Morris Minor Owners Club

My gorgeous 57 year old hussy has begun to have problems starting. She has a pull starter and it seems to get jammed in and thus we can't start. I found out that by bump starting her she then behaves for a few weeks. We have tried using the switch under the bonnet manually and that doesn't work and the battery seems Ok. Has anyone got any ideas - I've read things about the switch etc, but am not sure. Many thanks J

The pull starter is connected by a cable to the starter switch under the bonnet. Check that the cable run is straight and try some oil on the cable/starter switch. If no luck you may need a new switch

When you pull switch then short A and B , as a Result of that + supply to starter - you can check switch , short A and B then must work starter if not work check battery with supply wires -if work starter , wrong of the pull switch - remember 12.3 to 12.5 charged battery[frame][/frame]

Maybe the starter is sticking in? I would take the starter out and clean/inspect the bendix - DO NOT oil it!

Good diagram there sandun!!

If the starter bendix is sticking, you will hear a whirring sound instead of the starter turning the engine over.

Remove starter (two 9/16 nuts and bolts and the smaller nut for the supply wire to the starter), and clean the bendix and the thread it spins on. Don't oil it as this will attract dust from the clutch over time and cause the bendix to stick again. The bendix is the bit on the side of the starter that sticks into the bellhousing.

Clean it with brake cleaner or thinners and make sure the bendix can spin back on the big thread, then you can lubricate with a little bit of pencil lead (graphite), NO GREASE!

Because my traveller has a slight oil leak from the rear seal I have to do this about once a year! Then it is fine for 12-18months and then I get a "whirrrrrrrrrr" occasionally and then it is time to clean the bendix. All part of the joys of classic motoring ;-)

Alternatively, if no whirring sound from the starter, the connection to the starter from the switch may need cleaning and tightening or even the starter motor brushes may be worn, in which case you may need a recon starter.

The symptoms sound more like Roy's suggestion than cj's, I think: sticking partially engaged, as against not engaging at all. If so, the starter motor still needs to come off, but the starter motor gear teeth and the ones on the flywheel (ring gear) need examining for wear or distortion. If it's the ring gear at fault, it would account for the intermittency of the fault, as the engine will often come to a stop with an undamaged section of the ring gear next to the starter.

The noise when you pull the starter is a clue: whirring, but no turning over means the starter isn't engaging, a clunk but no more noise, even on subsequent pulls suggests it's jamming. A crackle, with or without a terminal getting hot, suggests a poor connection.

Sorry if I'm giving an egg-sucking lesson, but if you're taking the starter motor off, do disconnect the battery first, or you risk shorting the starter cable or your spanner to earth with a big flash.



Kevin

If it's sticking in - there is NO whirring noise.......it's stuck!

If the bendix is stuck, and so not engaging, there will be whirring!

Yes - but that's not 'stuck in' which is what had probably happened given that it was ok after a push start - which released the 'stuck in' bendix gear..... Whirring would indicate 'stuck out'.....or just a flat battery.