First you will need a GP 246 choke kit, available from European Auto Parts, and a can of carb cleaner. After removing the choke from the carb body, be sure to mark everything before disassembly. After cleaning everything, inspect all the parts for wear, e.g., worn or broken bimetallic heat coil, worn brass needle, broken piston shaft, and as I have most often found, stripped out screws in the choke body.

On reassembly, make sure the piston lever is correctly fitted into the bimetallic coil. To adjust the choke, turn the water housing with the screws slightly loose, turn until the lip of the piston is flush with the top of the piston housing, then lightly tighten the water housing screws into the choke body.

When you put the choke back onto the carb, be careful that you have the gasket the right way round and NEVER put sealing compound on the gasket, because when you tighten up the choke the compound will be squeezed into the tiny fuel ports between the choke and carb, blocking them off.

Also the three screws holding the choke assembly to the carb body, have a tendency to work their way loose.

I have seen many of these MGs come into European Sports Cars with only the water hoses holding the choke in place. The owner of European Sports Cars had the bright idea of putting Loctite on the three screws – WRONG! Yes, the screws will not work loose, but as I found out when I had to service these choke assemblies I could not get the screws out, and when I did get them out it stripped the threads out of the carb body.

My advice, and this is what I have been doing to my 1978 Midget for 20 years, is to periodically just check and tighten the three screws as needed.

Paul Lewis