21 replies to this topic

[clarkymini92]

Hi all,

I’m new to the forums and really need some help.

I have a rover mini cooper 1.3i 1994 spi.

The problem I’m having with my mini is that it won’t start! I have tried everything, I have tried all the following:

- New distributor cap
- New coil
- New HT leads
- New air filter
- New spark plugs
- Recently had a new alternator
- Recently had a new starter motor

My mini turns over but doesn’t seem to fire, there’s just no kick in getting it to start. I have connected some jump leads to it and another car and its starts straight away, I thought then it may be the battery but I have tested that and the reading is around 12. Once I disconnect it from the jump start its fine, I then turn it off and start it up normally and its fine again, however if I leave it for a few hours it doesn’t start again!!!!

It’s so frustrating!

Any help would be really appreciated.

Thank you

[a.south1234]

i had a similar problem recently, but mine was just down to a fuse jumping out a little so that there wasn't a good contact,
but i believe that there should be a ballast wire that goes from the solinoid to the coil, this is so that when the engine is cranked over the voltage at the coil doesnt drop and is took from the solioid.
sometimes the ballast wire can break down

im not completely sure with the ballast wire, just going by what i remember

[RayBoogs]

Check your earthing points, in the engine bay and on the battery end.

Also, are you sure there isn't a drain on the battery? i.e something drawing a lot of current when its not being used. Another thing when are you measuring the voltage the jump or when it won't start?

[Mini_Magic]

As said above, a bad earth can cause loads of starting and/or running problems.

If the earth strap (goes along the engine steady, between the brake servo and engine block) isn't in excellent condition then replace it. Best to fit a second one from the exhaust manifold to the bulkhead for peace of mind.

Check the battery earth as well.

[clarkymini92]

Thanks for all the replys from everyone, i will have a look tonight and see if i can see any problems with the earthing and with the wire from the solinoid. I will post up how i get on tomorrow. Thanks for all the replys though, if there is any more suggestions that would be great. Thanks

[orangeboy]

With a voltmeter on your battery you should be looking for a voltage above 12.2v, leave the meter across the battery and hat someone to crank it over. What does the voltage drop to? If it drops down way below 10v then your battery is knackered.

Also put your meter on the battery neg terminal, then put the other lead onto a suitable earth on the body other than where the earth lead fastens, Get someone to crank it, if you see a voltage reading then you have "volt drop" on the earth. Remove clean and try again.

[clarkymini92]

Thanks for all the replys from everyone, i will have a look tonight and see if i can see any problems with the earthing and with the wire from the solinoid. I will post up how i get on tomorrow. Thanks for all the replys though, if there is any more suggestions that would be great. Thanks

Hi All,

i had a look at the earthing and the wiring from the solinoid but couldnt see anything wrong! i put the battery on charge over night last night, so il try it when i get home, also ordered some new bettery terminals, one was a bit loose, could this have been causing it?

I will also try what orangeboy said tonight, Thanks alot everyone, keep the advice coming.

Thanks

[Samini86]

It could be flooded with fuel.. I had the same problem just take all your spark plugs out then turn it over for a few seconds to blow to fuel out.. Put them back in and it should start hopefully

[clarkymini92]

ok everyone, im even more stuck now! iv tryed everything mentioned above and no luck.

i started to think that it could be a fueling problem and put a few drops in the carb under the air filter and there you go it started. wierd! i thing looked at the purge valve and unplugged it and pluggd it back in again. then it wouldnt start again! what does the purge valve do?

i once again bump started it with another car and it started, turned it off, disconnected the jump leads and nothing, wouldnt even try to start.

put a new battery in that had been charging over night and it started straight away, i just think that if i leave it for a few hours and try it, it just wont start again.

could something be draining the battery really quickly?

thanks for everyones help.

[jamesy]

Does the other battery do the same?

Your battery could be giving 12v, but possibly not nearly enough amps to turn it, it could have a dead cell or two.
Take it down to your local ATS or battery place and get them to analyse it, they should do it free, and its amazing how bad it could be.

have had batterys before giving intermittent faults, and then take it to be tested and turns out to only be 27% efficient!

[orangeboy]

it deffo sounds like the battery

[clarkymini92]

lovely, ok i will try that tonight, it seems to be having the same problem with both batterys! tryed starting it this morning but wouldnt fire! really frustrating! running out of ideas!!!!

Thanks

[clarkymini92]

ok everyone, im even more stuck now! iv tryed everything mentioned above and no luck.

i started to think that it could be a fueling problem and put a few drops in the carb under the air filter and there you go it started. wierd! i thing looked at the purge valve and unplugged it and pluggd it back in again. then it wouldnt start again! what does the purge valve do?

i once again bump started it with another car and it started, turned it off, disconnected the jump leads and nothing, wouldnt even try to start.

put a new battery in that had been charging over night and it started straight away, i just think that if i leave it for a few hours and try it, it just wont start again.

could something be draining the battery really quickly?

thanks for everyones help.

Hi all, as mentioned above, this is still the problem after trying everything, i have tryed the battery volt reading, its reading 12. when off and goes to about 10 or 11 when i try to start the car so i think the battery seems fine. could this be a fueling problem? where could the problem be? im hearing the noise of the fule pump so doubt it could be that. could it be the fuel filter?

any ideas?

Thanks

[clarkymini92]

any more ideas? im really stuck on this and need my mini!

Last night me and my dad took off the air filter and looked into the carb and put some fuel in, it started first time, we looked at the fuel evaporating when running and it starts to vaporise then stops???

any ideas?

need some help!

Thank you

[Nu2mini]

Have you checked the Inertia Switch ?

Are you sure the fuel pump is delivering fuel ??

See http://www.theminifo...h/#entry2433572