15 replies to this topic

[Jamie_RoverMini35]

hi folks i had another thread about my car being very poor at starting and sometimes struggling and when im out and turn the car off for 2 mins then having the illusion of a flat battery but its now ! however my engine doesnt have an earth strap and im led to believe its meant to? its a 1994 card mini 35. the car never starts when its cold. what im thinking is my upper engine steady its pretty worn now and if IF thats where it was getting an earth before now with the movement its not. the car starts most times when hot however when cold it never goes, its got a new battery, alternator, new battery earth and starter.... ? any ideas !

[A-Cell]

All minis ned an engine earth cable. Earlier ones had an earth braid between the couch cover and the bulkhead adjacent to the starter motor. Others had one effectively in parallel with the engine stabiliser bar, I.e. between the engine block and the bulkhead using the 2 stab bar fixing bolts at either end.
Get an earth strap fitted as soon as possible.
If the stab bar rubbers are buggered then this could be the earth path at the moment.
If you don't have a good earth strap and you were to re- rubber the stab bar then the earth may be via the throttle or choke cable, then you will have a problem!

[Dan]

Yes your engine needs an earth strap. If it really doesn't have one at all (which I have to say is unlikely given that it starts sometimes) it will find an earth through the throttle and choke cables, but these are nowhere near chunky enough to earth the starter motor. It can't earth through the engine steady as that is rubber isolated. Sounds to me like your battery is near the end of its life. When you have a battery that seems dead after running or cranking, but then recovers after half an hour or so, it usually means it is on its way out. But you say its a new battery so you are possibly on the right track with earths.

Have a good look for an engine earth, if there isn't one then fit one. It needs to go to the body, not the subframe. There is a large screw on the bulkhead crossmember under the master cylinders that forms the front wiring earth point and you can earth the engine here. The other end of the cable works well fixed to a transfer gear case screw. But also check the condition of the battery earth, particularly look under the car where the cable is screwed to the boot. It is screwed into a captive nut that is floating inside a cage. The cage fills with road dirt and then the connection becomes poor. You can loosen the screw, spray the cage with loads of penetrating fluid or ideally electrolube and then rattle the captive nut around a lot before you retighten it. That seems to clean it up nicely. If the engine really had no earths and you have to fit one, you should replace your throttle, choke and heater cables (if the heater valve is on the head) as they will have been damaged.

Edited by Dan, 15 January 2013 - 08:59 PM.

[Jamie_RoverMini35]

hi thanks for the reply, yep the battery is only a week old so wont be that. im positive it doesnt have an engine earth ive searched and searched for one :S i got a new battery earth lead the other day and cleaned up where it goes on. its a very odd intermittent fault, but like i say it never starts when its cold but usually does when hot but ive had it where the cars fine no dull lights etc and when i stopped to get fuel for 2 mins when i went back out the starter was just clicking, but the battery's charging good so wont be alternator although ive already replaced it :/ . so who know what its been earthing thru if ive not had one but like i say the car was starting no problem for the 2 years ive had it and ive never removed any earths but its only recently this issue has started

[tiger99]

Get an earth strap on it right away, as whatever is carrying the current may be getting very hot, and you really don't want a fire! You can probably find suitable straps in Halfords, and I prefer to fit them in the old position, clutch cover bolt to inner wing, rather than on the top steady. You should use a 5/16" nut, nolt and lockwasher at the wing end, and of course clean down to bare metal, and apply protection such as etch, primer and paint, or a good coat of Waxoyl, over the area once it is bolted up tight.

Edited by tiger99, 16 January 2013 - 01:13 PM.

[A-Cell]

Definitely follow tiger99 advice. You need to get bright metal on the inner wing panel, you can put a smear of Vaseline on.

[The Principal]

as above - whilst your groping about under the bonnet fit two at different locations and you wont have a problem in the future. If your engine is missing an earth strap there's a danger of it earthing through the throttle cable.

Edited by The Principal, 16 January 2013 - 07:34 PM.

[tiger99]

Two are indeed a good idea.

[Jamie_RoverMini35]

ok i have fitted an earth strap and so far so good, ill try it tomorrow when i get in from work and report back :)

[Jamie_RoverMini35]

PROBLEM SOLVED! FITTED AN EARTH AND AWAY IT WENT SO GOD KNOWS WHAT IT WAS EARTHING THRU !

[tiger99]

Most likely choke and accelerator cables, and possibly the clutch hydraulic line if you happen to be using a braided hose.

[A-Cell]

There you go. Glad it's sorted!

[Carlos W]

I think I commented on your other thread!

Glad it's all sorted and safe!

[Jamie_RoverMini35]

yeah thanks again folks ! done it again haha

[Almond-1]

Just following on with this thread. I also have the same problem & I know of another Mini with the same problem. The engine will turn over freely approximately three or four times, then it struggles to turn over giving all the symptons of a flat battery. However if you persevere you get full cranking speed again.
Note:- Both minis have been recently fully rebuilt, with new electrical components, new wiring, new batteries, good earth cales & earth points etc. Both cars are charging correctly. Still struggling to pin point the source of the problem but running out of ideas?.