Author Topic: Choke duration  (Read 2181 times)

Offline jagness

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Choke duration
« on: April 01, 2021, 03:42:59 PM »
I have an 800 CFM 17080249 that I built exactly according to Cliff's recommendations. It idles and runs beautifully. It's on a 350 CID Olds engine with only 9.8 CR, and this Engle solid flat tappet cam: 239/247 @ .050, 274/280 adv., .528/.544 on a 110 LSA. I know the compression might sound low, but the cam only has 57ยบ of overlap. After I adjusted the idle mixture, it idles cleanly at 800 rpm with 12-13" of vacuum. I'm really happy with that. Follow Cliff's recommendations, and you'll start out with the carb in the ballpark for sure! 8)

So now I'm down to fine tuning. I set the fast idle to about 950, but it seems to me like it takes way too long for the choke (electric) to open all the way. I can't kick it off fast idle for quite a while. I tried adjusting the choke thermostat to make it open sooner, but it didn't seem to make much difference, if any. What else can I do to make it open more quickly?

Offline Cliff Ruggles

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Re: Choke duration
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2021, 04:11:29 AM »
Did you bench test the electric choke to make sure it's heating up? 

I use the battery on my John Deere garden tractor.  Just ground the housing and the negative terminal and hook up a small lead from the positive terminal to the choke.  The coil should start to heat up immediately and within 2 minutes you shouldn't be able to touch it.

It should be fully open in about 3 minutes even set pretty "tight".......Cliff


PS:  make sure there is NO gasket used as the choke grounds directly on the housing....
« Last Edit: April 02, 2021, 04:16:40 AM by Cliff Ruggles »

Offline jagness

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Re: Choke duration
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2021, 06:16:57 AM »
Looks like that was the problem. I ordered one from you. Thanks again!

Offline nUcLeArEnVoY

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Re: Choke duration
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2021, 10:50:24 PM »
Where are you drawing power? Windshield wiper motor like most people do? Try using that to power a relay that will divert alternator power to the choke. You can get an extra 2 volts to it and help it warm up quicker that way. That's what I do, plus it's safer.

Also, make sure you have your fast idle cam synced up to your pulloff. The fast idle cam should be synced so that the very moment the car starts and the pulloff opens the choke lid to lean it out a bit, you should immediately be able to blip the throttle and drop the fast idle cam to the SECOND step and thus reduce the RPM so that you don't have to wait to at least come off the fast idle. You can make this adjustment by bending the metal tang on the fast idle cam.

I use Cliff's e-choke, too, and it's a good unit. It takes around 5 minutes to get down to my curb idle. What I like to do is start the car, keep it on the fast idle (I have mine at 1500) for around 20-30 seconds while I pull her out of the garage using just the clutch pedal, and then I'll blip the throttle to drop the fast idle cam to the second step and let it warm up at that lower RPM (around 1000 RPM). Usually after 5 minutes or so, I can blip the throttle again and I'm at my curb idle speed  (700 RPM) and I'm ready to go. It takes just a bit longer for me because there isn't as much ambient heat in the engine bay to "push" the e-choke along because my car runs real cool.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2021, 11:06:46 PM by nUcLeArEnVoY »
1979 Pontiac Trans Am 400/4-Speed

Offline Cliff Ruggles

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Re: Choke duration
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2021, 06:48:22 AM »
"Looks like that was the problem. I ordered one from you. Thanks again!"

Off the website?  I didn't see any E-choke orders come thru.......