Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 First trip, first break down

Thats a bummer
I hope this problem will be easily fixed and you will be back to enjoying your 3 Wheeler.

My guesses are; if it's "just" the cambelt then it should spin over pretty freely on the starter motor, albeit possibly with some rattles from the front of the engine. If the starter motor engages but it doesn't turn at all then it could be something major that led to the belt failing. If the rattles you were getting are just the starter solenoid trying but failing to get the starter to do its job then it's electrical and likely to be either a loose main earth connection or, more likely, it's the regulator/rectifier again and the battery has just run itself down. Do you know what voltage is showing on the display?

Regardless of the cause it's a bloody annoying thing to happen, and shouldn't happen.
Good luck in sorting it out, hopefully it is something easily found and fixed.

The sound is like the cambelt spinning crazy / loose / broken inside the case. Like the starter motor pinion is making it turn and it just doesn't grip on the other pinions so nothing moves. I did not wanted to open it to check because:
1 - I don't have a spare one.
2 - If I had, I doubt it can be changed on the side of the road: Or can it? If it can, I Will consider seriously to carry one.
3 - The car is under warranty, so I better do not manipulate things that may be used by the garage as an excuse to tell it's my fault...

I hope it's just a silly broken cambelt.

If not, maybe the fuel pump. Who knows…?

The voltage was neat at 12,1 Volts. So I didn't consider it the origin of the breakdown. But again…. Morgans are a mystery

Whatever it is, we’re home, safe, the Morgan is supposed to be kept safe until Monday that they'll deliver it to the garage. And it's sunny and nice weather. So... chill out and enjoy life

Being philosophical about these things is all part of the experience.

While I wouldn't like to change the belt at the roadside it's feasible...just so long as you can get the pinion bolt undone; not easy without an impact wrench now that they are secured with lots of Loctite. The original type of bolt on the early engines was much easier to undo and didn't require Loctite to hold it in place. Of course, the problem with the early style was that they had a habit of not holding in place. Sometimes you can't win. I had thought that the old cambelt snapping issue on the X-Wedge had gone away with the fitting of the vented belt cover and/or the spacers between it and the cam housing.

You don't need to undo the pinion bolt to change the cam belt only the idlers, you can get away with removing just one but it is easier to remove both. It can be done at the side of the road you just need the correct spanners and 3 locating dowels to align the cams, and you need to let the engine cool down first, learnt from bitter experience.

That makes total sense...last time I changed the belt I was also fitting the newer style pinion and bolt.
All my longer road trips have had a spare cambelt and three dowel sized cut down drill bits tucked away in the essential spares bag which is probably why I've never had to fit a belt beside the road.

Sorry to hear the news and hopefully something minor and it's back on the road asap. I seem to remember mine not starting below 12-13v (was 7 years ago so maybe wrong) and made lots of noise trying.

So sorry to hear this Javier and such an unjust thing to happen to you, your enthusiasm and pure joy for life is palpable on TM and I hope it's a quick fix and you can restart your adventures and send you and your good lady a from the whole of TM.

With your first breakdown you became member of the "real M3W owner's club"

Hope you are back on tour soon!

Javi: Your optimism and good-natured approach to a vexing problem is an inspiration. I hope that AM is not disheartened, and if she is still on board, then: "Te sacaste la lotería!"

Un abrazo para ambos...

Tomás