Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi there, I'm new to the forum after recently purchasing my first Morris Minor. It's a '66 2 door saloon in dove grey with red interior. Will need a full respray eventually but wanna make sure it's fully working first!
I'm wondering if someone can help me... When I bought the car it drove back to my house fine, about 20 miles or so. Then when taking it out later it conked out on me and wouldn't restart for ages. This has happened a few times since.
I think the problem is that it is running too rich. There is petrol blowing/dripping out of the exhaust. When I adjust the nut on the carb to weaken the mixture there is white smoke coming out of the exhaust.
Can somebody advise if this is the mixture or if it is something more serious?
Sorry for the long message, I don't go on forums much and don't know the correct etiquette!
Thanks in advance,
Stephen

Welcome to the forum - don't worry about 'etiquette' on here - we don't know the meaning of the word..
I assume you understand the 'choke' control - and how to use it for cold starts ? Pull it out to cold start the car - and then almost immediately push it half way back in - and then a half minute or so later - push it right in. It's not needed at all for warm/hot starts. When the car 'conks out' - what happens ? Describe the symptoms!

Thanks for the quick reply!
I'll be driving along at 30mph then the car will hesitate, judder a bit and then I lose all control from the throttle pedal as it cuts out, pressing the pedal gives no response at all to help kick the engine back into play before it cuts out. Then won't start at all. With or without the choke
Hope this helps!

Also, I'd never had a choke before but the lovely couple I bought it off gave me a few pointers on how to drive it. Including how early to press the drum brakes that are non servo assisted!

Ok - so after it cuts out like this - how do you get it going again ?
And - don't worry about the drum brakes - as long as they are maintained in good condition they will stop the car easily. Certainly no need for a servo!

The most recent time it cut out was about 20-25 mins. Managed to get it going. Travelled a few 100 yards then did the same thing again. Some nice man happened by and said he used to have one (I get that from a lot of people!) he pulled off the fuel inlet to the carb from the pump and fuel was coming out, he stuck it back in then it started up first time and then I got home no problem!

Well - I was going to suggest the most likely thing would be the fuel pump - the points likely need cleaning/adjsuting/renewing anyway - read all about it in the workshop manual! Otherwise - it can be a loose connection on the coil or dizzy - or heating up condenser inside the dizzy. Check out the fuel pump first!

Thanks very much for your help! Fuel pump will be first on the agenda tonight!
Stephen

Its just temper tantrums. All Morris Minors go through it when they have a different driver. They will run perfectly for years with their old owner but as soon as they have a different driver behind the wheel............Once you have sorted the problems out it will behave itself. The important thing is always to carry a tool box, then the car thinks that you know what you are doing.

It's funny you should say that Mike, I put a tool box full of car tools (well just a compression tester, feeler gauges, screwdrivers and spanners) and it has been behaving a little better!
By the way, 140 compression from each cylinder. Not bad!