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

Sorry to hear of your engine trouble Javier.
I had the same noise your describing which turned out to be the drive pulley shearing off the camshaft, instant stop though unlike you so could be something else.

Thank you everyone for your support!

AM is truly the best co-pilot ever! She was laughing and chilling in the shade under a tree, waiting patiently to the road service.

I was convinced I checked the voltage, as well as I perfectly remember checking the spark plugs terminal nuts, in case one was loose. But now, I’m having doubts… maybe I didn’t… I don’t know anymore!

So it might be a dead battery, which wouldn’t be a surprise as it’s the standard Banner mounted by MMC and the car was in stand-by for almost 70 days because of the quarantine… or the rectifier (less probable), or as I believed was happening: the time belt (but thinking deeper, it’s not so common with a new engine with just 500 km).

I hope we’ll know on Monday. If it’s just a dead battery, best possible news!
If not, better replacing a faulty piece now than later on a more serious travel…

And yes, we keep both very positive and we give this incident the importance it has. It’s just a fantastic machine, but with a broken piece that will be fixed. Not annoyed at all.

By the way, we crossed hundreds of bikers on the roads we took today, and it’s incredible to see that almost all of them make you signs with thumbs up or salute the biker way.

As we are all speculating, from your description of the failure Marmota, my guess is the Centa rollers have failed, although very low mileage for that. The engine was running until you stopped for the picnic, although power delivery problems that you thought were like a drive belt problem. It wouldn't re-start once stopped, although made a lot of noises. The engine is driven by the starter ring through the Centa, no rollers, no engine rotation. Cam belt failure is instantaneous and now very rare since the covers have been vented, particularly at such low mileage. Fuel pump failure would usually give some issues before failure, so it could be the problem. If the battery was dead nothing would be "spinning over like crazy". The ECU usually drops out at about 9 or 10v and the starter solenoid may just about click and rattle at that voltage but not much else. I wouldn't have too much confidence in the standard Banner battery Marmota, it is very marginal. I think the M3W that did the trans India trip had similar symptoms? Interested to see what the garage finds on Monday. I hope I am wrong and it is just a loose spark plug cap.

Javier you and your “co pilot” have definitely got the right attitude for M3W ownership!
Fingers crossed it’s just a flat battery🤞🏼

This is unfortunately true. As a surgical physician, we often say you aren’t a surgeon until you have managed your own complications. Similarly, you aren’t really a 3 Wheeler owner until you’ve been baptized by the towing service.

Sorry to hear of your breakdown but you will get used to it I'm told....

Fingers crossed for a quick and easy solution! 😎✌

Sorry to hear of your predicament, I admire your resolve and wish your car a speedy recovery.

If I had a three wheeler, I wouldn’t bother carrying any spares, I’d just make sure red three is also on the excursion!

Seems to be battery
Crank sensor
Cross fingers Javier