Morris Minor Owners Club

hello there..my mimor is running ok round the village...but after driving about 8 miles i get problems. She will miss, splutter,chug on abit then stop! 20 minutes later she will go another 8 miles or so...weird #and frustrating! she has just had new points,plugs,condensor,petrol pipe. i have only put a bit of petrol in from when i bought her and that was 4 star and from a can. any ideas!
lucy

Check for fuel in the carb (undo the three screws on the float chamber - Simply slackening them with the ign on will cause petrol to seep out if the pump is working properly), if that's OK then suspect the coil.

When it cuts out, does the fuel pump still "click"? Try hitting the pump body with a spanner. If it then splutters it is almost certainly a question of new points for the fuel pump. As Packedup says, the coil is also another suspect.

When testing for petrol flow, BE CAREFUL if the engine is hot, it's not good to spill petrol!

Last idea for now, try loosening the fuel cap. There should be an air vent, but if it gets blocked then a vacuum can develop in the tank which stops the petrol reaching the carb.

Edit to add another idea:
There could be much in the tank. Some dirt gets sucked into the pipe and stops the fuel flow. When not running the vacuum dies away and the debris falls back into the tank leaving the pipe clear again. There shuold be a drain plug under the tank, it might be worth flushing it through with clean fuel.

is it very cold where you are? I wonder it the carb is icing up? symptoms are right, esp if after 10 minutes or so it starts and runs fine (ice has now melted and carb is just a little damp)

other wise the coil over heating is a good one.

do you have to do anything after the 20 minute wait or does it just start and run fine? thats def something overheating or if cold icing

Or a vacuum forming in the petrol tank. Next time - pull the filler cap off and see if there is a sucking-in of air - and does the car now start ok ? Maybe there was crap in that can - fill it up with 4 gallons of top grade fuel and see if that helps.