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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Removing Starter Motor on Morris Minor.

I have been asked to help my brother-in-law change the starter motor on his 1963 Morris Minor as he is not at all mechanically minded. As the engine is very similar in layout to a Sprite I reckoned you guys would be able to answer my question. It is a bog standard 948 engine with the original hanging oil filter.

Looking at the job from above it appears that the distributor and/or the oil filter would be in the way. Is it possible to wriggle the motor out without disturbing either of these? Does it come out upwards or downwards?
Mike Howlett

Follow this link to a moggie board.

Starter motor removal.

https://board.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=19658
anamnesis

It's a long time ago but I bought an ex post office Mog van when I was a student because it was super cheap (i.e. completely worn out).
Starter motor was about the first thing I had to fix.
It was pretty easy as i recall, I don't think I even had to jack it up but I'm pretty sure I took the oil filter off, either because it was in the way or because I was doing an oil change at the same time. Not sure now.
It pretty much fell out, so downwards seems right to me. It only has to move forward a little bit to come clear of the back plate.
The bloke in Anam's link had to contend with a servo which is a new one on me but I don't know a lot about Mogs. Didn't like them then and still don't!
It shouldn't be difficult. Don't forget to disconnect the battery first. I seem to remember some fireworks because I had to use a long extension bar to shift one of the bolts. Must have touched the cable end I think.
A good snippet in Anam's link is not to allow the terminal post on the motor to twist when you undo the nut because it can break the internal connection. I usually saw a slot in the end of the post while I have the motor out so I can steady it with a screwdriver in future. Just a thought.

Edit: it's worth checking first that the starter is the problem and not the solenoid (as I have been reminded by the thread Anam posted. Another useful snippet).
Greybeard

Also first check the battery and its connections - the number of times I've been told the battery and/or its connections are "good" and they ain't.

Also all connections from battery onwards and the ignition switch (pull switch?).

Good luck, take nothing for granted, assume nothing, it's easy to overlook the very basics assuming they've been covered.
Nigel Atkins

Thanks gents. I failed to find the link that Anam posted, so thanks to him for that. That guy seems to have had a lot of bother, but then he appeared to have a servo in the way. Why put a servo on a Minor? The brakes are rubbish anyway, a servo won't make them any better - unless of course it had a front disc conversion.

I'm with Grey on the Mog, it's a horrible thing in my opinion. It's hard to see how they managed to sell them for so long. I once drove this particular car from Chichester, Sussex to my home in Troon. A ghastly drive, and I never thought I would be able to stand up straight again. So uncomfortable, with a bizarre driving position - typical Issigonis.

This Minor has a brand new battery, new battery leads and a new solenoid ( it's the pull starter type), all fitted by me. Power is reaching the starter motor fine but it seldom works. If you turn the motor via the square thing on the end you might get a horrible grinding noise out of it as it turns the engine about a quarter turn, or sometimes a spark, but no action.

I won't be in Aberdeen (where the car resides) for a few weeks, so I'll tackle it then.
Mike Howlett

Mike,
do yourself and your brother-in-law a favour and get him to buy a new hi-torque starter, fit and forget for both of you, saves on the battery, makes starting easier if the car has other issues (saves battery power again) now or later.

https://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product/1190

I've only driven a Morris Minor a few times but I liked it, if it wasn't for the two extra rear sets (dealing with one passenger is enough for me) and prices I might have thought about a drop-top with 1275.
Nigel Atkins

Blimey, 195 quid and change. It's pretty and WOSP has a good reputation but....
195 quid?

Actually I'm a bit bemused by the idea that a Hi-Torque starter is easier on the battery. An increase in torque output implies higher current draw unless it relies on reduced shaft speed via reduction gearing.
At the basic level more grunt out means more grunt in which can only come from the battery. Unless the idea is that it spins up so hard that the engine fires immediately, in which case it at least minimises the time drawing cranking current.

Dunno. Never used one - for all I know it's magic. But for 195 of my hard earned I'd probably stick with Uncle Joe's effort. Call me a dinosaur, but it's simple, generally reliable and easy and cheap to fix if it gets a mite tetchy after 60 years.
😉
Greybeard

Greybeard,

“If it gets a mite tetchy after 60 years.”

Don’t we all?…..:-)

Simon
.
S Holt

Grey,
if you had to travel to work on a car you didn't like that someone else owns and they're not paying you and could call you back at future possible difficult starts -and it was their money and not yours (must be the air up north).

Yes it starts easier, no crash, bang, wheeze, try again - the idea is to give more cranking power but draw less current from the battery.

Is it needed, no, just like a owning a "classic" British car isn't needed (or a particularly good idea).

If Mike was my b-i-l I'd save my money and have him at my beck and call for all the stuff that's needed on my midget, he'd be well worn out by now mind but I'd not worry as long as I was saving time, effort and money, that's the idea of having family isn't it(?).
Nigel Atkins

Unlike in a Spridget, if the battery in a Morris Minor is flat you can start it with the handle (DAMHIK).
Jonathan Severn

On a horrible wet day when my Traveller's battery couldn't cope with wipers and headlights, my wife's visiting American nephew couldn't believe his eyes when I took out the starting handle and wound the thing up to make it go again!

There have been times when I've wished that my Sprite had a starting handle!
C Mee

At least with a Spridget you can push-start it single-handedly (DAMHIK!).
Jonathan Severn

This thread was discussed between 11/06/2022 and 13/06/2022

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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