Help! my little Mini is playing up

[Pamb]

Hi, can anyone help with a problem I have with my 1985 Mini? It was fine until last week when it started getting more and more difficult to start. I got a friend to service it for me last weekend and its better than it was but still not right, now it keeps stalling when I stop at a junction until it's really warmed up. I stalled three times this morning and had a real job starting it each time. I am getting in a real state with it, it just seems to have no power at all and doesn't sound right. I've tried with the choke out, half way out and right in and it doesn't seem to make any difference at all.
I love my Mini because my late husband bought it for me and I can't bear to get rid of it but I can't carry on like this! please help me if you can.

[willing to try]

what was done during the service? was the ht leads and spark plugs changed? it could be the dizzy cap or rotor arm a little more info on the service would be great

[daverover]

Like Willing says, it is difficult to advise without knowing what was done

What is certain is that it is not difficult to 'sort out' poor running, especially on a mini

It has to be said that if this guy was trained he should not have let you have it back like it is, altho in his defense if a pipe has come adrift from the inlet manifold or carb it could be that simple

Either take it back to him or to someone who knows what they are doing

Good luck

[sarahjane113]

Oh dear poor you Pam, I hope it gets better although my mini is playing up a bit now its gone slightly colder. Takes a bit longer to start in the mornings and mine stalled a couple of times on the way to work too. Maybe you just need to make sure the chokes out for a bit longer? How many tries did it take to start at home?

[trex 800]

Sounds like maybe your carb needs to be overhauled, many years ago i use to have a Ford XR3 and it started easy, but would splutter and jerk,etc until it was warm than it would be fine, then as time went by it got really worse, until i had to have the carb overhauled and that cured all the problems,

So maybe try that, although that was a webber carb, or else maybe engine is tired ..
send a video clip, perhaps someone might know exactly what advise to give you...

Good luck

[Pamb]

Hi all, thank you for your thoughts, my mechanic neighbour is going to look at it again tomorrow night, so maybe will find the problem (I hope!) If anything it is worse now than before he serviced it - before that it was just difficult to start but didn't keep stalling.

[sarahjane113]

If yours is like mine I think you just have to put up with it taking a while to start in the mornings, hope you sort out the stalling though as that must be a bit difficult for you. Poor old min. How long did she take to start this morning?

[Pamb]

Hello again sarah jane, This morning the Mini completely surprised me, started 3rd go and went ok, only stalled once in the road outside my house because my foot slipped on the clutch pedal - I had boots on with heels so that was my fault. It is not good in a way though because my mechanic friend bought an older and more experienced mate with him tonight and after about an hour under the bonnet they came and said they could find nothing wrong! I took them for a ride in the car and it was fine. The older guy did say that some Mini's act like this but normally only in very cold / wet weather so maybe yours is one of them. As you say it's ok when you get used to it not starting immediately. I do find it embarrassing if other people are watching though, does yours make a whirring and then a sort of groan sometimes when you start it? mine does that quite a lot when it's cold.

[sarahjane113]

Hi Pam, our minis are obviously two of a kind! Although I dont think its just us. I know what you mean I love my mini to bits too and shes great once shes warmed up and going. Mine started fourth try this morning. I had boots on as well - only cos its getting a bit chilly round these parts (Gloucester). I know what you mean about the whining and groaning noises yes. Mine did that on the second try this morning.

Did you remember to pull the choke out Pam? I sometimes forget if Ive got people with me and your right that can be a bit embarassing with people watching either in the car with you or waiting outside like if I'm leaving work or a friends house.

If you want to chat I'm on email or msn - janeysmini@hotmail.co.uk

[blondeone]

hello .everyone here talks about using a choke.I know i might sound a bit dizzy but what is one,and do you think that's why my car is hard to get going everyday

[AnneCook]

The choke is a knob somewhere near your dashboard that pulls out to help you start the car, especially in cold weather.
What sort of car is it and how old is it?
If it newer than about ten years or so it's probably got an automatic choke.
If you have had your car some time you should know by now because we've had some mornings when your car wouldn't have started at all or kept running without some choke.

Anne's other half

[blondeone]

hello,yes i found it and used it.not sure how to though so just kept pushing it in and out to see what would happen.the car finally went but keeps conking out and thought i was going to ruin the battery once at a roundabout,but hopefully i'll get used to it

[AnneCook]

You have to learn what your car wants you to do. if you really have been getting by without using it it probably doesn't need much. Try pulling it out to half way. If it starts quicker than before you are going in the right direction. If not try 3/4 or even full. Once it has started keep it out until the engine has warmed up a bit. try not to have the choke out full for very long. see if it will cope with half or less, if it stalls at lights or corners then it does still need it out but especially as you are driving the sooner you get rid of the choke the better.

Hope that helps.

on cold mornings nearly every car needs full choke to start.

[barb]

hello,yes i found it and used it.not sure how to though so just kept pushing it in and out to see what would happen.the car finally went but keeps conking out and thought i was going to ruin the battery once at a roundabout,but hopefully i'll get used to it

I found this from Anita which may help you. "i own a 1967 morris minor and it has a manual choke which i need to use to get it to start from cold , and when i get it started i have to leave the choke out quite a long time so i can drive it without it spluttering and conking out when i stop , as i'm driving it with the choke out i can see smoke coming out of the exhaust which i've been told is because its running so rich , it also starts chugging as i'm driving it but thats telling me i need to push the choke in a bit and as soon as i do push it in a bit the chugging stops for a while until it warms up a bit more then the chugging starts again , this usually goes on until its warmed up enough and i've pushed the choke fully in and it doesnt conk out when i stop. hope this is usefull , and let me know what year it is and if it has a manual choke...............Anita..xx"

[tigger 41]

Anne cook has the right approach to this problem