Morris Minor Owners Club

Happy New Year everyone

Hi, my engine is out of the car at the moment whilst I rebuild the bodyshell. I would like to "bench test" the engine before I put it back in again. Please can someone tell me how best to do this, including getting her started - i.e. exactly what minimum wiring I'll need to make the right electrical connections.

Lash it to the bench - and fit a starter. Connect a 12 volt battery, the +ve to the coil + and then a wire from the coil - back to the dizzy, and connect the -ve side of the battery to the engine block. Pour some petrol into the carb float chamber (or arrange a gravity feed) and then using jump leads - connect the starter to the battery! It should start - assuming the choke has been set on the carb and everything else is in order.

I've run lots of old engines on the floor, and as long as you don't rev them too much they are easy to control.

Its easy. One piece of advice though is be careful of elec sparks and petrol fumes, they don't mix well.

Make sure you dont spill any petrol, or have any minor fuel leaks and then spark your starter.

And for gods sake keep clear of the whizzy round bits- the fan blade can be oddly mesmerising, and that ring gear bites hard! I can still show the children the pitch spacing of a VW beetle ring gear where my little finger got between it and the starter pinion (amazing how small a finger can get at times!!)