Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello folks!

Broke down yesterday..... again. This time the starter motor played up. I just put some yummy petrol in, and tried to start. Nothing happened. It seemed as the engine had seized up completely! Fortunately, I aint stupid, cause engine don't just seize up when you turn em off. Checked all fluids, temperature oil pressure etc.

Called the club, and they said just turn the square thingie on the back (or is it front?) of the starter motor.

However, I don't want a starter motor doing so.
So I am going to rebuild it
What do I need to replace and how hard is it?

Onne & Elisabeth

Onne
Its probably the bendix (the toothed bit) thats worn and may need replacing the brushes may be worn but they do last a long long time, they ather cuprit is often the shaft that the bendix runs on it can pick up dirt etc and should be really clean and not lubricated with oil the only thing you should use is graphite a soft HB pencil is good enough, people oten oil the shaft and then it sticks.
The way to release the started quoted is correct and it will also often free by rocking the car in gear or tapping the square nut with a hammer.

would that be a sufficient reason for buying a new starter? And can I do those things, with my limited skills concerning things like starter moters? Special tools ? Got compressor and air tools

Before the big rebuild, give it a clean. It is amazing how 50 years of grime stops things from working

Need to take it apart for that tho

If it's the same as the 1098 then it's just two bolts and a lot of wriggling and scraped knuckles to take it out (and the one cable connection on the back).

Whip it out, give it a good clean and check over, and uh, put it back in if it's okay. I've never stripped a working starter, nor a minor one, but I should think it's take-apart-able.

Try releasing the stuck pinion by:
a) turning the square nut
b) rocking the car (ignition off) in top gear
c) turning the engine with the starting handle.

You may find that the starter motor pinion is dirty (don't oil it - use powder graphite after cleaning)

Alternatively a reconditioned starter motor (ESM price list) is less than £30, so you may find it more economical to swap the old one out.

I'm sue my Haynes manual gives deirections on how to take them apart & rebuild, but you may need additional parts.

Colin

I made myself a special compressor - and fitted a new bendix drive. Easy with the compressor - impossible without. I have never known starter motor brushes to wear out ! Just pull it out - dead easy, two bolts - and throughly wash the bendix with penetrating oil from an aerosol can - don't allow the stuff to run down inside the motor. Work it back and forwards with more pen oil until the gear runs easily and returns to base without propmpting. However - do inspect the bendix carefully for any cracks starting in the casing - if there are - you need a new bendix. It's often possible to pick up spare starters for £1 ! I recently got a starter and a dynamo - both in excellent order - for 99p each !!

Is it the same as on a Mini? Got heaps of those on the scrapyard, not many, if any Minors

No, the mounting flange is slightly different on the Mini one, and I think it's got one extra tooth on the pinion too.

You can JUST remove & replace the bendix using cunning and two pairs of mole grips, but it's fiddly and makes you swear a lot!

As has been said before though, don't oil it as it makes dirt stick to it, just lubricate it with graphite.

It's the same as a MG Midget / AH Sprite if that's any help, though I suspect they're less common than scrap Minors.

Onne, I have a couple of spare starters, You can drop 1 in your boot when your over to keep as a spare if you like.

Lee

Mini starter can be used - just need to file the bolt holes into small slots - the actual mounting flange is the same. No of teeth on bendix varies anyway with year - so doesn't really matter.

Thank you Lee! Another botlle of scotch for mr Wells

bmcecosse wrote:Mini starter can be used - just need to file the bolt holes into small slots - the actual mounting flange is the same.

Hmmm........ I don't like the sound of that to be honest. It takes a lot of torque and I personally would prefer to use the correct type as opposed to 'bodging' a mini one on. But if it gets you out of a sticky situation as a temporary measure................

It's not a bodge - the flange has the same raised rim which locks it into the hole in the backplate - it's just that the Mini holes are a wee bit closer together - I guess less space on a Mini !

Who needs em anyway! As long as they don't get stuck in the flywheel.... The joy of starting handles.......

Indeed - two years ago when I went back to the MOT garage to collect my car (it had passed !) they said 'It won't start, the battery is flat' (they had left it sitting with all the lights on for ages). I fetched out the handle - stuck it in - one pull and off it went. The whole garage were standing open-mouthed, they had never seen such a thing in all their lives !

Modern people... had a good laugh the other day with this. My collegue wanted tpo try starting m elisabeth.... he kep turning and turning and said; "It is broken!" If only he had turned on the ignition.......