Morris Minor Owners Club

My moggy is generally used every day but has sat a couple of weeks whilst I and the dogs enjoyed the air con in another car. I changed the starter pull switch a few weeks ago, it had failed, she had her head gasket changed (routine not emergency) and New spark plugs with last couple of months. Battery a healthy 12.4 after numerous attempts. The fuel pump ticks then stops as full.
The starter motor, 10 years old, turns but isn't firing into life, (the sort of noise when the battery is too low)and the starting handle is doing nothing, turning freely but not starting. When the pull switch failed I was able to start engine on starting handle easily. Any ideas? I don't want to spend out on another starter if not needed. I have in the past on boats activated starters with a spanner across the terminals but haven't tried that on a moggy, and memory service isn't at best as to how to do it.

If you have a pull switch, open the bonnet and - making sure car is out of gear - push down the little button, or protrusion, in the middle of the switch and see if that turns the engine over. Obviously, it won't start unless the ignition is on but the engine should turn over.
You can bridge the terminals with a spanner but it will be a bit sparky!
But I'm puzzled as to why you can't start the engine by using the crank handle.........

Hi Celia,

Yes, it can be the starter motor….but…

Even though the battery is showing over 12V, check that voltage when the starter motor is switched in. If the motor does not accelerate fast enough, due to voltage drop, the bendix will not engage with the flywheel ring gear.

Does the battery voltage drop alarmingly if the headlights are switched on? Do the lights dim? If so, it is likely a tired battery.

Try fully charging the battery and checking if the starter engages properly.

If the battery voltage does not drop when the starter is activated, the issue could be at the battery/starter pull switch/earth connections.

The bendix may need cleaning, or even replacing. A much cheaper option than a replacement starter, but at the moment, I am suspecting your battery or connections (including the pull-switch) may be the problem.

Just carry on starting with the crank handle first thing in the day and check if it starts with the starter after the battery has charged up, if you don’t have access to a mains battery charger. If it starts on the starter after the car has been run a reasonable distance, you could discount a starter motor issue.

Is the battery a sealed type, or can it be topped up with distilled water? If the latter, have you checked the electrolyte level? If one cell only were to be low, I would suspect the battery.

Hope that helps.

Celia
Can you clarify a few points...
After the Pull Sw change, has it ever started normally?

the starting handle is doing nothing, turning freely but not starting

So you can turn it over but it's just not starting....
Have you checked for Spark?
Is it fitted with Points or Electronic Ignition?

I'm discounting the Starter at the moment, since you say it won't start on the Handle either.

As with oliver90owner, I'm wondering about things like the battery capacity, having Volts but not enough Amps capacity. How old is the battery?
You've obviously got a Meter.
Put it across the battery terminals and then operate the Pull Start for 5-10 seconds. Meter shouldn't drop far below about 10.5v.
I just went out and checked my car; 12.54v dropped to steady 10.44v while cranking it over at normal speed for 10 seconds. Basil's battery is only about 3 years old.

You say that it turns freely on the handle. Is that too freely? The head gasket was changed "routine" but I would never disturb a head unless it was needed, it is not a routine service. How long ago was it changed, was it torqued properly? I would check compression - you should feel a distinct push against the handle as each cylinder comes to compression.

That aside, be methodical in checking things, do not just change parts for the sake of it. Apart from compression, as above check for sparks - are the plug leads in the correct order?

Interesting. I presume what you mean was it was an elective head gasket change. This does make sense. The gasket can fail as an emergency or it can ooze oil for years as mine did. My Morris would start on the handle with next to no battery charge and frequently did when I was a 6th former 35 years ago.

Stephen

"My Morris would start on the handle with next to no battery charge". That starting handle is a real godsend when you are stuck in the middle of BFN with a low battery. A bump-start is not always easy/feasible.