horrible weather

[AnneCook]

Hi Anita,

he will evetually start without choke especially in the summer but at least until Feb is out use full choke to try to get it going as quick as poss. You might get away with pushing the choke half way in or even more once its running, again especially on dry and mild mornings but concentrate on keeping the engine running. As you'll get to know the balance between using choke and revs. It might not seem like it now but you'll get to recognise the diff between the splutter of I want more choke and the chug of You're giving me too much lol

good luck

I'm not difficult to find on msn btw if anybody wants more help

[Pamb]

Hi Anita, I am glad your Mini has been behaving himself, mine has not been too bad either considering the weather. You were very lucky that he started with no choke, mine definitely would not in this weather - I always pull the choke right out to start him and have to keep it out for quite a while, if I push it in too soon he will tick over but stalls when I try to pull away, this is what happens when the choke slips in by itself, and results in me getting in a panic!!
Yesterday morning I went to the supermarket and when I came out I thought he would start ok without choke as I hadn't been away long, but he didn't even chug, as soon as I pulled the choke out he started instantly, mind you it was tipping it down at the time!

[Jenny G]

Anita,
My Astra just won't start without the choke when it is anything but warm. The supermarket is 10 minutes drive from work, and if I'm in there for 10 minutes it will need the choke fully out to start, as well as the accelerator pushed fully down, when I come out. And it never starts first time! I've found that pumping the accelerator 5 or 6 times before I turn the key can help, but I don't know whether that would work with a mini.
Take care, Jen

[chokelover]

Hi Anita,
Yes, my mini also starts without choke, but it stalls very easily.
It proves that your engine is in good condition or a bit rich in fuel.
It is better to try with less choke, and pull out more when it stalls.
But indeed, in this waether it is better to use some choke to warm it up.
Keep in touch !

[sarahjane113]

Hi Anita and Pam

HOw are you getting on in this weather. Its been rather wet here the last few days. I thought about you yesterday when i was trying to start my mini outside work. He just didnt want to go and I did feel a little embarassed sitting there bouncing up and down with a couple of the other girls stood by the door waiting. I know they were being sweet and making sure I was ok but I still felt a bit embarassed.

Do you find that Anita? What's it like where you work?

[chokelover]

Hi Sarah Jane,
I'm sure your collegues are just worried about you !
You don't have to be ashamed... and you can allways ask them if they want to try to start your mini if they think they can start it better
I would try it ! Nathalie

[TracyL]

Folks,
I'm not sure why women should be embarrassed or why people don't stop and offer to assist. I can tell you here in North Dakota, US when a motorist is stranded or vehicle won't start people stop and offer assistance. I just don't understand why people in UK are not of a like mind to help a stranded motorist male or female. What am I missing. It's called helping your fellow citizen.
Tracy

[chokelover]

Hi Pam,
How is your mini doing for the moment ?
Nathalie

[Pamb]

The horrible snow is back and I don't like it!
Mini was ok this morning when there was just a little bit of snow, he started 2nd time and went quite well, but after work tonight it was snowing quite hard and he was covered. i got him started ok and left him running while I cleared the windows and he started huffing and puffing and then died while I was scraping the back window!
He took forever to start again and I got quite scared that the battery would give up, then a guy walking by stopped and told me to push the choke right in and the gas pedal to the floor and try and start him, and then he coughed into life.
I was so relieved, but he was really steamed up so I spent the whole journey home wiping my windscreen, it was awful
How is everyone else getting on?
Pam

[AnneCook]

Hi Pam

That was definitely a flooded start

If your car dies while you're scraping ice etc a restart with full choke and pumping will flood it very quickly.

try half choke and only pump gently to caox it as it catches.

Hope that helps

G

[NickyJ]

Hope everyone is coping ok with all the snow and ice?
I had a bit of a nasty experience on Saturday, my friend Sarah and I had arranged to go into the local town centre on Saturday for some last minute shopping, and we went on the park and ride. I knew they said it would snow but just thought it would be a little bit. We went and parked the car ok in a large open car park and jumped on the bus which dropped us outside the covered shopping centre, and I suppose we were in there for about 4 hours. When we came out to get the bus we were horrified to see a blizzard - the snow must have been about 5 cms and still falling. We got on the bus but I was in a blind panic at the thought of driving my little Imp home in the snow!
By the time we got to the car it was still snowing though not quite as heavy and we had to scrape all the windows etc and then I started the Imp - which was fine, but when I tried to move it kept stalling, with full choke, I got panicked and started revving the car and the wheels started spinning, we were now stuck! eventually someone gave us a push (thank you whoever you are) and I managed to get going, only to stall it right in the exit to the car park - I was so panicky I forgot to push the choke in and flooded it! Eventually I got it started with a huge queue behind me and we got going again, it got really steamed up and when we got home both of us had damp gloves from wiping the windscreen.
I don't know why it seems to get really stally in snow, but I have spoken to some of my friends in the Imp club and it seems that Imps just don't like the cold, mine more than most.
If I had known how bad it was going to be I definitely would not have taken the car out - next time I will listen to my husband!!
Nicky

[AnneCook]

Hi Nicky,

Its just possible that once it started it was objecting to full choke.
It is true that they dont like cold and damp but you had hardly moved so i doubt whether that was the real problem. I'm guessing this because If slush had already got into the engine it would have not started so quickly in the first place.

My advice in snow or very wet weather is to try to be patient and sit in your car till the engine is sweet before you actually set off. It takes longer to warm up when you aren't driving but with older cars it's a good time investment. When the heater starts to give you some warm air you know you are in business.

Happy Christmas to you and all my friends here

G

[sarahjane113]

Hi Nicky

Poor you sounds like a bit of an ordeal. I havent been using my mini that much lately as its really icy where we are although snow is starting to go away a bit.

I took him out today for the first time in a few days and goodness me he really didnt want to start. I was taking my friend Katie home as she stayed over last night after our office party and I thought the roads probably wouldnt be too bad. My mini really just didnt want to start. I did warn Katie it hadnt been out for a few days and she knows what it can be like as she has had lifts home from work before. I did, with a nudge from Katie, remember to pull the choke out but we sat there for a good few minutes with the mini just turning over and not starting at all. Eventually there were some signs of life and I did manage to get him going. I must have stalled at least 3 or 4 times though just trying to get up the road. Once warmed up though he was running great. Just doesnt like the cold!

Hows your mini Pam?

[franfran]

my Mini has plastic seats!!