Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Will It Start?

Hoping to get my 4/4 2 litre out at the weekend for the first time since November.

It's been sitting under 2 covers in the garage connected to a Ctek battery conditioner. I haven't moved it or touched it apart from putting some air in the tyres as required.

So what are the odds - will it start? Will anything have stuck / seized etc.

Any advice before I turn the key?

Many thanks

p.s. I do admire all of you who run their cars all winter but I don't think I'll ever be one.

Might be worth checking the clutch isn't stuck by putting it in gear and seeing if it rolls with your foot on the pedal.

Brakes might be sticky but they'll likely free as you first move.

If the battery is good and topped up any reluctance may be fuel that's stood over winter ... but unlikely to cause an outright fail to start.

Good luck

K

Mine started OK after a similar time in hibernation. Needed to use some easy start at first, but then mine has conventional carbs etc. The fuel was, surprisingly, OK but I am using E5.
Good idea to check the clutch is free. Wouldn't be good if it started in gear, although unlikely.

Plugs out then turn it over on the starter to get the oil pressure up/get the oil circulating.

You will know when the oil pressure light goes out or the guage starts showing working pressure.

Plugs back in and start the car!

Arwyn

Up here in the Rocky Mountains my three Morgans go into hibernation in October and come out around now, had my +8 out for the first time the other day (back asleep as we had 8 inches of snow yesterday). Never had any issues, they go to sleep with full tanks of gas, tyres over inflated and batteries on trickle chargers, clutch disengaged, handbrake off, I also carry out my yearly maintenance on them over the winter. If you want any other detailed advice just PM me.

Arwyn

100% agreement but don't underestimate the access is tricky to plugs on the Zetec engine

1 Getting the plugs out is OK if they come out with the spanner, otherwise it might take a while to "snare" them with a piece of tubing over the insulator

2 Getting the plug back in generally calls for them to "held" in the same plastic tubing, so you can start the thread by hand.

I have never quite understood the reason to take the plugs out surely just removing the plug leads would suffice if you want to get the oil circulating?

With the plugs out the engine will spin freely as there won't be any compression.

OK got it, thanks.

We were abroad for nearly 18 months and left my partner's Nissan in the garage with battery disconnected and just covered with a sheet. Admittedly to my surprise just re-connected, a couple of turns of the engine and it ran perfectly. Four months is nothing in a dry garage.