Heavy rain - car not working :(

[catherinewren]

Hello

I'm a newbie so not sure if I am posting in the right place, or if there is another thread that someone can point me in the direction of.

I bought Doris on Sunday - love her - booked her in at Charles Ware to get her checked over next week. Haven't had time to get a cover (BIG MISTAKE)...it rained super heavily last night. She started this morning but I thought something didn't seem right, she seemed under powered. I drove her about a mile and then she stopped. Engine turns but doesn't start. She is now on the side of the road I need to at least get her home to be able to cover her....is this common? What have I done wrong? What do I need to do to prevent this in the future?

Is there anyone in Clevedon (North Somerset) that might be able to help with this?!

P.S. Am buying a cover today.

Thanks Cath

[mogbob]

Cath
Sorry you've not got off to a good start with your new car Doris. I do hope somebody on the forum , who is local to you , can come to your rescue.
The " reason " for breakdown could be any number of things and to come up with solutions , car unseen , is a bit difficult and may or may not be bad weather related.
Non starting is usually either fuel or electrical related. % wise most breakdowns are likely to be electrical.
The car has got fuel in the tank of course ?? Modern fuel " goes off " after a few months , so classic car owners tend to not overfill the tank ( other than for long journeys ) preferring to put " fresh " petrol in every now and again.
Your car ran the first mile OK so maybe it's not the fuel issue.
Did Doris' engine die , just after you went through a deep puddle ? This might have soaked the electrics. The HT leads and distributer cap ( internally and externally ) may need drying with a rag.

I not sure of your mechanical expertise and the extent of your mechanic's tools so I'll stop at this point. I may be preaching to the converted or alternatively I will need to write a complete book , setting out / covering all the possibilities.
A fully charged mobile phone and a breakdown service contract gets most classic car owners out of trouble , if you don't fancy the DIY route. Most of the stuff on a Morris Minor is simple .... once you know how.
Good luck with it and I hope you have lot of care free motoring with Doris. Keep the questions coming we don't bite and it's free !
Bob

[panky]

Hi and welcome along, shame your first post is because of a problem.
The bad weather may be a coincidence but give the leads, plugs and distributed a good squirt of WD40. If it is damp then that will help to disperse the water, good luck.

[catherinewren]

My husband just went to her and she started up first time. After 10 mins is still running lovely.

I don't have any mechanical experience so any advice is welcome.

My husband will do the wd40 today. I was thinking that maybe it was because I started her up and then just drove - should I be leaving her to warm up before I drive her?

I used the choke all the way out to start (as usual) and then I drove, she started to die so I pulled the choke out again. This continued as she was stalling so I had to keep giving her a bit more on the accelerator or fiddling with the choke.

She died after just driving for a mile - no deep puddles went through. She has fuel in her - not old fuel as I want to drive her daily.

I spoke to Charles Ware and the mechanic there said that I shouldn't have to get a cover to use her daily - what do you think? He also said that I should just be able to start her and drive so I'm not sure if I should have to leave her to warm up before I drive her.

[catherinewren]

I am wondering if there is anyone in the Clevedon area that could go through simple things with me?

She has been working fine when the weather was dry so that is why I thought it may have been the weather :/

Thank you for all your help.

[panky]

It may well have been damp but the warm engine eventually dried everything while it was standing. If it's going in to be checked over make sure they know about the problem you had so they can investigate. Always carry a tin of WD40 in the car just in case

[amgrave]

Mine does not like running with the choke after only a few minutes from cold so it could have been the engine died through too much fuel. If that's the case as it is getting to the stage when the engine is going to stop it will stutter a lot and suffer with a lack of power. If that is the symptoms you experienced you might need to push the choke off within a short time of starting up just like mine.

[dalebrignall]

sounds like the dampis getting in round the distributer cap a good squirt of wd40 should solve this , sounds like it needs the service parts changing ie dizzy cap , leads plugs points and condenser its all basic stuff , charles wares will do this in no time at all .dont loose faith in the car they are very reliable , just like lots of love to keep them going above all have fun .

[catherinewren]

Thanks for all your replies, it's so helpful and encouraging.

