Manual choke

[Lucylastic]

Hi Mini Fan, Thanks for your help. My mini isnt always that bad altho it hates wet mornings. Its a 1967 mini cooper which I love to bits other than when it doesnt start in the mornings lol.

If it hates wet mornings try cleaning the HT leads from the spark plugs to the distributor cap...I think you can even buy a spray to inhibit damp on these (once they've been cleaned)...not sure how effective the spray is, best to ensure leads are clean and dry to ensure best chance of starting and smooth running especially when the engine is cold.

i hadn't thought of asking how old the car was - i had just assumed that it was a "real" mini.....

if it's only problem in wet weather, then probably using that water dispersant spray would work. i remember using it quite often in wet weather when i had an old mini a fair few years ago. i just sprayed a little wd40 on the distributor and a quick squirt inside the distributor cap and it seemed to work pretty well.

if it happens in all sorts of weather, maybe the leads need replaced (they don't last forever), the cap might need replaced (it could be cracked) or the points might need replaced (and if there's evidence of arcing at the points - pitting on one face and a build up of metal on the other - the capacitor is probably on the way out too). then on the other hand maybe the carburettor is out of adjustment.

whatever it is, it's not going to get better by itself, it's probably going to get worse, so it would be better to get it fixed now.

I've never posted in this section! I've had old cars with the same engine though. If it hates damp mornings then I agree with Min and Greg. New leads, distributor cap AND a coil. Make sure they replace the points, condenser and plugs at this service too. Those bits will not break the bank on a Mini.

Sheesh, I haven't had to think about that stuff since I was a student. Amazing how it all comes back. Just don't ask me about the twin SU's. Never touched those apart from putting oil in the dampers. You do do that?

[t-rex600n]

Yes i suppose my mini does need a service. Took me ages to start this morning as Ive been on holiday for a week. I hope it starts after work.

probably change your plugs,distributor,leads,points, and you should be ok, even in the morning. great legend the cooper, how is lately ?

[nbear8]

If you car is hard to start it likely burns a lot more fuel than it needs so you are likely to save the money you invest in fuel savings .A tow truck is also expensive as is being late for work so a tune up is likely going to save in the short and long term and knowing your car will start is a real saving in stress!

[ANITA ANDERSON]

[b]hiya, i have just bought a 1989 ford fiesta, only my 2nd car, been driving only for 2 months...anyway this car has a manual choke which im strugging with.
i have read all the threads i can find, and they're all saying that with the choke pulled out fully, it should start...
my car wont start properly with the manual choke, it turns over, but struggles to 'catch' and when it does, its a real job keeping it going!
i takes about half an hour to start first thing in the morning!
all i want to do is to be able to start and drive when i need to

Hi , my friend Ruth has a 1989 ford fiesta and until recently used to have major problems getting it started from cold because it stood outside and she used to use full choke and end up flooding it if it didnt start after 3 or 4 trys but now has a garage to keep it in , now , from cold she normally pulls the choke half way out and gives it a gentle press on the accelarater pedal then turns the key and it usually starts within 2 or 3 goes. hope this helps..........ANITA...xx

[Guest]

I am not so sure that somepeople dont , how can I put it, get slightly turned on having problems with their cars, e.g. getting them started when they are cold or having choke problems or flooding their cars. I read on a website recently that this is a new type of fetish which seemed to start in the states a few years ago and is now making its way across the pond. All just seems a little odd to me but hey whatever floats your boat, doesnt seem like there's any harm in it. Anyone else heard of it??

[sarahjane113]

Hi Anita

Im glad its not just me. My mini just wont start unless the choke is right out in the mornings and even then usually takes a few tries. Its been a bit better with the warmer weather but it played up a bit this morning as it had been quite wet overnight here which never helps.

[minifan]

Hi Sarahjane, nice to hear about you and your Mini again. Hope it started OK this morning. Have you managed to sort the problem with it stalling at red lights and not being able to start it again?

[sarahjane113]

Hi there minifan. Im still having trouble in the mornings especially if its been raining but Im used to that. I find so long as I keep the choke half out for a couple of miles its then not too bad. Its only at the end of my road it sometimes tends to stall in the mornings and can be a bit tricky to get going.

