MG Car Repair: 1979 MGB, vacuum test, manifold vacuum

Question
I have just got a 79 MGB and had the weber carb rebuilt now The car will not start unless I hold down the choke closed on the car it idles fime but either give it gas or let up off the choke it dies what can I do to fix this?

Answer
Hi David,

First you must run a test. With a can of starter fluid spray into the intake and see if you can keep it running by spraying into the intake. If you can you need to first test the fuel pressure at the fuel line to the carb. (1.5 to 3 PSI) If you have that, you need to go back into the carburetor as there is something wrong inside. (Stopped up main jet or passage, float level set wrong or such.

If you were not able to keep it running on the starter fluid you need to start from scratch and run a compression test and a intake manifold vacuum test. If they both show good check the ignition timing and only if all that is correct proceed to the fuel again.

Don't skip any test and do them in order.

Howard