Had a problem the last week where the engine in my 1973 998cc mini wouldn't start. Although the starter motor would turn over, it just spun up without engaging the engine. Initially I thought it was the starter motor dog gear as there had been no other problems to speak of so after removing it, cleaning it, lubing it and refitting it still wouldn't start. So I started looking at other things:
- Replaced starter motor with a reconditioned one. Same problem
- Recharged battery overnight, checked charge/discharge and all okay. Same problem.
- Jacked the front offside up, put the car in 4th and turned the wheel. The wheel goes about 120 degrees then stops so thought this was compression. Dropped the car back down and rolled it back and forth and past the resistance
- Tried to start it and it started! Ran it over to the garage to get some air, it started again. Came back home & tried a couple of times & all good.
- Tried it again the other day and it tried to start but no choke so needed a bit. Tried to start again and the problem returned.
- Jacked the front up and turned the front offside again and it had the same resistance and the front wheel had the same 120 degrees of freedom.
- Starter motor spins and intertial dog looks & feels normal.
- Took the valve cover off and all valves look okay.
- Checked solenoid and all working as expected.
- Removed the spark plugs to free it up but, the when I turn the wheel it has the same resistance!
All being equal, turning the wheel with spark plugs out should have rotated the engine freely-ish. I'm no wimp and used this technique to adjust the valve clearance. So I think there is something mechanical that is jamming something somewhere. Given that there all bits inside the engine should be organised to do just the opposite, does anyone have any ideas before I strip the engine?
I'd have taken the engine out already if I hadn't got it going before when it done pretty much the same thing. Up until that time it has been running fine. For a 40 year old car.
1973 Mini 998 A Series engine with inertia starter.
Your thoughts, advice and questions are very much welcome.
