Start Up With No Choke?

Crs

Member
May 7, 2004
182
0
16
San Francisco, CA
I hate electric chokes....or maybe i just dont really have mine hooked up properly. For those that dont have a choke hooked up, does your cars start up right away? Mines starts up but doesn't want to idle unless i feather the throttle for about 3 minutes. I live in San Francisco so i dont think it should take that long for it to idle. I have a 600 summit carb on a 68 stang with the original 289. Any suggestions? Thanks!
 
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what seems to be the problem with your choke? as for no choke, starting a cold engine is always hard without one, and rarely do they idle until the combustion chambers get a little heat into them. most of the time people seem to have an issue with how high the cold idle is, and how long it takes the choke to come off. both of these can be adjusted. i usually set my choke up for warm weather meaning it is adjusted until the choke blade just touches the choke horn.
 
There is just something not working with the choke. I adjust it, starts up nice, then the next morning it doesn't want to start. I tried messing with the choke cap but no luck.

do you pump the throttle when you go to start the car? if not then that is part of your problem. pumping the throttle resets the choke when the engine is cold.
 
I don't run a choke, but probably a little different than your setup. However, it shouldn't idle correctly when cold. The carb should be tuned at operating temp, which will cause it to idle a little different cold. I have to feather mine a little to keep it going until it warms up. I also have my idle pretty high (1700).
 
have you checked to see if it squirts gass when cold.? after my dads 65 started and warmed up it started right up when you turned it of . i noticed his would not pump gass if i opend the butterflies to fast but if i opened them slow it would pump a little. the pump would not over power the springs. after i changed the pump to the green pump it squirted normaly and started easily. what you may try is prime it when it is cold and see if it starts then. that should let you know if it is getting enough fuel to start when cold.
 
dead cold start video below

holley street avenger 670 however my last holley carb on this motor was a 600 cfm 1850 holley aNd it started just the same...both carbs have been gone through and no dirt anywhere...and theyre fairly dialed in...one pump of gas pedal and one bump on key.....im running electronic ignit too..maybe that helps idk


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVCc1FWBJos&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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A car that starts hard is an indication of a lean condition. My 302 with a pair of Holleys fires right up, idles within a minute or so with no chokes. That's because it's a touch rich on the bottom. If yours won't start, try this: pump the gas three times (cold) and it should start. Hold the throttle to keep it at about 1500 rpm's for a minute or so, and it should be fine. If not, then tweak the idle mixture and see how that works. Carbed cars are a little finicky when cold anyway, but once you develop a routine that works, it isn't that bad.
 
A car that starts hard is an indication of a lean condition. My 302 with a pair of Holleys fires right up, idles within a minute or so with no chokes. That's because it's a touch rich on the bottom. If yours won't start, try this: pump the gas three times (cold) and it should start. Hold the throttle to keep it at about 1500 rpm's for a minute or so, and it should be fine. If not, then tweak the idle mixture and see how that works. Carbed cars are a little finicky when cold anyway, but once you develop a routine that works, it isn't that bad.

bingo, lean because the car is cold. choke removes some air, removes the lean condition. it is ok to be lean when cold, could be an indication of a proper idle (not to rich).
 
Zookeeper, your car starts right up and idles fine within 1 minute or so of feathering the throttle or keeping the throttle at about 1500rpms? I adjusted my carb to the highest vacuum reading (15-16 inches) in drive with the e brake on, then a 1/4 turn out more.