Morris Minor Owners Club

many of you will know the feeling...
it's been standing in the garage / outside under the cover for years - getting turned over once a month... once every few months...
or just twice a year including Christmas!
After a few years the darn thing won't start

Dotty was running very rough 3 months ago when last checked over. It gave me a sad feeling as the engine is (was) fully rebuilt and it hasn't even driven anywhere yet.
I came to start it again at the weekend and she refused to play! Not even pretending that it might start. It had a healthy spark and some petrol in the tank and even a healthy tick from the petrol pump.
Wasted over an hour on it on Sunday - checked and double checked the electrics. Petrol was definately getting through as the pump would run during/after cranking, and the plugs were getting wet after an hour of cranking.

Came back to it today with some fresh willpower but the same result.
Then splashed some fresh petrol in the mouth of the carb before cranking - it fired instantly! ! then stalled as soon as the fresh petrol had dried out.

So I drained the tank using the petrol pump. (only a pint)
A fresh gallon of petrol in the tank, flushed though the fuel line, reconnected the fuel hose (another splash into the carb).
It started on the button first time! and every time since then!

TIP:
If you think the petrol may be stale, hence the non starting - just give it some good stuff down the throat (before turning it over) to see what happens!
For safety's sake I wouldn't recommend splashing petrol about during cranking! - keep the can well away afterwards!!

you can use up the stale fuel in your car, just don't use to much! you can use up to 25% stale fuel (I read that somewhere.......)

If you have an Unleaded converted Minor, beware! Unleaded petrol goes stale and solidifies rock hard if left for a long time. You have to try and disolve it out of your fuel tank with new petrol, but does take ages to get the tank and fuel line clear of solid petrol.

Yes, but most of us don't drive turbo-charged Minors that run on methanol!

mabey Felix wanted it done her/himself.

Ooops sorry Nick that was me. I sneaked it in when you weren't looking!!

Hey Cam - Installing Turbos on the sly and doing that MG....
I think you're gonna need this tip before you drive the 4 door again (let alone the Traveller )

I think you're gonna need this tip before you drive the 4 door again (let alone the Traveller)

Ha ha! Yes Ray, you can talk with Dotty!!! how long has it been now??

Actually the 4-door should only have been standing for about 3 months max (I hope!). I could do it now but I can't really move the MG out of my workshop garage as the sill is off and I don't want it to drive like a bananna when it's done!

3 months should be OK for the fuel?? what do you think??

The MG has not had any fuel in it for about 18 months but I have put a new tank on it and it does not have any fuel in it so that's no problem.

The Traveller will probably need a new tank and fuel line so I'm not worried about that. The '52 has got 2 year old petrol in it and the tank is OK so I will probably need to drain that.

I'm not too worried about fuel going off, but solidifying?? that could be a headache!

you can talk with Dotty!!! how long has it been now??

Dotty was last used in 1971!!!!! so she's been off the road for my entire life.

However I've only had her since 1992.....
and I'm hoping to have her back on the road before she's 50
and if that fails, the next deadline will be before she's been off the raod for 40 years

Any petrol in the Traveller I wonder?

I think there maybe an outside chance that it MAY have evaporated. Plus the scrap yards drain them before putting them in the yards anyway, so no there won't be............................... Ah, you were being sarcastic?? That makes a nice change!!!

Stop being nasty or I'll start mentioning wobbly steering columns!