Morris Minor Owners Club

Well no - remove the air cleaner - black metal or plastic case held on by long wing-nut, which will reveal the intake and pour an eggcup full of new petrol in the carb intake hole. Just before doing that - with finger, lift the little piston you see inside the carb - it should slide up easily but against some resistance and then let it go. Should fall back gently with a slight 'clunk' at the bottom.

Thanks, will try that later. Have removed air filter box the other day to have a nosey so know what area you mean now.

The hole underneath that has the long bolt coming up out of it. Put the petrol down this hole. When it's running (notice I say when ;) ), it'll make a loud sucking noise.

Ok, found hole and filled with petrol. Piston sliding up and dropping back down nicely. Put a weak battery on and cranked her over gently a few times with plugs out. Fluid came shooting out of plug holes, I'm guessing this was the Redex by the way. Turning over freely and nicely and we're getting excited. Have already replaced engine oil and we gave it a few gentle turns to try and ensure lubrication. New petrol (though not much!) in fuel tank, don't know how much was in there already.
Took distributor cap off for a cursory look, rotor arm and points looked new, assume last owner replaced at some point in the past. Couple of squirts of WD40 inside the cap and put it back on. Tried starting it but no joy. Turning over a treat but didn't catch, bit of a downer! Took first two plugs out individually, placed in cap against engine whuilst my son turned the engine over. Garage was dark and there was definately no spark from either. Tried a known good spare plug from another car in one lead and still not a sausage. Plugs are obviously well past sell by date as one actually broke the tip off inside the plug lead with virtually no persuasion. Not convinced plugs are the problem though or surely the spare one would have sparked.
We're now thinking it could be the plug leads, the coil or the timing/points.
I realise it's impossible to tell without looking but any likely candidates? Alas I haven't got a spare coil to try that but hopefully I can find one or two spare plug leads and try them. We're sort of elated that it's turning over ok but deflated that it's not running but we're staying positive!
Once again any help very gratefully received and thanks for all the advice so far.

*Edit: forgot to mention the plugs smell like fuel is getting through.

Try drawing a clean piece of card between the points in case they are dirty.
Also the plugs need to be dry from Redex and/or petrol to work properly.
Holding the business end over a gas ring is a favourite old trick to clean them and warm plugs are less likely to get petrol soaked.
Don't let the missus catch you and wear gloves when doing this or there'll be trouble/burnt fingers

Likely to be the points etc - they may not have been fitted corrrctly of course. Check there is power getting to the coil of course! Has the fuel pump done any ticking - if not you will need to check if power is getting to it - and probably clean the points under the cap there too.

Thanks. When would the fuel pump do it's ticking please, when ignition on and accelerator pumped?
Off to check the points shortly, if I recall from years back when I touch points gently with a screwdriver they spark a little and also make the plugs spark if placed in lead and on head?

Mogster wrote:Thanks. When would the fuel pump do it's ticking please, when ignition on and accelerator pumped?

As soon as you switch the ignition on.

Off to check the points shortly, if I recall from years back when I touch points gently with a screwdriver they spark a little and also make the plugs spark if placed in lead and on head?

If they are closed and you push them open, that will make a small spark at the points. You would need to somehow connect the plug to the coil lead (the one that normally plugs into the centre of the cap), but it's the wrong sex so it won't plug straight on. Be careful you don't give yourself a shock when you're messing around with the HT side of the ignition!

Hi
the fuel pump is not ticking but looks pretty new. Is there a way to test it sorry?
Got a spark now after cleaning points gap up and new plugs now fitted. Turned engine a few times, didn't catch and just a light whiff of fuel on plugs.
I'll try and fill the carb up again via the cleaner (as before) and see if that helps it start up at least. I'll also put more fuel into the petrol tank and see what happens.

Have you tried cleaning the fuel pump points?

Sorry, only just seen that Alex. Where can I find the fuel pump points please? Thanks and regards.

You unscrew the black plastic knob that secures the power wire, then the brass nut underneath, then lift the plastic dust cover off. The points are underneath (unless the pump has been replaced with an electronic type). Don't try to run the pump for long without the cover because the hinge pin will fall out.

