Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi

I have a 1971 one-eyed Traveller off the road looking sorry for itself. it was recommended i replace the solenoid, so i removed the old one safe in the knowledge i would remember how to re fit.

The replacement is either the wrong one or i'm being very think, but i can't make it work.

Would someone be willing to message me so i can send a pic and see if they know where i am going wrong?

Thanks, Matt

UOG Moggie

Hi Matt
Why were you reccommended to replace the solenoid as they are pretty reliable and quite simple to replace, I assume you do mean the starter solenoid.

This was some time ago and my memory is not the best but... a mechanic started it by doing something with two sets of jump leads and told me it was the Solenoid - a neighbour got it started after that by using the "Large Metal Screwdriver" technique!

Does that make sense?

UOGMoggie

Yeah, starter solenoid. Has two poles, one with the main battery pos and system wires, the otehr with the big thick wire to the starter. Has a small wire (white/ red I think?) goes on a spade terminal on the solenoid, this is fired by the key switch to make the whole thing work.

Usually if it isn't working it's either the spade has corroded or come loose, or the solenoid body has worked loose/ is making a poor contact to earth.

If you mean that the whole car is dead then you have fitted the medium thickness BROWN wire to the wrong terminal! This brown wire must be connected to the same terminal as the thick battery lead coming straight from
the battery. Since the Brown wire is a large size Lucar push on connector it
can only fit on the correct terminal so, if the whole car is dead, then just swop
over the two thick leads(one from the battery, the other to the starter motor).