Morris Minor Owners Club

I had the separate alloy intake manifold off Albert this weekend to wrap the tubular exhaust with heatproof tape. I kept the manifold, HIF44 carb, cables, fuel line and filter all together and horizontal out of the way. When it was connected back up the car wouldnt start.
I will take a look at the fuel pump (it wasn't ticking when I turned the key - although what that has do with what I've done is a mystery ) but while I'm fiddling perhaps you wonderful people can come up with some suggestions.
Ta.

Leak at the manifold gasket ? Piston sticking in the carb?

Sod's Law?

I had my exhaust manifold off to weld a crack on Tuesday - just lifted the inlet complete with carb and all fittings onto the rocker cover. Refitted exhaust - and then inlet - and it fired up right away. The fuel pump not ticking is surely a good clue for your problem.........

Sod's Law?

Where can I get a copy of this? It occurs to me that following it to the letter could eliminate a lot of heartache.

Peetee wrote:
Where can I get a copy of this? It occurs to me that following it to the letter could eliminate a lot of heartache.

http://www.heretical.com/miscellx/sodslaws.html

Humour aside and back to the problem. it seems to be unrelated as cylinders 2 and 3 are not firing.

Plug leads 2 and 3 swapped over ?

No reason to be. they we'rent moved.

[quote"It occurs to me that following it to the letter could eliminate a lot of heartache[/quote]
Don't bet on it!!!!!!!!!!

Looking like the head gasket. Compression of 100 on No2 and 3.

Not good comp. but should be enough to run on all four. Tickover might be rough. Head gasket is a possibility, but it could be something unconnected such as a cracked dizzy cap or loose plug leads. That's where Sod's Law applies!

Not good comp. but should be enough to run on all four. Tickover might be rough. Head gasket is a possibility, but it could be something unconnected such as a cracked dizzy cap or loose plug leads

Does run but needs throttle but when you apply it the revs are slow to respond then slow to back off too. Kind of rises and falls a few seconds behind the throttle application (if that makes sense). Makes it very difficult to hold it where it wont stall or over rev.
To recap. Car ran fine, manifolds were removed and replaced with new gasket, fuel pump ok, compression down on centre two cylinders. Dizzy, leads and cylinder head undisturbed as yet.

Off with it's head! Unless...... you didn't by any chance stuff rags in the ports to keep mice out while working on the manifolds??????

What happened to the cables for throttle and choke when the manifold/carb were being 'manoeuvred' during your activities?

The cables were removed as one with the manifold and carb. I didn't need to dislocate them.

I've got the head off now and to be honest can't see anything to suggest the gasket failed. Mind you, if it did go there and then, I suppose there will be very little combustion staining of the faces.

I've looked at the fibre manifold gasket and i'm wondering now if that was the problem. There is very little impression left in it from tightening up the manifold nuts and there is some evidence of petrol staining - but that could have been hanging about in the manifold after the compression test. I probably did them up to about 30lb/ft. Is that enough? It has been before - and I've done it a few times!
It would explain the popping and rough running but why the low compression on the centre cylinders? I checked the readings three times for each so I don't think it's human error.
This is a wierd one for sure