MG Car Repair: Fule, fuel pressure gauge, stromberg carburetor

Question
I noticed you had said to use a mettle fuel filter not a plastic one why?  Also i have a 78mg midget and i notice there is almost never any fuel in the fuel bulb but it still runs is this normal? 2nd In order to get it to start i have to pump the gas a little and then let it rev for about 10 seconds  and another thing when i take it out on the highway for about 5 to 10 miles then resume city driving it wants to die unless i rev it a little and or go to high rpm in a low gear for a little bit. and if i shut it off it is very hard to restart and smells like it is flooding. Is this all related to that fuel bulb being empty all the time  or where do i need to start looking?

Answer
Hi Stephen,
The plastic fuel filter should be self evident. How much damage or heat do you think plastic can take compared to a metal filter before fuel would spray all over the engine compartment. It amazes me that any company is allowed to manufacture a plastic can with fuel pressure in it in the environment of an engine compartment.

As far as seeing air trapped in a filter, that is normal and fuel can still be traveling through it so that don't mean anything. You should however test the fuel pump by putting a "T" (metal one) in the fuel line close to the carburetor and put a fuel pressure gauge on the "T" to monitor fuel pressure at the time of shut down. I have many times had to place a gauge under a wiper arm and drive the car to catch a problem while driving. Be sure to use clamps on each joint. You want to know if it is maintaining from 1.5 to 3 PSI at the time the engine falters. This will at least test fuel supply at the time of failure.

Pumping the gas pedal on a Stromberg carburetor does nothing since the Stromberg does not have an accelerator pump.
Howard