She drove fine earlier home but then I realised the rear lights and side lights are not working , and the horn and the indicator stalk.....Lots of fiddling this weekend me thinks.

Cath

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

I have a cover which I put over the car if I'm not using it for a couple of days. They are somewhat awkward to store (you can't leave them on the floor where they pick up grit and small stones), and need drying out if you remove them when damp.

Covers are good if water is getting into the car, but that is a problem in itself which needs curing.

[RobThomas]

It might sound silly, but, have you thought about seeking out someone local who used to own one? Guy near me bought an old 1940s Enfield motorbike and sat it in the carpark in town with a placard asking if anyone else knew much about them. Got lots of people looking at it and he was overwhelmed with "Y'know, I used to have one of them and..." type calls. Worth a try?

I'm west of Cardiff so probably too far away.

[RobThomas]

Rear lights is probably a lack of a good earth. Several wires going into each rear lamp unit. One black one is the means for the wiggly electrons to go back to the battery via being screwed/bolted to the steel body of the car. If the connection is grubby or the wire broken then you lose the lights. The connections (called Lucas Bullets) are often corroded due to sitting in water. Inside the boot, on the floor, wrapped in cotton or plastic, the wiring gets bunched together. Red is the feed to normal lights, green with a strip of colour on the wire means brake light power and black is the earth.

Loss of horn is possibly the fuse (black box, size of matchbox, in engine bay, above drivers' knee level) and needs to be a 35 amp one (some times badged 35 amp continuous and 17 amp instantaneous) or maybe a poor connection.

Hope this helps.

Rob

[kennatt]

the rain will have caused very little ,if any of the problem,remember the car was built in the first place for the English market and weather, I suspect that you have left the choke out too long and have flooded the plugs ,and when it was stood they will have dried out,hence the re start .Pull it out,start and drive away then push it right back in as soon as the car will run ok,usually within a few hundred yards,if the system is ok. If you take it to c wares please report back here with whatever faults or work required that they SAY....... needs doing.Its a very simple car and most regulars on here can take you through most diy repairs and maintenance. That's why the moggy is one of the cheapest cars to run and maintain.

[catherinewren]

It's not the fuse for the horn as it's been changed and is fine.

Discovered now rear lights, side lights, horn, flashy light thing on end of indicator stick not working, light in speedometer not working and only one dash light (for indicators) is working. Headlights, brake lights and indicators on the outside of her work fine.

Hasanyone got a wiring diagram for a 1967 1000 please?

There's a guy around the corner that has a traveller, I'm going to seek him out!

[catherinewren]

Yep, think you guys are certainly right about the choke thing. She definitely suffered lack of power and stuttering.

Will leave a cover for a bit. She doesn't appear to be leaking.

Also ivebeen told not to drive her in the winter if salt is on the road....by my mum (she owner a classic) - what do you think?

[mogbob]

Cath
Diplomatically ... tell Mum that cars were designed and tested to be driven in all weathers. To be fair to Mum , a lot of classic car owners " lay up " their pride and joy, in the garage over the winter months. The alternative view is that using the car , all year around , does it good with minor ( sorry about the pun ) problems being identified quickly before they become major ones.
If the car is hosed down well after the winter and any preventative applications , underneath the car , are inspected and re-applied if necessary ,then all will be well.
Bottom line is ..personal choice. Treat it like a museum exhibit or drive and enjoy all year round. Nothing to stop you using
the car in really bad weather when the gritters have been out if you have alternative transport. You have a thoughtful Mum.
Bob

[mogbob]

P.S. on the electrical front
The issues will be mainly bad earth connections , as suggested by Rob , and / or broken bulbs.
A wiring diagram is the place to start and a multi meter to check out if battery voltage is getting to where it should.
Be systematic in your approach with things electric.
Bob

[catherinewren]

Thanks Bob!

I want to be driving her all the time so I will just hose her down and prevent (well, try too) her from getting ill - when it comes to after winter I will ask what to do.

Do you know where I can get a wiring diagram from on the internet? Can anyone provide a link, it would be really helpful as we want to look at her this weekend

Thank you so so much for all your helpful and friendly advice

[panky]

Here you go

http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=28295

[catherinewren]

A - MAZING - THANK YOU