Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing +4 T16 engine hardly starts and turn off when warm

Hello at all, I've a problem with my car.

It don´t starts normally (I put the key in and turn it immediately), but it almost won't start at all.
Something in the throttle housing keeps cracking and cracking, and if I wait longer (I've even hit it a bit with a hammer), it will start. I drove it once and it kept stalling and almost died. I went straight back home because I didn't want to stop. Even a trip to the repair shop is impossible!
I keept it at 2000 rpm at home while it was idle, and the engine ran and warmed up. When I took my foot off the gas, it ran for 20 seconds and then died again. But then it started again. But hard! So it can't really be the cold start or the immobilizer, or?! I'm no expert, but I've owned a lot of cars.

Thank you
Sven

What's the car and fuelling system?

My thoughts here are to look at the throttle housing, butterfly seal to body and operation first along with the Idle control valve and wiring. When you start the car the idle control is actuated and it moves in or out, small movements, to allow the correct air fuel mix to settle the engine at idle. So on start up the engine adopts a faster idle to settle the running and when happy it drops it back to standard idle, 750 + or - 25 rpm.
Disconnect the air ducting to the throttle body and using a hooked piece of wire coat hanger slowly push the top of the butterfly open with a finger enough to slip the wire in between the butterfly and the body. The hooked end stops it disappearing down the intake! a little securing tape doesn't go amiss either. Now start the car, if it starts and runs suspect the idle control valve, they do get dirty so remove and clean. Try not to clean intake items in situ as it is best not to allow solvents into the cat as that could be very expensive!!! choice of cleaning agent is carb cleaner not brake and clutch cleaner. It's expensive but one can will last you a lifetime. Then while you are there clean the throttle butterfly and barrel by spraying cleaner on a rag over a finger. clean both sides of the butterfly and all contact areas of the barrel. Best to disconnect the electrical plug to the throttle actuator first before moving the butterfly for cleaning. The electrical method for the ECM to move the valve will receive an electrical reverse input when manually moved and these will be confusing and random as you clean and can damage the ECM.

Hopefully this will ascertain the problem for you.

Sven, you need to eliminate one thing at a time really, firstly fuel supply.
can you hear the fuel pump run when you turn the key?
is the fuel pump wiring sound,
if so, you might want to fit a new fuel filter to eliminate fuel starvation.

Have you tried resetting the ECU by turning off and on the red switch, it may change the behaviour, depends what year the car is as the ECUs vary..

The ECO could have failed. They are also v sensitive to air leaks , though that normally means they run fast. Disconnect the carbon filter solenoid (above the big round cyclinder on the UK passenger side bulk head) in case it is letting the petrol tank vent & makng the mixture too rich.

Have sent you a PM see flashing enevelope on th top RHS of the screen by yuor user name.

Hello, and thank you so much for the help and tips. It started again, then shut off, and then it sounded like it was only running on three cylinders now, even when it was running! F... car! Definitely my first and last Morgan. My old Jaguar was still a dream back then! It probably needs to go to a garage somewhere. I just don't know enough about it. I'll end up breaking even more! But THANKS for the help. Regards, Sven

Thanks for letting us know Sven, please tell us what the problem was when you have it sorted, always a help to others with similar issues, regards John k

Hello and thank you again.
I cleaned the throttle body, replaced the red battery switch, installed new spark plugs, new spark plug wires, new ignition coils, replaced the crankshaft sensor, coolant temperature sensor, fuel temperature switch, and throttle position sensor. Now it barely starts at all. Today it started for 2 seconds, then immediately shut off again. best regards sven

Sven,did you check if the fuel pump is working, should buzz when you turn the key to the first position.

Check the fuel pump relay by swapping with one of the other two temporarily.probably not completely failed but faulty?

Has the pump got a reliable connection?

if so, check/ replace the fuel filter. that should eliminate a fuel supply issue.

Having done all that then look to the ECU.

regards John k

Mine did that when I first had it - a 1997. Very occasionally it would not start at all. The immobiliser was playing up. I found shutting the car down, switching in the immobiliser for a few minutes, then switch it off, cured the non-starting problem.

Hi John, thank you very much.
The fuel pump is working. I don't think that's the problem. Okay, the filter would be a new option.
What is the ECU? What can I do about that? Sorry, I like tinkering with cars, but I'm not a professional. ;-) regards Sven