Can’t get my daughters car to start

[Elainesminor]

Hello all

I’m mid 50’s and been driving approximately 10 years but don’t actually have a car at the moment, luckily my 26 year old daughter purchased a H reg blue minor yesterday afternoon and drove it the 15 miles back home, she’s gone to Dubai 1st thing this morning for 14 days in the sun but said I can use her car while she’s away , while I’ve driven some older cars I’ve never driven anything this old , it’s in the garage and I’ve gone to get it out to use but it won’t start , it did start 3rd try but conked out and has tried to start but mainly just turning over, does anybody have any ideas please ?

Elaine

[ManyMinors]

You have pulled the choke out have you?

[Elainesminor]

Thx for getting back to me so quickly, firstly I didn’t realise it had a choke , the garage is so dark I had to use the torch on my phone just to find the ignition, I remember in the late 70’s my mum had an Austin Allegro, she’d take me to school on wet days and in winter so I did see her use what I’m assuming was the choke , sometimes it started and sometimes it wouldn’t but personally I’ve never used a choke

[oliver90owner]

As per MM, but please don’t discharge the battery too much by continually cranking the engine. If you do not get it started - and it is left with a discharged battery - two weeks would not do the battery any good at all. Automotive batteries need to be maintained at full charge - either by recharging while running the car or with a battery charger (from the mains, usually).

[Elainesminor]

As per MM, but please don’t discharge the battery too much by continually cranking the engine. If you do not get it started - and it is left with a discharged battery - two weeks would not do the battery any good at all. Automotive batteries need to be maintained at full charge - either by recharging while running the car or with a battery charger (from the mains, usually).

Thx, I know what you mean but I purchased a battery charger about 7 yrs ago cos I was having issues with a Ford fiesta and a flat battery some mornings

[Elainesminor]

You have pulled the choke out have you?

I’ve just been back out to the garage and had a look in the place where it was on mum’s Allegro but there’s nothing there, while I was there I had 2 attempts to start it but it’s still just turning over

[myoldjalopy]

Well, its not an Allegro! On your car it should be a knob on the right hand side of the switches etc. under the speedo, marked 'C' for choke. Pull it out to engage the choke and push back in as soon as the car is warmed up enough not to need it any more.

[svenedin]

Choke knob is usually marked “C”. It twists to lock so you pull out the choke and twist the knob to lock it in position. Unlock it before pushing back in.

Other things you should definitely know: there is no synchromesh on first gear. Do not change down into first when the car is moving or serious gear crunching will result. To change into 3rd you must come out of second and make a definite movement to the right before pushing the gearstick forwards or you will clip first (more nasty gear noises)

Leave lots of room and be prepared for brakes that are not as effective as a modern car.

Stephen

[kevin s]

And remember to progressively put the choke back in as it warms up.

[Elainesminor]

Choke knob is usually marked “C”. It twists to lock so you pull out the choke and twist the knob to lock it in position. Unlock it before pushing back in.

Other things you should definitely know: there is no synchromesh on first gear. Do not change down into first when the car is moving or serious gear crunching will result. To change into 3rd you must come out of second and make a definite movement to the right before pushing the gearstick forwards or you will clip first (more nasty gear noises)

Leave lots of room and be prepared for brakes that are not as effective as a modern car.

Stephen

Morning Stephen

Thx so much for the heads up on 1st gear , I left yesterdays outing till today , at 8am this morning with the use of a torch to illuminate the inside of the car I found the knob with C on it, I pulled it fully out but didn’t need to twist it to lock into position, it stayed out on its own so turned the ignition on and turned the key, she turned over but didn’t start, I tried again and she started but conked out but started and stayed running on the 3rd try , now like I say personally I’ve never had to use a choke before so once she was running I began to back her out the garage onto the drive , by this time she was making a chug chug sort of sound so started to push the choke in until she was running much better and the chug chug stopped, when I looked at the choke I’d actually pushed it all the way in , is that normal ? , I’m not actually going out till 11am but will take things easy and keep plenty of distance from the car in front, wish me luck

Elaine

[Elainesminor]

And remember to progressively put the choke back in as it warms up.

