[Rugratman]

I am sure it's a simple adjustment.
When I go to start the car, I have to use my foot on the pedal. Feather a little gas.
It won't start unless I do this.

Even if I step on the gas once to load it before key switch on starting.

Idle is 800
Electric choke.

So, I can't just reach in the window and turn the key to start. If that make sense. Even warmed up.

[steve25]

Your use of the term “ feathering the gas” sounds to me like you do not have a rich enough condition taking place to start a cold motor .

To start a cold motor you need the near reverse of a warmed up motors 14 to 1 air to fuel ratio that it idles on.

The two first things that need to take place to start a cold motor with a Carburetor take place at the same time.

You need to pump the gas once or twice to get a good shot of fuel in the manifold from the accelerator pump, and at the same time the choke needs to close off all the way , YES all the way.

Next once the motors starts the choke needs to open about the distance of 1/8” or so.

The larger your motors cid the more the choke will need to open once it starts up at first.

[george kujanski]

^^^ Sure. When warm tho, if the choke is open and idle adjustment correct, you should be able to start it without messing with the pedal.

George

[59safaricat]

Choke needs to be adjusted. Make sure the fast idle is within specs. Also check the linkages to make sure they're not binding up. I don't care for electric chokes at all, the open according to time, not temperature. The factory hot air chokes are miles ahead of electric chokes but people are too dumb, stupid, and lazy to get them functioning correctly.

[Greg Reid]

As far as linkages, adjustments and binds there's no difference between an electric choke and one that senses engine manifold temp is there?
Like George, I'm not following the choke connection when the problem is lack of fuel when hot.

[steve25]

It’s not really clear, but I was assuming by the title of the OPs post that he was referring to cold start up conditions.

[Greg Reid]

I thought the same until reading the very last sentence.

[78w72]

Originally Posted by 59safaricat

Choke needs to be adjusted. Make sure the fast idle is within specs. Also check the linkages to make sure they're not binding up. I don't care for electric chokes at all, the open according to time, not temperature. The factory hot air chokes are miles ahead of electric chokes but people are too dumb, stupid, and lazy to get them functioning correctly.

Electric chokes on Q-jets & other carbs for these older engines dont open according to time, they work by heating the same coil that the hot air fed chokes heat, its just done electrically vs hot air. They can be adjusted the same way as a hot air choke and the linkages function the same.

He said even if he pumps the gas a full time it doesnt start... so if the acc pump is working then it sounds like the choke needs to be looked at or adjusted for cold starts, could be flooding due to float level or other carb problems?

[jhein]

When the engine is fully warmed up, have you checked to see that the choke valve is completely open, choke is fully off? If it is, then maybe it's not a choke problem. When you start it warm by applying a little throttle, how long do you have to hold that?

[Greg Reid]

Also, I'm wondering, when you shut the car down fully warm how long before you would have to toy with feathering the pedal to restart? Immediately? 15-20 minutes?

[Kenth]

This might help some. (Text on yellow background by Jon Hardgrove)

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by 78w72

Electric chokes on Q-jets & other carbs for these older engines dont open according to time, they work by heating the same coil that the hot air fed chokes heat, its just done electrically vs hot air. They can be adjusted the same way as a hot air choke and the linkages function the same.

He said even if he pumps the gas a full time it doesnt start... so if the acc pump is working then it sounds like the choke needs to be looked at or adjusted for cold starts, could be flooding due to float level or other carb problems?

In some climates the electric choke heats up the coil a little too fast.....

The electric choke can be a good thing for folks working on an older car that has a corroded or damaged air tube that goes in the exhaust crossover.

It does take some patience to adjust a hot air choke, but the electric is pretty simple. I live in Oklahoma, the electric choke works very well on my car, since i converted mine!!!

[78w72]

Originally Posted by 77 TRASHCAN

In some climates the electric choke heats up the coil a little too fast.....

The electric choke can be a good thing for folks working on an older car that has a corroded or damaged air tube that goes in the exhaust crossover.

It does take some patience to adjust a hot air choke, but the electric is pretty simple. I live in Oklahoma, the electric choke works very well on my car, since i converted mine!!!

From my experience, you can adjust how fast the electric or hot air choke opens in any climate/temp, if it opens too fast just turn the dial back some...

None of my cars have corroded or damaged hot air tubes, on one I chose to convert to electric choke based on suggestion from cliff & others, on the other its a factory E-choke that GM started using in 1980 or 81.

I drive my cars from early spring to very late fall & all summer long, temps from upper 30's to mid 90's, my electric choke cars dont seem to care what the temps are, at most they might need just a small adjustment to the fast idle speed but the main setting on the choke coil stays the same once adjusted.

The hot air choke took a little more adjustment but has worked good in all temps for almost 15 years since getting the carb back from cliff & doing the final adjustments.

I agree either type can work good when adjusted right but a hot air choke is not miles ahead of electric and youre not dumb, stupid or lazy to want or use an electric choke.

[Greg Reid]

Another reason to use one (other than being dumb, stupid or lazy) is my reason.
I have my original '68 intake which is designed for a divorced choke and I'm running a 1974 Q-jet which is designed for an integrated choke. An integrated choke without the provision for the heat tube in the manifold leaves you with a choice of an electric choke or no choke. I ran it with no choke for years but decided I wanted to try one so I went electric.

[rolling money pits]

I have yet to put it in service, but I have an older borg warner electric choke…I guess conversion kit? Has the coil to fit into the carb piece and this gizmo that’s supposed to mount on the intake, some kind of thermostat that alters the amount of current to the coil?

It’s in some box, somewhere, so I cannot provide a part #. I guess a similar thing is still made today?

Edit- was kind of like this

https://quadrajetparts.com/electroni...evy-p-400.html

[Greg Reid]

That one with the temp sensor would address something that I don't like about my electric choke. It heats up based on how long the switch has been on rather than how hot the manifold is. Sometimes when I start my car warm, the choke will kick in anyway. The choke coil cools down before a manifold so as far as it's concerned the engine is cold..

[abefromen]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

That one with the temp sensor would address something that I don't like about my electric choke. It heats up based on how long the switch has been on rather than how hot the manifold is.

My '81 Bird has the electric choke wired from the factory so that it won't see 12V until the alternator is spinning. I have read that some have their e-choke conversions wired thru a 2 prong oil pressure switch so the e-choke won't see 12V until there is oil pressure. It eliminates the hot all the time with the key on issue.

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Sometimes when I start my car warm, the choke will kick in anyway. The choke coil cools down before a manifold so as far as it's concerned the engine is cold..

One of the drawbacks with electric chokes is that it can get fooled and choke the engine when it does not need to be because as you said the coil cools quicker than the engine.