Morris Minor Owners Club

liammonty wrote:I don't know why you would have got oil out of there (are you sure it wasn't rusty water?) as it's the drain plug for the water jacket. You'll have a job to prime the oil pump through there!

Oh dear, just as well I didnt put any oil in there- better get back to the manual! I guess it could have been rusty water but definitely oil coloured (black) to start with - wonder if someone tried to prime the oil pump there once before!

Looks like you don't have the oil priming plug although as you can see - that's just above the oil suction gallery. If it won't prime up on the starter with no plugs - come back for further instruction.....

I am excited - The car ALMOST started!! For the very first time I got sparks and fuel together for about two seconds - albeit with clouds of smoke from exhaust (and a bit more round the carb.). I am charging battery before trying again.

What is best way to ensure success now - i.e. how much choke and throttle, etc? The starter also gave a bit of a "whine" at the end of each attempt if that makes sense? Should I turn distributor clockwise, anticlockwise or leave well alone?

Slightly clockwise until it kicks back against the starter - then you have gone too far - so ease it back slightly.

Thanks - full throttle and choke fully out or will that just flood it?

Some choke and NO throttle...

Tantalisingly, agonisingly close - it starts and runs for - at most 4/5 seconds!! If I immediately try again - nothing. If I leave for several minutes then it goes for the 4/5 seconds again. I have tried distributor in different positions but no difference.

Fuel pump ticks away merrily when the car has been standing for a few mins then stops as it should and fuel is definitely getting to the carb float bowl from the pump - though no guarantee it is delivering sufficient fuel to keep up with the engine I suppose. The pump is a new one (electronic because points ones were up of stock). what should I try next? So near, and yet so far

Does it run smoothly - or is it spluttering and banging?? Lift the idle speed with the screw on the carb - and next time it starts - clamp your hand over most of the carb intake to force it to suck out any muck in the carb....

Sounds like it is running like a sewing machine - beautifully smooth. I'll give that a go, thanks

And then it just peters out after 4 seconds???

Yes exactly and it won't restart - will just crank - until I leave it for a few minutes

Next time - immediately pour some petrol (egg cup) down the carb intake and crank it - if it starts - the problem IS with fuel supply.

Yes I'm pretty convinced this is fuel supply. I took off pipe where it joins carb and no fuel was coming through when cranked, though the pipe was wet with fuel. I took fuel pump off and checked filter - it was clear. Reconnected everything back up and fuel pump ticked furiously but wouldn't stop. So, likely to be a faulty fuel pump I think, unless tank interior is so completely rotten.

Blocked fuel line.......or intake inside the tank. Check the fuel line all along it's length for any kinks or flattened bits.......

well the original thread has now been hijacked,did the original engine rebuild ever get sorted out

No word at all from Mr Coulson....

Give the guy some slack, he's only just moved house on Wednesday.
Bob

kennatt wrote:well the original thread has now been hijacked,did the original engine rebuild ever get sorted out

And hopefully my starting troubles will be useful help for Mr Coulson and others who have experienced similar problems.

not having dig at anyone here,but it does help if all the entries in a thread relate to the original posting otherwise anyone looking at it from the start,has to jump back and forwards across posts to check up what has already been suggested so that they are not duplicating advice already given elsewhere.Dosen't bother me much I just stop looking.

It might help if we had a few more stickies for the most popular how to's and fixes