Morris Minor Owners Club

my starter motor got jammed the other day so I turned the square nut and it was freed. However it then began spinning freely. so I took it off yesterday and to my surprise both the barrel and the main spring were broken!! I was quite shocked that these pieces of serious metal were just completely broken. now I have to replace the whole damn thing, which is a bummer. just thought someone might want to know, in case the same happened to their morris. am I the first to experience this? Does it happen after 36 years of being driven?

sounds like you were just unlucky.
not heard of many broken bits - the normal failure is sticking (especially if someone greased the square thread) but other failures are brushes/commutator or a burnt winding.

I had the same thing on an MG once. The thing to remember
is that it is considerably cheaper to buy an exchange recon
starter for the Minors than it is to buy the parts as I found to my cost.

I had a Bendix spring brake on a Riley 1.5 years ago but not the toothed part as well normally there just wear out, as Willie says its cheaper to get a recon one.

maurice your timming my be slightly advanced to much , or it could be fatigue

your timming my be slightly advanced to much

How does that affect the starter motor ?

Kevin,
reverse stroke firing during cranking...

This problem with starter motors if quite rare.
Is it possible that it could be the result of a worn or damaged starter ring on the flywheel?

reverse stroke firing during cranking...

Ray surely it would have to be way advanced to cause that.
How many degrees would it take to cause it ?

How many degrees would it take to cause it ?

no idea - It was Mark's theory, anyway. You do hear it occasionally on ropey cars where the starter motor stopps abruptly.
However most of us know that the A-series will continue run with a huge timing error. In fact it seems to run with anything other than fully closed points!

I think that is a valid theory because if the timing is too far
advanced you will get a violent kick-back quite often when
starting the car. Since the starter is turning the engine one
way and the kick-back turns it the other way something
has to take the shock and it will be the starter dog which
will be thrown backwards violently??

magnetic power against kick back,all through the shaft and bendix you can check kick back with the starting handle. the morris can run with timming quite far advanced.

How true...the strength of the kick back is why you must never
grip the starting handle with your thumb one side and your
fingers the other side of the handle....a broken thumb is often
the outcome!!

maurice wrote:my starter motor got jammed the other day so I turned the square nut and it was freed. However it then began spinning freely. so I took it off yesterday and to my surprise both the barrel and the main spring were broken!! I was quite shocked that these pieces of serious metal were just completely broken. now I have to replace the whole damn thing, which is a bummer. just thought someone might want to know, in case the same happened to their morris. am I the first to experience this? Does it happen after 36 years of being driven?

Hi
I `ve tried the same thing - broken barrel on the starter. I replaced the starter now . today after 3 monts with the new starter trying starting - the starter just spins - not turning the engine . I have to take it off now for further investigation. From the first time to now - i have have also replaced the hole enginge with another - maybe its also p****** [EDITED] oil out in the cluth house ?
I think all this trouble is about having oil in the clutch housing - then the barrel sticks in the flywheel and gets broken.

what do we say ? Gearbox off enjoy

regards
Carsten from Denmark

This is not as rare as you might think and years ago I used to replace the spring which was obtainable as a spare part fom most car accessory shops!!

I broke one of these just recently on my Mini - high compression and advanced timing - it kicked back with a 'clang' . Fortunately I had a spare Bendix in stock (£2 on ebay !) and after making a 'home made spring compressor' it's now back in service. Also picked up a complete starter from ebay for £1 - as a spare. So look around - plenty available - meantime just use the handle!