Thanks Alex, just getting a bite to eat and will try that. Much appreciated.

Wahey, it ran! Get right on in there, we were like two excited four year olds!
Basically I cleaned the points as suggested, tried the plugs and we had a spark. Pretty happy with that we had a bash at getting it going but alas nowt doing.
So, off with the air filter/housing, gently opened the piston and put some more fuel in, tried again, almost caught, few more tries and it ran! Ok, not brilliantly (little lumpy) but we're not at all bothered about that as probably still some dirt in carb and car hasn't run in six years anyhow.
Alas once fuel in carb had gone it wouldn't run again so we moved onto the fuel pump. Took the pipe off at the carb end, put into clear bottle and turned ignition on. Zilch. Pressed accelerator pedal a few times. Zilch. Turned engine over. Zilch. Took pipe off pump end to make sure it (pipe) wasn't blocked. Zilch. Hmm, pump is defintely different to how described above as in there was no visible way of opening it or finding any points etc. It looks quite a modern unit so maybe that's why?
There's one spaded wire running in from the loom which goes to it and sort of three wires out of it which apepar to be earths. Took earth wires off and cleaned up earthing point on body but still naff all.
The pump is a round black plastic or metal unit which seems like it's sealed and has 'top' written on it at the top (obviously!).
Would it be fair to assume pump is knackered, should I get one of those electrical screwdrivers on the yellow spaded wire to test for current and if no current would it be safe to run a wire direct from 'plus' point on battery bearing in mind it's alreay earthed? If the wire from the battery caused it to work I'd guess that's worse case scenario as the wiring must have a break in it somewhere and I'm thinking it wouldn't be safe to leave a direct feed from battery on it?
Being honest I'm hoping we have a live to the pump and it's the pump itself at fault as this should be easy and cheap to change I would have thought?
Once again huge thanks for all the help so far, we're really chuffed we have got it almost running full time and couldn't have done it without your help.

If I were you I'd replace it with a genuine SU pump.

Still available new Alex? Cheers.

Well done Mogster, I agree it is a great feeling knowing it's not dead. I'm not familiar with the fuel pump, so can't help you any further. A new SU pump is about £70 + VAT, so if you can find a good second hand one... I use Morris surplus zero seven seven six eight seven three four three three nine. Ask for Roger he's very helpful.

Thanks Dean, really enjoyed the hands on bit and doing it ourselves. I might just get a pump the same as the one on it for now as working to a bit of a budget. No intention of scrimping on safety incidentally but we want to get it running, sort out a radiator and the little piece of pipe then get to work on the brakes ideally.

Spade terminal on the pump does sound like a modern electronic pump.
What colour is the end (plastic) where the terminal is?
the traditional method of dealing with petrol pumps involves beating on the metal part of the pump with larger and heavier thing while chanting "pump you &%£*&(!)"
This may be less effective with electronic pumps bur works well with the electro-mechanical SU pumps (for a while anyway)
You can run 12v directly to the pump as long as there aren't lots of petrol fumes around as there may well be sparking
Half this pump will be about the same as the SU pump i.e. a big solenoid and a diaphragm which have been asleep for 6 years. A bit of a beating may wake them up and get things moving again
New SU pumps are available for about £60 or so.
If it has points they will be under the plastic cover.

I think the sleeved spade is yellow and, iIrc, there is one brown and one black wire running into the pump. Tried clouting it a few times but alas no joy.
I did wonder (make that worry!) about the fumes but thought that as the pump is earthed already them hpefully it would eliminate any sparks assuming I placed the wire onto the pump first before the battery.
It would appear current pump doesn't come apart, certainly nothing obvious if it does. Tomorrow I think I'll test the supply to it ('just in case') and if supply present go to a motor factors and buy a pump.
Incidentally, forgot to ask earlier, but to the right of the carb is what looks like afilter housing held on by three screws. Is this a fuel filter and if so how the heck do I get the screw out that seems obscured by the air filter back part fixed to the carb please?
One thing I'm definately going to get is a workshop manual so you lot don't have to keep avoiding my posts and I can stop mithering!!!!