16 replies to this topic

[greenlaner1]

Model: austin mini 1098
Year: 1979
Description of problem (please be as in depth as possible):

just replaced head gasket on my mini but now it wont start, it turns over slowly and i get a lot of smoke from the starter motor live wire, battery is fully charged and not very old, what could it be?

i can do the mechanical stuff but not the electrical stuff

thanks

GL1

Edited by greenlaner1, 14 January 2010 - 10:59 AM.

[mars red mike]

Just a thought, when you took the head off did you undo the engine stabiliser at all? Just wondering if maybe you had forgotten to put the engine earth strap back on.

[greenlaner1]

Just a thought, when you took the head off did you undo the engine stabiliser at all? Just wondering if maybe you had forgotten to put the engine earth strap back on.

i dont remember taking the earth strap off, but will check....

doesnt the earth strap come from the gearbox? not the stabiliser?

GL1

Edited by greenlaner1, 14 January 2010 - 11:44 AM.

[WiredbyWilson]

earth should be from exhaust manifold nut to engine steady near the clutch master cylinder.

[greenlaner1]

just checked, there are 2 earth straps, one fro the engine to frame, other from engine direct to negative battery terminal. both are connected (located on coil bracket mount, just infront of the clutch arm)

i didnt mention that the battery is mounted in the front of the car under the bonnet

GL1

[Scruffs]

If you have a smoking wire I doubt it's a current path problem!

What gauge is the wire? I assume it could have been changed with the battery location?

Was there any symptoms before the gasket change?If this wasn't happening before then the engine has become somewhat harder to turn somehow...

EDIT: Are you talking the big fat wire from the battery is smoking or the smaller one that feeds the coil in the solenoid? I'm supposing some windings could have shorted in the motor/solenoid causing it to draw more current? Will it bump start OK or is it difficult to start that way also?

Edited by Scruffs, 14 January 2010 - 12:17 PM.

[greenlaner1]

If you have a smoking wire I doubt it's a current path problem!

What gauge is the wire? I assume it could have been changed with the battery location?

Was there any symptoms before the gasket change?If this wasn't happening before then the engine has become somewhat harder to turn somehow...

no, no problems before gasket change, and wiring hasn't been changed since i bought it, and it worked fine before, it looks pretty heavy guage too

GL1

[Scruffs]

You could try a bump start as per my edit above, if it starts fine then it could point to a duff starter I'd suggest...do you have a spare?

[greenlaner1]

You could try a bump start as per my edit above, if it starts fine then it could point to a duff starter I'd suggest...do you have a spare?

not tried bumping it yet, will try that next though, its the big fat wire from the starter to the little box thing (dunno what it is)

GL1

[Scruffs]

Cool, the other thing you could do first is check that it the engine turns freely with the plugs out (just stick it in fourth and roll it, or get a spanner on the end of the crank) just incase something got down inside there increasing the friction, in which case a bump start may be a bit violent...

If it needs more torque to turn the engine then the starter will just spin slower and draw more current, frying wires, batteries and windings.

If it bumps OK I reckon the starter motor is to blame for your problem. Shorted motor windings would reduce the torque output and draw more current giving similar symptoms..Not sure how changing the head gasket could have done that, nasty coincidence perhaps...

That's my logic anyway...Keep checking here for other opinions though as I am not particularly familiar with your model of mini!

May I also suggest a quick battery charge if you've been smoking big fat cables! (It won't take many of them to ruin the battery even if it's brand new)

Edited by Scruffs, 14 January 2010 - 12:33 PM.

[greenlaner1]

Cool, the other thing you could do first is check that it the engine turns freely with the plugs out (just stick it in fourth and roll it, or get a spanner on the end of the crank) just incase something got down inside there increasing the friction, in which case a bump start may be a bit violent...

If it needs more torque to turn the engine then the starter will just spin slower and draw more current, frying wires, batteries and windings.

If it bumps OK I reckon the starter motor is to blame for your problem. Shorted motor windings would reduce the torque output and draw more current giving similar symptoms..Not sure how changing the head gasket could have done that, nasty coincidence perhaps...

That's my logic anyway...Keep checking here for other opinions though as I am not particularly familiar with your model of mini!

May I also suggest a quick battery charge if you've been smoking big fat cables! (It won't take many of them to ruin the battery even if it's brand new)

the engine turns over easy with plugs out, on starter or when pushing in 4th so that leads us back to starter motor. will try a bump start next, and if it fires up, its down the breakers for a starter motor, cheers for your help and will update when i've tried the above

also if anyone has any other suggestions i'm all ears

GL1

[Scruffs]

Any luck?

[greenlaner1]

whoops, been put on the back burners this one, until today, tried bumping but no luck, sounds like it wants to go, fires up for a split second then dies slowly...

GL1

[Dan]

How long were you cranking it for before the smoke appeared?

[greenlaner1]

How long were you cranking it for before the smoke appeared?

not long, seconds really

GL1