Am I being thick ?

[ABarata]

Hi everyone , my car still doesn't start , but engine turns over . Was told today by a mechanic friend of mine that I'm connecting the battery wrong, on a Morris minor I have to connect the positive terminal to negative on battery and negative terminal to positive on battery ?? Is that right ? I'm trying to get a spark so I've cracked the engine a few times , have I caused any problems to engine by doing so?

[Matt]

That depends if its posative or negative earth... and thats dependant on previous owners. Most are now negative earth, but it should start either way around - you will just get a weaker spark and the dynamo won't charge if its the wrong way round (both very easy to overcome).

Oh and the battery terminals will only fit on the correct terminal

[ABarata]

I don't get a spark ,waiting delivery on a set of plug leads . the positive terminal does look small on the battery and negative slight big on battery

[mike.perry]

Have you got a dynamo or alternator?

[dunketh]

What age/model is it?
Have you tried any trouble shooting? Checking the dizzy cap for burnt contacts? Checking the master lead from starter to dizzy? etc..
If you're near Trowbridge I could come take a look. I'm no expert by any means but i've got a few tools from my Minor days and got the tester equipt for doing points (dwell angle ..etc..) and all that gubbins. And a fresh set of eyes may help things?

[ABarata]

Not sure if its a dynamo or alternator , looks like alternator to me , the lead that goes to the cap has tape on it holding it together , that's why I want to change it , haven't done many tests yet , jus took a spark plug out and seen there's no spark . Still need other bits as well , fuel pump doesn't work top points corroded away and whatever else might be wrong with it so I'm looking to buy one like this http://bit.ly/1e6zVIg unless you all Telm me not to:) . Need fuel pipe from tank to fuel pump as well . Not only not having a spark that makes the car not starting , just got to start somewhere there's bits missing in the car, not knowing much about Morris is hard to work out what's missing .
I'm on a very limited budget at the minute , spend it all to buy the car
I live in chippenham by the way , but don't want to wast your time because there's lots to do still on the car, but thanks for offering m8

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Do NOT disconnect the batt. when the engine is running (if you get it running) or it will knacker the alt.

You say the engine turns over - so the batt. leads were on correctly to begin with - the fault lies within the ign. circuit. Start by cleaning ALL the connections.

[ABarata]

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[GBond]

That's a dynamo, are you sure you have all the spark plug leads and the coil installed correctly?

Personally I would stay with the factory fuel pump and get a rebuild kit in case it doesn't work.

Hope you get the car running soon!

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Pour some petrol into the float bowl. Clean the fuel pump contacts lightly with an emery board. When you checked for a spark at the plug did you earth it against the engine?

When did the car begin refusing to start?

That's an 803 engine, just noticed.

[simmitc]

If you're not getting a spark then the petrol isn't going to make any difference at the moment. Let's go back to basics:
1) Before you started work, which terminal of the battery was connected to the body work - usually by a braid wire?
2) For safety, hand brake firmly on, gears in neutral. Enure that all petrol pipes are connected, and there is no stray vapour any where.
3) Remove the spark plugs - this makes it easier to turn over.
4) Follow the HT lead from the coil. It should be connected to the central terminal of the distributor cap.
5) Remove the lead in (4) from the dizzy and hold the end close to the engine block. The metal contact should be about 1/4 inch away from the block. Use heavily insulated pliers or a wooden handled screwdriver to hold the wire in place, or wedge it. Do not hold it with your hands!
6) With the ignition on, turn the engine over. Do you see a spark between the HT lead and the block?

Please report back on 1 & 6.

[ABarata]

Ok battery has a cup terminal connected to main wiring and there's a normal looking terminal connected to the body , I've tried everything u said and there's no spark coming from coil ,(engine turns over in ither way battery is connected),so should be coil problem , wiring or fuse problem , try to check it at the weekend , can only find a fuse box in engine bay ( think with 4 fuses in it) ... So if it's not a alternator do I have to connect the cup terminal to negative and positive to earth ?
The car is not in driving condition and don't known when was the last time she actually run , when I bought the car the previous owner told me the engine turned over but had no spark at the spark plugs , so I thought was a good place to start get a spark , get new or fix fuel pump to get engine running , problem I'm finding is over the years the car as been off the road bit have been removed so I have se lose wires , damage wires , bits missing that I will have to work out we're they go .
What hand brake? lol , started striping down rear brakes , need new shoes ,brake cylinders , new brake pipes and brake cables ...
Return spring for clutch and throttle are broken so have no pedals , but that will be next job in my big list

[mike.perry]

That is a C39 dynamo which uses different brushes to the later C40 dynamo.
The vacuum advance pipe is missing from the end of the distributor

[Boris64]

A picture paints a thousand words.

can you take a photo of each of the following please?

1. Battery/leads

2. Coil terminals/leads

3. Distributor

4. Dynamo & leads

5. Regulator and fuse box

6. Petrol pump

I doubt I can contribute much but will at least be able to see what's going on.

Thanks

Pete

[simmitc]

As there is no spark, you have a fault that could be the coil (but VERY unlikely!) or in the low tension circuit.

Looking at the battery, the thick lead that goes to the body is attached to a battery terminal. The terminal will have a mark beside it, either a + or a -. Which is it?

Now check the coil. The terminals will also be marked + and -. One of them will be linked to the terminal on the side of the distributor, the other will be fed from the ignition circuit. Which way round are they?

Check that the points in the dizzy are clean, flat-faced, and that the gap is set at 15 thou.

Do you have a multimeter available, it could be very helpful.

[IslipMinor]

When did the engine last run? There are no hose clips on the top hose!

[bmcecosse]

DO NOT buy that fuel pump - expensive and totally wrong for your car. The car will be +ve earth - connect it that way, although it matters not a jot for starting... The Ign circuit is NOT fused - so don't worry about that. The taped up lead sounds poor.... Is there any power at the coil white wire? And then at the white/black wire when it is disconnected from the dizzy? It' NEVER the coil - but it may be the coil connections.....

[ABarata]

I will test the coil connection tomorrow , the previous owner disconnect some wires inside the car and engine bay still trying to work out where they go...
I will try to fix my fuel pump instead of replacing it , ordered new points from ANDREW EGGLETON , just waiting delivery.

[bmcecosse]

If in doubt - run a temporary jump wire direct from battery to coil...

[ABarata]

Fuel pump fixed , so no need to by new one. There's power going to coil , so just ordered new distributor cap , new plugs, new plug leads , points ... Will let you know how I get on