Morning Kevin

Thx so much for the heads up on the choke but after getting her out the garage and cos she was chugging I eased the choke in to make her run better but ended up pushing it all the way in and she still stayed running, going out at 11am , got lots to do in town , I’ll probably be there till 4 or 5pm

Elaine

[Elainesminor]

Well, its not an Allegro! On your car it should be a knob on the right hand side of the switches etc. under the speedo, marked 'C' for choke. Pull it out to engage the choke and push back in as soon as the car is warmed up enough not to need it any more.

Morning

Found the knob marked C at 8am , started 3rd try so thx so much for the help on where it was

Elaine

[geoberni]

Classic Cars are a fickle thing, and you have to get used to the way individual ones like to run, there's no computer controlling it.

Mine for example, on a warm-ish day, i.e. not Winter, likes 1/2 Choke to start, pushed progressively back in over about a minute, any more and it will 'Chug' as you put it.
If you push it back in too soon, it might slow down so much it stops, but it should be all the way back in after a few minutes, perhaps as long as 4-5 mins in the depths of winter.

[kevin s]

Yes on a warm day you barely need the choke, I had mine in within 100 metres this morning, it will need it for longer on cold winter days. Sometimes you will find it idles ok with the choke in but stumbles a bit as you try to drive it leaving th choke out a little bit for a while longer will fix this, as aove it's a matter of finding what works best for each car, they are all differnt.

[Elainesminor]

Yes on a warm day you barely need the choke, I had mine in within 100 metres this morning, it will need it for longer on cold winter days. Sometimes you will find it idles ok with the choke in but stumbles a bit as you try to drive it leaving th choke out a little bit for a while longer will fix this, as aove it's a matter of finding what works best for each car, they are all differnt.

I’m just sitting in a cafe having a coffee with a friend but when I went out at 11 o’clock she wouldn’t start with no choke after standing 3 hours so pulled it fully out and she started then pushed it into half way, reversed out the drive and once on the move I pushed it in , came to a junction and she stalled, tried to restart her with the choke in but she was only spluttering so gave her half choke and she started, I’m guessing I’ll need choke again when I come back to her ? , just 1 other question, do they flood easily if over choked ? , a lady I work with had a Ford fiesta yrs ago and she said she regularly flooded it trying to start it 1st thing in the morning

Elaine

[Elainesminor]

Classic Cars are a fickle thing, and you have to get used to the way individual ones like to run, there's no computer controlling it.

Mine for example, on a warm-ish day, i.e. not Winter, likes 1/2 Choke to start, pushed progressively back in over about a minute, any more and it will 'Chug' as you put it.
If you push it back in too soon, it might slow down so much it stops, but it should be all the way back in after a few minutes, perhaps as long as 4-5 mins in the depths of winter.

This morning at 8am I used full choke to start her, backed out the garage onto the drive and eased the choke fully in and she still ran but after turning her off and coming back to her at 11am she wouldn’t start , I tried 3 times then ended up pulling the choke back out fully and she started, if left after being driven how long would she need to stand before I might need to use the choke ?

Elaine

[kevin s]

It is probable you will need the choke after a 3 hour rest (especialy if it hasn't been fully warmed up), not for long and probably only a half though. After it has been started once in a day I would always try starting with half choke, if it doesent start after a short try then go to full choke, this will avoid flooding, generally I haven't found them particularly sensitive to flooding if in reasonable order.

[Myrtles Man]

It's also worth knowing that the first c.1/8th inch "pull-out" of the knob doesn't actually set the choke but instead sets the fast idle; this can be useful for cars (such as your daughters?) that tend to stall at idle during the early stages after a cold start.

[myoldjalopy]

Use of the choke successfully is down to knowing what it does (enriches the fuel supply to facilitate cold starts) and then a bit of practical experience until it just becomes second nature.

[philthehill]

The use of the choke depends upon the weather - cold weather means lots of choke, warm means less or no choke.
The weather also determines the length of time the choke has to be used.
Practice and use will get you used to the choke operation.
If you feel that the engine is flooding due to over use of the choke - press the accelerator fully down and give the engine a quick turn over. That should clear any sign of flooding.