I have had a bit of trouble lately with the mini not wanting to start at very random times. Most of the time it has been starting normally. When it doesn't, I then turn the key to on and push start and it fires right up. I have an 1.3 spi. When it doesn't engage the starter, I can hear the injection system pump fuel and all the guages have power but nothing else. Thinking it was the starter, I bought a new version from Mini Mania and installed. Cleaned all connections, charged battery, cleaned terminals and ground. Nothing. Took apart the ignition and tested it by turning the terminal mechanism at the bottom and then tried jumping wiring...still no starter. Haynes manual suggest checking everything with an ohmeter and an extra pair of hands. That is my next step once I can recruit extra hands. Just wondering if anyone has any other thoughts? 70 Degrees in the forcast and I am hoping to open the sunroof and motor along...Thanks.

 

when I had a similar problem it was the ground strap between the engine and the chassis. On my 79 this runs along the engine steady from the top left of the block to the firewall. The grounding strap attach's to the bottom of the steady at the firewall. That bolt had worked loose and sometimes the ground strap had decent contact and sometimes it didn't. Without good contact there is an open circuit 'teen the starter and the battery. The connection was 'hidden' on the bottom side and it took this Mini newbie weeks to find only after help from a professional mechanic. Mine would bump start or jump start everytime cuz then you introduce a different ground and once running it just means the system wasn't charging well altho the vibration kept things looking OK.

you checked the ground; I'm guessing you mean the strap on the negative side of the battery .... check ALL the grounds....

and does the SPi use a solenoid????

 

OK Thanks. I will check that strap and bolt, if I can find it. I did check the strap from the negative terminal only.

Mini Mania indicated that the new starter had the solenoid built into the package.

 

Chalk up another one for Capt bj!! Thank you so much for the spot on information...Strap was right where you said and 4 straight starts.

Going to go for a quick run around the city to enjoy a great end to a good day.

Thanks again.

 

hope this stayed on as a good fix

we windy city folk need to stick together

I grew up in the western 'burbs

 

BAD NEWS--Re-tightened things at the shop and thought I had it beat, but, the problem resurfaced. Wouldn't start the other night. Could have bump started it, but, since it wasn't starting, I decided to leave it so we can test it and see where the power drop is located. The car is now sitting in a friends driveway until we can get a tester on it and have two sets of hands to look it over. Have the Haynes manual out and will follow through their multi step testing routine to track down the issue. I will report back when I learn. Any other ideas of what to test or check?

Thanks.

 

UPDATE-

Continued to try to chase down the problem with random starting. It appears that the Relay Module which is located behind the Brake Master Cylinder was faulty and not engaging properly. Manually, I was able to press the relay together and the vehicle would start. Took one out of another vehicle and everything worked fine for over 30 starts so far...
Ordering a replacement and hoping for the best, but, it sure seems that this is the item that was the problem.