Maurice hiccoughs

[Reculver Vicar]

Hi, it is me again, the fool who knows nothing!
Maurice has been in rude health for a while now and has very happily chugged around my parishes.
THEN
one day, pootling along, a sudden jerk, just for a tenth of a second, as if there was a misfire.....
last Saturday I drove to Ashford - about 20 miles
55 - 60 up the dual carriageway
all of a sudden another jerk...then on we went moderately happily......another couple of jerks and a shudder
my nerves by now in shreds.
Coming home Maurice hiccoughed more and more.
backfired too.
Within 5 or 6 miles of home I really thought we were going to come to grief
kangarooing along, coughing and spluttering specially if I accelerated hard
limped home
shut him in garage
had a valium and a large gin.
today
tried to start him to get onto the drive
engine turned but no firing
pushed him outside
waited 5 mins and he started straight away
refixed the manifold and exhaust to sort out the backfire
stared into the carb float chamber but no grot obvious
tried to start him to cure the exhaust putty stuff
nothing
battery obviously dead.
new (old) battery on and all well.
played with heater etc , taking it off, cleaning it, putting it back (gawd what a fiddle!!)
been for a drive now
lights on, heater fan blowing (hooray) - no warmth though
and Maurice pootled along happily
until all of a sudden there was a jerk........
Oh heck
what shall I check next
AND
having emptied the heater matrix does it fill itself (see I said I knew nothing) or should I have filled it up
etc etc
any suggestions gratefully received.
Maybe M just doesn't like the cold weather eh?
best wishes to all
Ronald

[PSL184]

Sounds like condenser failure. Check the points gap to see if they are closing up. Yes, it is safer to take the hose off the engine and fill the heater directly rather than relying on circulation as you may get an air lock....

[Reculver Vicar]

Thanks for that.
the condenser was new not very long ago....
but I'll change it.
the hose....do you mean the one inside the engine bay near the back of the green lump? It has a valve on it?

[PSL184]

Yes, that's the hose and there are unfortunately a lot of rubbish electrical parts around these days.....

[robedney]

Make sure that valve is working -- they can shear at the shaft, and they can become blocked with corrosion. A heater core that's not getting hot can also be a sign of poor circulation in the cooling system, so it's worth giving that a go-over. You should confirm that the thermostat is opening as well.

[mike.perry]

If the thermostat was not opening the engine would soon boil over, if it was stuck open then the engine / heater would not warm up properly.
Most likely an air lock in the heater. Close the tap on the back of the engine, remove the hose and radiator cap, connect a garden hose to the heater hose and turn on gently. When water comes out of the radiator filler you will have cleared the air lock.

[robedney]

T-stats stick in other positions than fully closed and fully open. Additionally, the heater valve on the head can clog -- just like the water pump bypass fitting can clog -- partly or fully. If you're going to do the hose trick -- which is worth the effort -- also open the heater valve (with the heater hose off), block the heater hose and remove the radiator cap. Now hold the garden hose up against the valve opening with a rag wrapped around it. You should be able to overflow the radiator.

For what it's worth, I doubt that it's possible to air lock the heater core in a Morris if the system is fully functional. I've had a couple of heaters out now, and had no trouble at all getting circulation just by putting everything back together and topping up the coolant and keeping it topped-up until the T-stat had opened. I don't see anything in the way it's plumbed that would create an air lock. I could be wrong, however.

[bmcecosse]

Never ever had an airlock in an A series heater...... Either the tap is shut or a hose is kinked closed. Or just possibly - there is a jammed open (or absent) thermostat. Definitely no need to fill the heater with a hose!

[Reculver Vicar]

Hi All You Knowledgeable People,

Maurice has had a new coil and a new battery....and he runs nicely once again.

What fun I had with the heater;
getting it out was bad enough getting it back in....well
Morris engineers must have had children as slaves - people with very small fingers for getting nuts and bolts in silly places.
Anyway it is all back,.
Topped up the water via the various hoses....
but not yet much warmth; I fear there is an air lock.
The "encyclopaedia" at my local motor factors - and he really IS the source of all knowledge - advises "massaging" the pipes first of all to encourage any air bubble to move round....
so I'll continue to freeze for a week and then next day off have another go.....top it up again....follow your advice.....sell the car or wire up a convector heater!

However, in all the faffing about with matters electrical now the bloody (technical term learned at theological college) flasher light inside stays on permanently!! Something somewhere is shorting. Outside flashers are fine.Grrrr.

Is having a Morris where there's nothing to do and you can simply drive it any fun???

[robedney]

Have you confirmed that the heater valve works and is not clogged? Did you check the thermostat? If the thermostat is stuck open (or even possibly missing) you'll never get much warmth out of the heater. You might also consider -- once you've confirmed that everything is working -- swapping the T-stat for a winter version and/or blocking the water pump bypass hose. Don't give up hope -- there's something simple wrong here, but an airlock is unlikely.

[robedney]

Making it even simpler -- here's a 5 minute test:

Disconnect the heater hose at the heater valve. Make sure the valve is in the on position. Leave the radiator cap on. Hold a garden hose up to the disconnected heater hose and run some water through it. Water should flow freely out of the heater valve. If it does, quickly stick the heater hose back on the valve. You can now be certain that there is no air lock.

If there's no flow, either the valve is bad or something else is blocking the flow. You can try removing the valve from the head and repeating the test. If you get flow now, something's amiss with the valve.

So, once you've go things flowing -- meaning that the water is moving through the cooling system, the heater hoses and the heater core itself -- you should get heat. If not, I'd next check the thermostat -- or just replace it. They're cheap and by the time you've gone to the bother of getting the thermostat housing off you might as well put in a new one. BMC can tell you the best temperature range for the winter.

[brucek]

Yes Mr Vicar

Don't lose heart! You are getting much closer to the day when you have sorted out all the little issues you have with your car. Just think of it as Maurice stretching his underused legs and getting started on his fitness programme. It hurts a bit to start with and he'll have a few twinges and pulled muscles here and there but soon, he'll be a thoroughbred who just needs the odd oil change, application of grease in the right places, an occasional drink and an owner who really wants to take him places so that everyone else stops what they're doing, looks at the car and says " I/my dad/grandad/grandma/sister/mum/aunt/uncle used to have one of those " and "Isn't he gorgeous"

There - I'm sure you feel much better now don't you?

[bmcecosse]

It's 'never' the coil.(but it may be bad coil connections..) ......... and it's 'never' an airlock. Massaging hoses ??? Good grief - whatever next..... Just run the engine and any air in the heater will pop right out! And yes - check the thermostat as you have been advised by several folks now !!! Just buy an 88 degree stat (and a gasket) and swap it into the head. The heater will then be nice and toasty...