MG Car Repair: 78 MG midget hard to start cold, stale gas, starter fluid

Question
I have a 78 engine 1500 cc and about 95% restored, engine, carburator, starter, battery, etc.  It is still continuing to have a problem starting cold.  It takes about 5 tries to start it and once it is started it runs fine.  If it sits for a couple of hours, same problem starting.  Any advice???

Answer
Hi Tom,
When it does not want to start spray starter fluid into the intake and see if it starts right up. If it does then you for sure have a fuel problem. Choke not working? Stale gas still in it?

If starter fluid don't make it start then you need to do some testing, like a compression test first then check to see that the ignition timing is correct etc.

All gas engines only require 3 things to run, compression, fire and fuel so one is missing if an engine does not start.
Howard