• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

'72 Midget Won't Start After 2 Years of Storage

Share this page

C

Cloudbase

Member
Offline
I have a '72 Midget that has been in the family since new. I parked it 2 years ago after it developed some running issues which I think were just points / rotor. I want to get it running again and install an electronic ignition, then chase the running issues if they still exist.

I've drained and replaced the gas, oiled the cylinders, oiled the valve train, removed the spark plugs and turned the motor over by moving in 4th gear. With the spark plugs out it turns over freely. With the spark plugs in I can't get to turn over. The starter isn't strong enough to turn it and moving the car in 4th gear will only get one revolution before the tires lock up.

Any suggestions you guys have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
 
um, is the battery fully charged?
If so, be sure all connections in the starting system are clean, corrosion free and tight.
 
Battery is brand new. Good electrical connections. I was thinking a mouse nest in the exhaust or some kind of blockage.
 
can you (relatively) easily disconnect the exhaust at the manifold?

Also. could you boost the starter rather than the battery from a running car - then you bypass the solenoid.

sounds like you are close
 
I could if I can get the darn thing back up my steep driveway into my garage. I used the downhill slope to help turn the engine over in 4th gear. It was a moment of commitment!

I bet a lots of heat on the bolts will make removing the exhaust manifold doable. I'll need to get new bolts and gaskets before I try that.

Can anyone think of another reason why the engine would turn over with the spark plugs out, but not want to budge when the cylinders are under compression? I wonder if the valves are seized. I could pull the valve cover and try turning it manually again. Clogged crankcase breather? Anyone ever experienced this?
 
What spark plugs are you using? they should be Champion N9's or similar (NGK BP5ES is the best)
It is possible that you are using an overly long spark plug and it is hitting the pistons -or- there MAY be a helicoil in one of the sparkplug holes that is migrating down when you are putting in the plugs.
BillM
 
They are Champion's. The same ones that were in the engine for a couple years when it was running. The tips looked good when I pulled them too.
 
I don't think that an exhaust blockage would lock it up enough to make the tires lock in 4th (but it IS possible). I am thinking that it is a metal to metal strike when the plugs are in.
Once you get it back to a place that you can work on it try screwing the plugs in about 1/2 way each and see if it locks up then (compression lock vs metal-to-metal lock)
Bill
 
Ill try it tomorrow morning. Why would removing the plugs then screwing them back in change the clearances enough to create a metal to metal strike?
 
Edit: I just tried it. Plugs are Champion's. I backed the plugs out half way and tried cranking it. Same result. I can smell the starter motor burning as it tries to crank it.

I didn't mention earlier that when I cranked it the dip stick dislodged partly from the hole and a large splurge of oil made it all the way out of the fender onto the driveway. I thought this happened when I cranked it with the spark plugs out of the hole. I figured it was the oil I put in the cylinders being forced out. But there was enough compression at some point to dislodge the dipstick.
 
1 Are you rolling it forwards or backwards in 4th? Only roll it forward in gear.

2 When turning freely with the plugs out, are you turning it by hand or in gear? Take it out of gear and see if it will rotate more than one rev by hand. If it won't, see number 3 (below) and repeat number 2.

3 See if the starter is engaged (Bendix engaging the flywheel and stuck there) which may be causing it to lock up. If this is the case, remove the starter and clean the Bendix so that it slides easily on the starter shaft. Clean it with brake or carb cleaner, allow it to dry, and apply dry lubricant, no oil please.
 
I did roll it backwards like 1/2 revolution of the tires when it was in 4th. I know this is bad and I winced when I did it. It just got away from me when I started moving it.

I haven't found a good way to crank it by hand without removing the radiator. There isn't enough room to get a wrench on the crankshaft pulley and the belts don't have the grip to turn with the accessory pulleys. How do you crank it by hand?

When I turned it freely with the plugs out, first it was by moving it. Then it was by using the starter motor. I thought it might be a starter issue. I've had to bang on stuck solenoids before, but never had a bendix that failed to disengage.
 
Now I think that I see what is going on- you put quite a bit of oil in the cylinders!! Normally you would put in a few drops, it sounds like you put in a few tablespoons and you have "hydrolock".
Pull the plugs and crank it many,many times over to blow out most of the oil and then try putting the plugs back in.
BillM
 
Billm, I agree. Has to be hydrolock. Guess you could use a small piece of hardware plastic hose and try to suck the oil out.
 
Billm said:
Now I think that I see what is going on- you put quite a bit of oil in the cylinders!! Normally you would put in a few drops, it sounds like you put in a few tablespoons and you have "hydrolock".
Pull the plugs and crank it many,many times over to blow out most of the oil and then try putting the plugs back in.
BillM
Click to expand...

Hydrolock, of course (heel of right hand contacts fore head) :wall:.

To turn it by hand, tighten the fan belt until it will not slip ( add belt dressing to help the grip), then turn the fan and the engine should rotate.
 
That totally makes sense! I feel like an idoit. I have an oil extractor I can extract try extracting the excess with. I won't have time to touch it again until Friday. I'll keep you posted.
 
You might want to drain/change the oil. You said that oil squirted out of the dipstick- sounds like some of the oil may have run down the cylinder walls and overfilled your sump.


m
 
And remember as well an LBC doesn't take the traditional 5 Qts of oil, 3 and change.
 
I was going to change it initially, but it still looked brand new. I'll flush it so the level is correct. On Friday I'm going to pick up a new distributor with electronic ignition (what I suspect was causing th running issue before I parked it 2 years ago) and start over from the beginning.
 
DON'T buy a new electronic distributor! The quality is questionable at best!!
Contact Jeff at Advanced Distributor and get yours rebuilt with points or if you have to electronic. When he does it is as good as new (or better!!)
BillM
 
Back
Top