OT/ Mini Starting problems

[captain chaos]

I just wanted to share and see if I'm missing something...

 

My son has a classic mini which over ther past couple of weeks has been tricky to start. From standing overnight it had all the symptoms of a tired battery...slow to turn engine when starting..but once warm was fine. Connections to battery in good nick.

So, my lad bought a new battery and no change..there's just no urgency when turning the engine when cold...get it even luke warm (ie comes out and starts the car during his lunch break) no issues...

 

I'm thinking strarter motor...earth etc...but if these were poor would the temp make such a difference?

 

Thanks

 

[Kevsta]

No batteries like the cold, plus thicker oil would make it a little harder to turn over. Plus if you have a bad earth the current (I think that's the right term) could drop making it worse. I'd check earth straps plus starter cable as battery in the boot so reasonable distance to go (again affecting the amp hours (again I think the terminal s right but not 100%). Make all of those right and I'm sure it will tub over a lot easier (can you bring me some sun and heat too as I've had enough of winter!).

 

Cheers

[7TOM]

Hi a quick test if you suspect an earth is put a jump lead from battery to to body earth and see if this improves starting and again from the engine to body earth. If memory serves me right the engine earth is on the engine stablizer and was often suspect

[tbird]

Classic old Mini problem, battery in the boot, starter in the front, crappy connections accross the subframes and body, as Tom says try to take direct connection from battery earth to Engine block, needs to be chunky jump lead type cable, first thing I always used to do in my yoof, run direct eath cable to Block on minis.

 

Re temp, its all additive, battery gets cold overnight, cables colder, engine colder, it might not be earthing but for sure its the first thing to verify.

 

Could try a quick visual, look for a braided flat copper strap somewhere around the engine steady, going from Block to Bulkhead, quite often go greenish, corroded or just plain snap, if you don't want to run a cable all the way from battery you can try replacing the braid with a couple of new ones from block to bulkhead (running from different places) one of the dangers if the earths are dodgy is everything can earth back through accelerator cable and things start getting hot .

 

Tim

 

 

Edited by - tbird on 22 Jan 2013 23:04:15

[Jonathan Kay]

As above + measure the voltage at rest, and across the battery when cranking, and across the starter when cranking.

 

Jonathan

[captain chaos]

Thanks all....

[Grim Reaper]

I've got an old mini, the main problems are the long positive lead that runs from back of car to front (high losses) and I found the starter solenoid assembly (behind the radiator on mine but at the front of the car) gets covered in salt water in the winter and corrodes. Take it off, clean up all the connections, protect them with grease and try again.

I had a battery go flat in the time it took me to go into Comet, buy a new hoover and come back out again.

The only other time I've seen a car do that it was accompanied by lots of smoke and a little flame.