea for me to learn a few things to be able to check on them. I didn't know what a jiggle pin was a few weeks ago or a beehive spring so I asked on here and gratefully took the advice.

Best of luck to you and your daughter in any case.

[Elainesminor]

Hello there

About the Dizzy cap, it might be in a man’s mind to obviously check the dizzy but you have to remember this is mainly my daughters car and she is only in her 20s and although I am in my 50s it is still the first old car that either of us have driven and if she fails to start the only thing that goes through our mind to do is adjust the choke In case we are either not using enough or using too much, Checking the dizzy has never gone through either of our minds if she feels to start, My mind works exactly the same as Chloe’s, She’s old and sometimes cranky And our initial thought is try again then again then again and before you know it we’ve usually tried that many times that we’ve either ran the battery flat or flooded her Put in my kiss I don’t do things by half. I usually flood and run the battery flat so please bear in mind we are two ladies not a male with mechanical mind. lol

We do appreciate the help that we get from here so please don’t take it to heart what I’ve said or the way I have said it

Many regards, Elaine and Chloe xx

Hi Elaine

I wasn't the only one who suggested that the damp might have impacted the electrical system. I thought my simple suggestions and those offered by others would be useful to you. It seems a bit pointless to ask for it and then claim you won't do more than adjust the choke and drain the battery.

We're all at different levels of capability and mine isn't particularly high but having decided to own such an old car it was a good idea for me to learn a few things to be able to check on them. I didn't know what a jiggle pin was a few weeks ago or a beehive spring so I asked on here and gratefully took the advice.

Best of luck to you and your daughter in any case.

I’m so sorry, didn’t mean to word it like that