Morris Minor Owners Club

don't know if anyone out there can offer some thoughts on this one. I bought some replacement parts to try and cure reluctant starting, the usual stuff, but yesterday after replacing the condenser she declined to start at all even though it is a perfect starter when the engine is warm, which it was.

Left it overnight and tried again, but couldn't even get the usual thing of the engine trying to start, followed by it dying after a splutter, repeated a few times, then eventually firing up.

I did, however, think to myself that i did not hear the usual noise of the petrol pump ticking, and although i gave it a few encouraging taps, and then undid the contacts, cleaned them, and replaced them, still no tick. Maybe the pump failed at the same time as i was replacing the condenser by sheer co-incidence, as i replaced the original condenser and still couldn't start her up. Is this likely?

The starting problems, incidentally, first showed up (she used to start more or less first time even after a couple of weeks of sitting in the garage) after having the carburettor needle and float replaced. Any ideas?

Well its possible, when you say the pump contacts do you mean the points?
Maybe go round again and just make sure you havn't knocked off a wire somewhere, power or something daft like one off the coil, check the fuses connection in the holders.
If the fuel pump points were in poor shape they would be reluctant to work properly after standing, so possibly that might be it ?

You can test the pump by disconnecting the fuel hose from the carb and putting it into a can, then switching the ignition on.

When you're sure the fuel pump is working, if it still doesn't start try putting the old condenser back. It's possible the new one is faulty.

after having the carburettor needle and float replaced

Did you make sure that the carb needle was correctly centred, and the float closes at the right point without overflowing?

You may also need to adjust the mixture setting if the carb needle has been replaced.

found the problem, or at least my neighbour did. turned out to be a missing insulating cap from the points, a small plastic type thing. don't know whether i did this while changing the condensor, as the points were fitted earlier at a garage. couldn't find the plastic thing anywhere, so fitted a new set of points and bingo, off she went. thanks for your input.

When something fails immediately after you have done something - it's NEVER a coincidence! It's always something connected to the first 'problem'.

An easy one to miss, that little plastic insulator. I suspect most of us have been there at least once-I certainly have!