Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Starting Problems

Hi

Can anyone help please.

My 1976 4/4 is most reluctant to start after being left garaged for a few days. This is a year round problem & I keep her on a Ctek trickle charger when garaged to keep the battery up.

I have tried a new battery (cca350) which made no difference and also cleaned the earth strap connections of the battery and starter motor to the bodywork. The volt meter test of the battery output is 12.8 volts when fully charged.

When I try to start her I get the classic sluggish turning over on the engine you'd expect from a low battery charge.

What can anyone suggest to help please?

I've also been considering changing the original door mirrors to the ones on telescopic arms. Has anyone a recommendation for the base plates, how they need to be changed and the best source. I've added (I hope) a picture of the original mirrors

Thanks for your help

Mike

[img]http://s448.photobucket.com/user/talkmor...669385553403576[/img]

Basically anything in the circuit when cranking e.g. make sure your battery conections are clean and tight, conections on solenoid ar clean and tight. After that it's a bit guesswork, could be circuit through solenoid (dirty or damaged contacts), could be the starter motor itself (brushes or bearings).
Good luck and regards

I would suspect the starter motor. Might be worth taking it off and giving it a good clean. Perhaps the brushes are worn.

Just as a matter of interest, what is it like when the car has warmed up?. It's been pretty cold and the type of oil used can have an effect on starting.

Neil

Sounds like you need to check the quality of your battery leads and or the solenoid on your stater motor.

Or
maybe you have a quiescent current issue, (something electrical is draining your battery)
Or
Maybe you have high drag in your gearbox/clutch ???

Tim
44 sport

....or too much engine timing advance?

My money is on an earthing problem. Starters take a huge current and what is perfectly good enough for lights etc, is not good enough for a starter.

Remove both ends of the earth strap, clean up, apply new vaseline and bolt up firmly and try again.

Won't help either but the Lucas starter as fitted in that period is definitely of the grunt and heave school wheras a geared starter will whiz the engine round. They tend to be expensive, but if you can get one for a sensible price, worth having, even with a standard crossflow.

Mine does exactly the same. Reasonable cranking speed to pull fuel up from the tank after standing for a week or so is needed too. If you have a pair of jump leads, try jumping from the negative battery terminal to the engine block. Does this cure the problem? If so, there is a poor earth connection somewhere. If not, remove it and try taking a connection from the postiive to either the starter (or in my case to the isolator switch which is mounted on the bulkhead above the toolbox). If that cures the problem you have a problem in the live feed connection. If not, then you are down to starter motor / solenoid...

Cheers,

that's a good tip Graham.

For wing mirrors - try Europa Spares - I put one of their mirrors on the nearside of my 4/4 sport and it is great- I can see what is behind now rather than the sky or the roadway!! Much cheaper than the official Mog ones

Dont forget to check the engine earth lead as its insulated by its rubber mounts. This can either be on the engine or gearbox and will connected to the chassis.