MG Midget Forum

Day three with my Midget, still getting familiar with nuances and personality - have done thus far all the expected activities after new ownership - replaced the fluids - oil, coolant, etc = carb filters cleaned and oiled - new plugs and a color test (was waaaaay too rich, so got that sorted out), and then a happy afternoon messing about with carb sync tool and a rubber hose (not kinky in the least)
On cold start up, it revs high toward 3500-4000 rpms,(hmm - that's a bit odd) a quick blip on the throttle and we're at a nice even 900 RPMs - and it'll hold that all day long - nice and even putt putt out the exhaust- - ok so far so good. and for day 1 and 2, things looked blissful. Drove about 100 kms, no issues - smooth. Headed out last night, and between 2-3 gear and 3-4th gear, engine revs high rather than dropping back while between gears , un-aided by the gas pedal, continues to rev and pull, until another blip of the throttle, and it settles down to proper RPMs for the speed.

Hood up , checked the throttle cable for stickiness (obvious point id think if its revv'ing out like that?) - nope - smooth. Nothing evident

Did another round of Carb tuning with Sync tool and by ear and tubing - all good - even 900 RPMs again. Head out after engine warms up on road - same thing - almost like unintended acceleration, plus the high revs between gears . . .

the above's a bit vague but if anyone may have some pointers, id' be most grateful where to look

(again, day 3 Midget owner so be gentle with me )

If blipping the throttle lowers the rpm's then something in the carb linkage is binding. Try working the linkage from idle to high speed with the engine off and see if you can replicate the binding.

Do you have all three return springs on the carbs?

my bet is that your hood, closed, is bending the throttle cable over and then it binds (common occurrence) and would be why it seemed OK when the hood was opened

Ding ding ding! It was the throttle cable being pressed by the hood! Good goes up, all is fine! Hood goes down, and zombie accelerating Midget is spawned!

Oh this l'il car is gonna be a world of interesting anomalies!

Same problem when I bought my midget, solved it by fitting an MGB cable which is about 10 inches longer than the midget cable.

You can also use what cyclists call "noodles" which create a graceful curve to any standard type bicycle cable (like our choke and throttle cables. This is a nice clean way to bring the gas pedal function into the 21st center (with the bonnet closed, no less!)

After seeing a "noodle" installation on this site I bought one for $4.00 and installed it. The only modification was to shorten the accelerator cable sheath. The cable now fits very nicely below the hood/bonnet.

Keith