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 Post subject: Cold Morning Starts
PostPosted: Fri May 31, 2019 9:06 am 
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848cc
848cc

Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 5:23 pm
Posts: 130
Location: Austinmer NSW
Hi All,

Winter is here in Sydney and my mini has become much harder to start up in the mornings.
I am just wondering if there are any tips/tricks for getting it to start during the winter?

I have just recently replaced the battery but am worried about killing it with the amount of cranking I need to get the engine started.

Thanks


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 Post subject: Re: Cold Morning Starts
PostPosted: Fri May 31, 2019 9:25 am 
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998cc
998cc

Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:33 pm
Posts: 1146
Tune up the ignition system... clean points, nice clean dizzy cap, new leads, quality plugs, choke that operates properly. There are up and down sides of electronic ignition but the hotter spark can help.

Standard Minis in good trim will generally start quite easily.

Back in the day ...before we could really afford much in the way of modifications :) it was a point go honour to have you Mini start on the first flick of the key....

Cheers, Ian


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 Post subject: Re: Cold Morning Starts
PostPosted: Fri May 31, 2019 9:39 am 
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1275cc
1275cc

Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:44 pm
Posts: 2176
Location: Camden
If the carb is SU, check that the choke cable actually pulls the jet down to richen the starting mix. The first part of the cable movement only increases the idle speed and you can't always feel the difference when operating the choke cable.

I have heard that petrol was once made in "summer" and "winter" blends with winter having more volatile ingredients to help carburettor motors start easier, and now that most cars are fuel-injected, that ingredient is no longer used.


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 Post subject: Re: Cold Morning Starts
PostPosted: Fri May 31, 2019 11:22 am 
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1275cc
1275cc
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Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:19 pm
Posts: 4336
Location: Wollongong, NSW
Mine starts up really well with the Dellorto and the choke on, even this morning :D . The Weber/Dellorto have an accelerator pump which helps richen it up during starting too.

Do you have a mechanical or electric fuel pump? Are you trying to start it with the clutch in or brakes on?

Also fit the biggest & highest CCA battery that will fit. Mine is a Century 58EB MF 560CCA. (I would have swapped the terminal direction, but there wasn't enough length on the positive end to stretch it over)
Image

A kill switch can also help keep the battery from draining while sitting.
Image

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 Post subject: Re: Cold Morning Starts
PostPosted: Fri May 31, 2019 5:56 pm 
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1360cc
1360cc
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Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:32 am
Posts: 12390
Location: Sthrn HiLoLands, NSW, Australia
ben23f wrote:
Hi All,

Winter is here in Sydney and my mini has become much harder to start up in the mornings.
I am just wondering if there are any tips/tricks for getting it to start during the winter?

I have just recently replaced the battery but am worried about killing it with the amount of cranking I need to get the engine started.

Thanks


Winter in Sydney?

Drive the car about 300Km South West, stay overnight, come out in the morning to the real cold...then threaten to leave it there if it won't start :!: :lol:

_________________
"Show me the Mini!"


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 Post subject: Re: Cold Morning Starts
PostPosted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 8:10 pm 
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1275cc
1275cc
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Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:56 pm
Posts: 2651
Location: Muswellbrook -- NSW
Make sure your choke is properly set up , SU's like full choke .


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 Post subject: Re: Cold Morning Starts
PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 6:33 pm 
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1275cc
1275cc

Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:50 pm
Posts: 2690
Location: Wollongong
Bill B wrote:
If the carb is SU, check that the choke cable actually pulls the jet down to richen the starting mix. The first part of the cable movement only increases the idle speed and you can't always feel the difference when operating the choke cable.

I have heard that petrol was once made in "summer" and "winter" blends with winter having more volatile ingredients to help carburettor motors start easier, and now that most cars are fuel-injected, that ingredient is no longer used.


This was recently the problem on mine. The chokes had seized and weren't pulling the jet down. Once freed up it starts beautifully.

_________________
Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
ryan@minisinthegong.com.au
www.minisinthegong.com.au


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