I have a question about the push button start with a manual transmission.

In the past if a battery goes dead with a manual you could turn the key to on and push the car in neutral jump in the car push clutch in and put in second pop clutch and jump start the car.

With the 08 mini with this weird key fob and push button start is it still possible to jump start the car with a dead battery ?

 

My understanding is that with all of the electric fuel pumps, and computer control that you can't push start most new cars (even with manual trans).

I haven't tried it, but if I recall the manual in my '06 mentions that you'll damage the car if you attempt it. I *think* it will pump fuel through the engine and into the catalytic converter but it won't fire the spark plugs. The raw fuel in the cat will burn it out once you do get it started.

Hopefully someone with more info then me will chime in.

Mike

 

What you are describing is a clutch start or push start. Generally, this doesn't work very well on modern cars. The number of electronics and amount of power they require to keep the engine firing is more than can be produced by a near dead battery.

We had an old '70s Ford pickup when I was a kid and this was the only way to start it (due to a bad starter though not battery). I had an '85 Fiero that developed a weak battery and it would start using this method as well. Tried it on my MX-3 a few years ago and got nada, replaced the battery and it fired right up.

Having said that, assuming that the car is truly "on" after pushing the start button without pressing in the clutch it could theoretically be possible. I imagine that you are likely to either get no result or tear up the starter though.

 

Thats funny, I had an '84 Fiero that had an itermitant computer failure. Until we tracked it down it would just turn off while driving, and I got pretty good at doing a rolling restart by popping the clutch instead of turning the key.

I miss that car, for all the problems it had, it had more then it's share of "personality". My father bought it new and I took it over around 1994. Traded it in at 220K miles in 1997. I keep telling my wife that if I come across an '88 GT in good condition I'm just going to come home with it and she'll have to deal. Luckly they aren't that expensive, and I haven't come across one yet that was in good enough shape to just buy on a whim.

 

I, too, regret selling my '88 Fiero GT. It was a great car and pretty exclusive, it had every option including leather and a factory t-top.
I, also, was pretty lucky with it as it had no major problems. The Fiero story is sad, it wasn't a good car until '88 and then GM discontinued making it.
Just another typical GM screw-up.

 

Sorry to hijack the thread a bit but I actually owned 5 different Fieros, I don't obsess about things , yeah right! The best was an '86 SEV6. My dad and I keep saying we are going to do a V8 swap one of these days but it looks like the number of quality donor cars has just about disappeared.

Sometimes I really miss that car, had a lot of good times with all of them.

 

No you can't push start the MINI.

 

I was surprised to see that the owner's manual offers instructions on "tow-starting" the car, although they don't recommend it. Ignition on, third gear, slowly engage the clutch.

 

Since we're making Fiero confessions... I had a '84 and a '88 GT. Loved them both.

 

There are some available, I frequently drive by a place called the fiero factory in north alabama.

http://www.thefierofactory.com/

 

For a second I thought you'd both given me a great gift, and doomed me in the same link. However they appear to only have two Fieros for sale on their site, and they both look pretty rough.

However, I'm sure that the idea that there is someone out there who might one day fullfill my Fiero needs warms my heart.

What are you doing bring this back on topic!!!