Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi there, I'm new to this forum. my name is Craig I'm 19 from ayrshire Scotland.

I have a 1961 2 door 948cc Morris minor. She has a few problems.

When I get the engine to eventually start, it only runs for 2 seconds max, then cuts out. I have bought new points, condensor, rotor arm, ht leads and a new air filter. I haven't fitted these yet but will do in the next couple of days, so do you's guys think the new parts could help my engine to run.

Brake and clutch pedals are stuck to each other, tried dw-40, loads of it and doesn't seem to free them.

This moggy is a project. Thanks for reading and hope someone can get back to me with some advice.

Craig.

Hi Craig,
Regarding the engine, an A series is pretty robust. Have you tried to start it with some fresh petrol in?
Regarding the brake and clutch pedal I would keep going with the release oil, it will free up.

Throw the WD40 in the bin and get proper penetrating oil (Its a Water displacement product not a penetrating oil) Pluss gas would be better,Or the best is diesel .Its starting so Ignition side probably ok<May need some attention,but its obviously trying to run.
Is the pump Ticking to show petrol being pumped,Take pipe off the carb and put it into a container, switch on and see if spurts of petrol are produced.
If above is yes Take the three screws off the top of the carb and see if the bowl is full of petrol. How long has it been stood,have you put a good load of fresh petrol in,petrol goes off after a while and causes all sorts of starting/running problems.
If the above are ok Check operation of choke,just pull it out and have a look at the jet under the carb is it now pulled right down and when choke it pushed in does it go back up into the carb.
Try this and report back. good luck and welcome.

I put new fuel in when I was first at my car and should be going over to see my moggy soon if the rain stops

Tip an egg cup of petrol into the carb mouth and crank it. If it runs for a few seconds, then the ignition side is ok. Don't fit any new parts ! As above - test the pump. The carb piston may be sticking - does it slide up and down easily? And yes - more oil on the pedals and pull/push them against each other - they will break free. Probably needs rebushing in time - but just getting them moving will do for now.

I got engine running with help, we changed points, rotor arm, condensor, distributor cap, the leads and air filter. It helped but main problem I think is the petrol pipe to carburettor, I had to hold it in while a guy was starting the engine and when we got it running, when I let go the engine cut out, so will this mean I need a new pipe ?[frame][/frame]

In what way did you have to 'hold' it? Is it kinked ??? If so - yes to a new one !

I had to push in and keep a hold of its position. It's corroded at both ends, so a new one then. Will this be my problem then of getting the engine running ?.

It sounds like you need a new one, is it leaking so much petrol it's not getting to the carb?

I doubt it's the problem - but it obviously needs fixing.... Did you put petrol in and crank it - before changing all that electrical stuff, that maybe didn't need changing at all ??? The problem with many of the new parts these days is very poor quality/reliability - you may now have introduced all manner of future problems to your engine...........

Before I got these new parts fitted, I put in about £5 worth of fuel and tried to start it and when I eventually got it started it only ran for 2 seconds at the most, but with the new parts we fitted today, we got it running for about 10 seconds until I let go of the pipe. So that is why I think I need a new pipe and I think that may be the problem, so I will order the pipe and see what happens, any other suggestions of what I could buy to improve the fuel side of things ?.

If the fuel hose is as bad as you say it may have started breaking down inside. Take the top off the float camber and clean it out, while the top of the float chamber is in you hand check the little float valve is moving and is clear of debris - you don't need much crap in there for the fuel flow to be blocked.

If it's not the pipe that's the problem, what do you's think it could be ?

The idea of the eggcup of petrol was to determine if the ignition side was ok - you failed to do so...... So now you really don't know... You don't need to 'order' a fuel pipe - just get one locally!!!!!! We don't know now - you didn't do the test... But that pipe needs repaired, so do that first. Chances are it will be fine - although I fail to see how 'holding' it helps......

Sorry a guy did do that with the fuel and carb but then nothing but when I held the pipe it worked for some reason, the clips are broken on it and the pipe is corroded

Let us know when you get a new pipe.......

I see you have a steel braided pipe(Don't replace like for like,)you can't examine the rubber pipe inside the braid so you don't see any splits before they leak. They look good but I my view are a bad idea. Was the steel warm to the touch by any chance, there is a reason to ask.
I can see no reason that the pipe would cause the symptoms you describe,it will either pour petrol out without any going into the carb,or if the rubber pipe has degraded block it completely.See above reason for not useing braided, If so, even holding the pipe to let petrol into the carb,if there was a blockage and lifting clears it ,would fill the carb bowl. A full carb bowl will run a minor on tick over for about three or four minutes,probably more, before the bowl empties. So by realeasing the pipe it would keep running for quite a while.
The pipe is not your main problem.Please ,before going any further,switch on ,don.t start it, and wait for the pump to stop ticking. Hold the pipe if you must.Take the top off the carb(The three screws on top) and make sure the carb bowl is full of petrol.If so ,Then try to start it,then report back with the result.Obviously put the top of the carb back on.

Absolutely as above - I suspect the 'running for 10 seconds' was the result of tipping some fuel down the carb........ This 'pipe' thing is a red herring - but by all means renew it - then test the pump by filling a large jam jar with it.....

May be stupid question but do I need to turn the key in the ignition to get the fuel going and to start the engine ?

May be stupid question but do I need to turn the key in the ignition to get the fuel going and to start the engine ?