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Question about converting a divorced choke to electric....

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LouC:
Can a marine Quadrajet that has a divorced choke be converted to an electric choke? This is on my '88 OMC Cobra 4.3 V6. I recently did a basic cleaning and rebuild and it runs great. However, one issue I have had is that the auto choke is slow to open due to the fact that these marine inboards run cool, like at about 160s most of the time. I know that you can get an electric conversion for auto applications but I don't know if they would work on a marine style carb. Here's the side of the carb where the choke linkage attaches, excuse the external corrosion, it's been used in salt water a long time.....

Frank400:
I know I've seen some electric conversion for those, I'm sure Cliff has them, even though they may not be on his website.  Give him a call.

Cliff Ruggles:
Unfortunately we don't stock the electric units to replaced the divorced choke on the intake due to lack of interest. 

They are out there for around $50, Carbs Unlimited has them last time I checked......Cliff

LouC:
Thanks for the info, I have seen the electric chokes and saw how fast they open on a Holley, and thought it might be an improvement due to the cold running traits of marine engines. Also eventually I am going to upgrade this boat to a new long block and the Vortec style intake for the V6 has no exhaust cross over same as the V8s. So if I wanted to stick with the Quadrajet because I feel it is better than the Holley or the Edelbrock (and I do feel it is) that would be the only way to make the choke work automatically.

Do these units work well?

Cliff Ruggles:
Recently we had a good friend end up with a "custom" built small block Chevy 406 and the local "guru" who built it installed a Holley Street Avenger carb on it with an E-choke.  What a HOPELESS piece of bovine excrement that was.  The owner dinked with it, the builder dinked with it, and it ended up getting wired open.  I messed with that carb a few times because he is a good friend, and when the builder finally kicked him to the curb because he kept taking the truck back to him for poor running and HEAVY fuel consumption.....we replaced that POS with a Quadrajet and ALL the issues he was having went away. 

I don't see the Edelbrock AFB clones working any better and we try to avoid them here.

Anyhow, keep in mind that a carburetor is part of a "wet flow" system so it requires a heated intake to work effectively.  A good working choke will be beneficial until the engine heat soaks and the intake warms up some.  The Vortec intakes have no provision for a divorced choke that I've seen, so not sure what you can rig up there to work with an original divorced choke Marine carburetor. 

If it were my boat and doing that conversion here I'd use a 1976 or later hot-air Chevy Q-jet and convert it to electric choke, problem solved.......Cliff

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