5 replies to this topic

[Ozymandias]

My Rover 1.3 SPi has been languishing in my garage for a few years after a (now solved) electrical fault put her off the road. She's not MOT-able because she needs some welding done.

 

I've started her up every few months and until now she's burst into life first turn, but now she turns over but won't fire.

 

Would my first suspect be the fuel pump? Any other things (given she's been sat for 7 years) I should be checking?

 

I've reset the fuel inertia switch. I've checked the plug after turning her over but they seem bone dry.

 

Any advice/thoughts gratefully received!!

[Ethel]

I'm not much cop on the injection cars, but having the plugs out to see if they spark is always a good place to begin & you might get a whiff of petrol if the injector's injecting.

 

Can you hear the pump priming? The inertia switch hasn't taken a clout & tripped?

[mab01uk]

Not sure from your post if its been stood for 7 years or you have more recently started it?

 

Depending on that fact , I would advise getting oil pressure up on starter motor before attempting to fire up if it has been a while.

Fuel does takes longer to go stale in an injection Mini as the fuel system is more sealed from atmosphere than in a carb Mini....however 7 years will almost certainly need fresh fuel and some parts of the fuel system may be gummed up with long gone off fuel and sediment.

 

Remove plugs, disconnect the coil and crank up oil pressure on starter motor before starting the engine. If you don't get oil pressure doing this you will need to prime the oil pump, see link below.
Regaining Oil Pressure After Long-Term "Mini" Storage:-
https://www.7ent.com...ni-storage.html

Edited by mab01uk, Yesterday, 11:38 AM.

[Ozymandias]

Not sure from your post if its been stood for 7 years or you have more recently started it?

 

Depending on that fact , I would advise getting oil pressure up on starter motor before attempting to fire up if it has been a while.

Fuel does takes longer to go stale in an injection Mini as the fuel system is more sealed from atmosphere than in a carb Mini....however 7 years will almost certainly need fresh fuel and some parts of the fuel system may be gummed up with long gone off fuel and sediment.

 

Remove plugs, disconnect the coil and crank up oil pressure on starter motor before starting the engine. If you don't get oil pressure doing this you will need to prime the oil pump, see link below.
Regaining Oil Pressure After Long-Term "Mini" Storage:-
https://www.7ent.com...ni-storage.html

I last started it about a year ago. Will the act of turning the motor over (a lot!) in an effort to get it started have pumped up the oil pressure?

[Ozymandias]

I'm not much cop on the injection cars, but having the plugs out to see if they spark is always a good place to begin & you might get a whiff of petrol if the injector's injecting.

 

Can you hear the pump priming? The inertia switch hasn't taken a clout & tripped?

 

 

Good advice, thanks! I think I can hear the pump priming when I switch the ignition on. 

[Ethel]

Usually yes, regarding the oil pressure and if it put the oil pressure light out it probably has.

 

It is possible for the oil to drain down from the pump, which will make it much harder for it to prime itself when all it has in it is air, not oil.  Whipping the plugs out means less work for the starter motor so it can spin faster & longer which helps. Plus, there's no danger of it starting with no oil pressure.