Does the choke work?
A few days ago I was with a good friend who has an MG B. The car was completely dismantled and restored by his son and him in 1996. He has been driving a lot since then and rarely has any problems. Starting makes the car perfect. Only in the winter does it take more effort to catch on.
If there is no brine on the roads, the car already goes out and about 8000 kilometers are traveled per year. This shows that a MGif properly maintained, is an extremely reliable means of transport. For years he drove with the original American engine coupled to a four-speed gearbox. That engine had not yet been made suitable for unleaded petrol. At some point he decided to use one engine to build in that was suitable for unleaded petrol. Because the gearbox also went out, it was decided to install another box immediately. A copy with an electric overdrive. The engine compartment was also completely repainted and two others were added carburetors mounted. Of course also from the brand SU but of the type HS4. Before that the car was equipped with so-called HIF carburetors. The difference is in the choke operation, among other things. The HIF has a separate choke mechanism that seldom fails. But with the HS4 version, the choke cable operates the jets. When the cable is properly adjusted, the jets will be pulled down to provide a richer mixture. But if the mechanism on the shaft that controls both carburettors is shifted or misadjusted, the jet will never be pulled down. Then it can take a long time for the car to start in cold conditions. Therefore, check that the jet moves enough when the choke cable is pulled out. If necessary, adjust the cable differently.
Photo and text Jacques van den Bergh