Morris Minor Owners Club

when i start the beast up, if it doesnt fire at first we get a whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr from the starter,if i keep the starter turning this whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr continues but doesnt engage and turn the engine over. if i replace the bendix will this be cured or shall i just get a new starterrrrrrrr

Sounds like the bendix may be needing a good cleaning. Pull it out and wash the bendix carefully with something like carb/choke cleanerrrrrrrrrrrrr. DO NOT oil it! But do put a spot or two of oil on the motor bushes - that's NOT the bRRRRRushes !!

it was cleaned and no oil put on it just a bit of lead pencil, its always been a bit limp, can the spring at the end lose the will to live??????????????????? brushes all good wheres the bushessssssssssssssssssssssss?

Bushes at each end of the shaft - as it protrudes from the body at each end. Just a few spots. Is the starter solenoid releasing promptly and/or the key switch releasing correctly?

how would i know if the sloenoid (sorry sloe gin impairing writing00) was releasing? and the key switch? where in central scotland are you near i go to dunkeld every year

Hard to tell - but does the keyswitch feel 'snappy'? Maybe a shot of WD40 won't go wrong. And not heard of a sticky solenoid - I just wondered if you got the impression the starter was still being 'powered' for a second or two - after you let go the key? I'm just a bit south of Glasgow.

key feels fine (this is my first minor)
i kinda feel that the starter is spinning but the cog bit is not reaching far enough to hit the ring gear if that makes sense?
to me it seems like i tunr the key the starter engages flicks forwrd turns the engine, engine turns starter cog disengages engine doesnt start starter keeps whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring!

How old is the battery?

just over a year, and has plenty of ooooomph. i started him todayand it started first time, its when it doesnt start first time and the engine turns disengages the bendix and the starter doesnt then push the bendix back up unless i return the key to normal and then try again

Sounds normal to me. If the starter is spinning the bendix cannot kick back in, it's the inertia of the starter spin up from stopped that engages the bendix.

yes i see now that seems about right. i think! on another subject how do i put a nerdy picture of me and my car as a signature?

The 'firing' engine then has to throw the bendix away from the flywheel - but equally you must let go the key!

I hate to be a gloomy Gus but if there are no teeth on the flywheel ring gear the starter will certainly whirrrrrr without engaging. Try to rock the car forward, in gear, just a few inches and then see if the starter engages. Four cylinder engines always stop in one of two places so the ring gear gets worn out there. Lacking a replacement part we used to heat the ring gear to get it off and then reinstall it at ninety degrees to where it was. That fix was usually good for years.

You could just have turned the flywheel round 90 degrees on the crank....

shouldnt be the flywheel as replaced when the engine was out last year