Morris Minor Owners Club

Starting handles are great! I jollied Phyllis along for ooooh, three weeks on the handle (much to the amusemet of colleagues at school) until she stalled on Oldbury ring road (middle lane, wouldn't you believe), following some fool in a modern eurobubble cutting me up. Wouldn't start, then. At all. Not a sausage. Much handle twirling, and still nowt. AA man came out and declared the battery stuffed - lucky it was the last day of term! ;)

the battery nowa days are rubbish one hartd winter and it kills them

Dont know where you buy yours from but I cant say I have found that to be the case I cant remember the last time a battery lasted less than three years, the current bosch one I have even came with a four year guarentee.

Hi Chris
The battery is about a year old (guaranteed for three.)
When car is jump started, red light goes out when revved but comes back during idle.
Having driven for a while the red light stops coming on.
I'll look for my starting handle, I might need to go to a gym before I use it though.
Last time I couldn't crank the thing for love nor money...
Fab

ALEC... agree with you, my records show that my present HALFORDS
battery is six years and five days old and cost £21-99!! No complaints
there then.

Just found the receipt from before Christmas - Halfrauds Battery, Suit Metro/Maestro (it's a slightly higher capacity, and has the terminals the right way round for negative earth) £39.99.

The last time I bought one from there was about 3 years ago - It was approx £24 with a 3 year guarantee for the standard size (not an extra large one, hence much more affordable).
I presume it is still going well after 3 years as the car's new owner (GLUCK) has not complained.

Off to Halfrauds it is for me then...
Fab

Fablovely - I don't think your battery is the problem. From what you've described I think the recharging circuit isn't working very well. Certainly if you used a recharger and it took 5 weeks to lose the charge that doesn't implicate the battery. The red ignition light should only glow very dimly when the car ticks over - and it should go out as soon as you touch the accelerator pedal. Your comment that the light goes out after driving for a while makes me think it only recharges at high engine revs.

Possible causes include a slipping fanbelt (which needs tightening or replacing) or a dynamo needing overhaul because the brushes are almost worn away and/or the commutator is dirty or worn.

And the carbon brushes on the alternater/dynamo or what they are called. It then only works at high revs, if worn that is ofcourse

Thanks Chris
Will check belt etc.
Fab