7 replies to this topic

[Lund]

Hello fellow TMF' ers...

Hmmm slight problem, my Mini doesnt want to start! :'( I'm not too hot on the mechanical side of things only what Ive seen my dad do, I can copy and try myself... So go easy on me if I don't understand straight away.

Ok this is how it goes, (or not in my case! )

Battery is fully charged. Their is a spark at the dizzy, (a good one at that). Checked the carb float chamber, Petrol is in there, so theres no problem there... Put ignition on. Try to attempt to start it turns over, all electrical side of things ok. But it just doesnt kick in. Now writing this im thinking spark plugs...??

It has a mind of its own, sometimes it starts and sometimes not. I dont understand whats wrong...
+Its
raining and dad's out so he doesnt want to even try help me start her...I think he's scared of rain

Damn dont know where the spark plug socket is!


Any ideas?

Tom

Edited by Lund, 17 September 2006 - 10:14 AM.

[Leonard]

is it a new engine?

[tino]

Check the lead's,spark plugs your have tried the dizzy so its not that. Spray WD 40 over the spark plugs for a temp fix to see if that help's doesn't do them any good long term but to get it to start its ok.

[Big_Adam]

yeah try the WD40 route. after loads of rain El Gordo woudn't start. bit of wd40 she fired up lovely.

[Lund]

Yeh that would have probably worked till' I broke the spark plug :'( > :'( The plasticy bit snapped off, in the plug tool!! Dads gonna kill me! Uh ooooo!

I took all the plugs out, they were all completely black and sooted, so I gave them a rub with some fine sand paper. But now one of the plugs is broke so its of no use *cries*.

Can you mix and match sparkies? The ones on now are Unipart ones, can i put a different make spark plug in??

:'( :'(

Edited by Lund, 17 September 2006 - 12:00 PM.

[Lund]

I got it started! After shedding blood on the Mini, it worked...(bloomin' cable!) :'(

Replaced the broken sparkie with a 'posh Bosh one' The sparkies were all covered in black, running too rich from me using so much choke to try get it started! It turned over with a kik kik boom, Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, pedal to the metal to try keep it goin, wasnt running well at all, if I took my foot off peda lto the metal it would just die away. After alot of choke and pedal to the metal it then kind of kicked in a revved like hell! Finally, got it running right, kept it running for about 15 mins on the choke and then pushed it in... it is now finally running right! I said I'd get it running today even if it killed me! Sprayed the sparkies in 'penetrating oil' could'nt find any WD40! And it seems to have worked...job done!

You should see the front of my mums car It was only a few 'cm away from my back bumper...Her car is covered in black hahaha it used to be a nice Zetec red but not now hahaha

Cheers for your help, yet again guys!

[dklawson]

Glad you got it started. In the future, go light on the choke. You only need it in moderation to help get a cold engine started and you need to push the choke in as soon as possible. As you noted, its job is to keep the mixture rich, primarily to get the car started... but it does help keep a cold engine running a little better at idle. As soon as you're moving, ease the choke in and don't use it again unless you come to a stop and find the engine isn't warm enough to idle well.

[Lund]

Glad you got it started. In the future, go light on the choke. You only need it in moderation to help get a cold engine started and you need to push the choke in as soon as possible. As you noted, its job is to keep the mixture rich, primarily to get the car started... but it does help keep a cold engine running a little better at idle. As soon as you're moving, ease the choke in and don't use it again unless you come to a stop and find the engine isn't warm enough to idle well.

Ok thank you very much, information like that is very useful to me as I don't yet drive and I'm learning the skills and tricks of the trade of owning a Mini! Well I got it started all by myself!