[ANITA ANDERSON]

Hi Anita

Im glad its not just me. My mini just wont start unless the choke is right out in the mornings and even then usually takes a few tries. Its been a bit better with the warmer weather but it played up a bit this morning as it had been quite wet overnight here which never helps.

Hi Sarahjane,i used to have a lot of problems getting my moggy started 1st thing in the morning and when i finished work at teatime,sometimes it could take me as many as 6 or 7 trys before it would start,usually cause i wasnt using the choke properly,but as of about 2 weeks ago its been starting great,from cold 1st thing in the morning i pull the choke fully out and give it 2 or 3 pumps on the accelarater pedal and its been starting 1st time,today, i was a bit late for work and had to park it on the street instead of in the multi storey carpark and it had been raining since lunch time and i thought i would have problems getting it to start,got into it,gave it full choke and 3 pumps on the gas pedal and it started 3rd time.
The main thing to do when you do get your mini started is dont push the choke back in to soon otherwise it will stall at junctions and roundabouts,i found that out the hard way on a few occasions.Once you get it started,leave the choke out till you start driving it and slowly ease it in bit by bit over the next mile or 2,better to use a bit extra fuel than risk it stalling.........hope this helps,Anita..xx

[sarahjane113]

Hi Anita

Thanks for the advice. I do pull the choke right out when Im trying to star the mini in the mornings. It definately doesnt like the wet though and always takes longer. After work yesterday it had been raining here too and I got in hoping it would be ok. I pulled the choke out and it started after 5 tries. It stalled once on me as I tried to drive away but after that it wasnt too bad.

[Teev-c]

Hi Anita

Thanks for the advice. I do pull the choke right out when Im trying to star the mini in the mornings. It definately doesnt like the wet though and always takes longer. After work yesterday it had been raining here too and I got in hoping it would be ok. I pulled the choke out and it started after 5 tries. It stalled once on me as I tried to drive away but after that it wasnt too bad.

Hey Sarah

Classic Cooper ,when you going to put some pics on or video clips... What year is it from ?

[Machanic]

Sounds to me Anita is the one in this discussion that trully knows how to properly use a manual choke. Full choke, 2 or 3 pumps of the gas pedal and then ease the choke back in just a bit at a time over the next few minutes.

[franfran]

Sounds to me Anita is the one in this discussion that trully knows how to properly use a manual choke. Full choke, 2 or 3 pumps of the gas pedal and then ease the choke back in just a bit at a time over the next few minutes.

When I had a car with a manual choke, I always managed to start it easily by pulling out the choke and pressing the accelerator pedal a bit when I turned the key. Can't say I ever found it necessary to pump the pedal prior to starting. In any case, wouldn't this run the risk of flooding the carburettor or, worse still, washing the oil off the cylinder walls so that for the first few seconds the engine runs there is no Lubricant in the cylinders, leading to increased wear?

[Lucylastic]

Sounds to me Anita is the one in this discussion that trully knows how to properly use a manual choke. Full choke, 2 or 3 pumps of the gas pedal and then ease the choke back in just a bit at a time over the next few minutes.

When I had a car with a manual choke, I always managed to start it easily by pulling out the choke and pressing the accelerator pedal a bit when I turned the key. Can't say I ever found it necessary to pump the pedal prior to starting. In any case, wouldn't this run the risk of flooding the carburettor or, worse still, washing the oil off the cylinder walls so that for the first few seconds the engine runs there is no Lubricant in the cylinders, leading to increased wear?

Very likely. I prefer your advice. I've driven probably a dozen cars with manual chokes, some of them over 25 years old, and the handbooks always advised against pumping the accelerator.

[Joyofsox]

My technique as I used today is pull full choke out, turn engine about 5 - 10 seconds till it fires, then rev a bit and pull away a few feet ( out of the garage ) then push the choke back until it just doesn't quite die.
Pull away properly and slowly keep pushing the choke back until it starts to lose power. If you can go all the way in now.
If not give it another 30 seconds or so and try to push it all the way in. It does help if there is a sraight bit of road as the higher revs keep the engine happier.
OK they are all different, but I have used this technique for 13 years with this car.