Holley Electric Choke Setup
 

I recently put a 670 Avenger Holley on my 350 and just started trying to setup the electric choke last night . . . didnt spend to much time but Im a little unsure of where the choke cap should set to. First this was a used carb that I had rebuilt so it wasnt at the factory setting when I installed it . . . Im pretty good at rebuilding, jetting and setting up for the most part BUT most of my cars were higher HP cars and I always took the chokes right off and milled the choke horns off. I have wired it to my wiper motor and checked at the choke cap, I have 11.8 v. I have rotated the cap several times in each direction and cant seem to get the choke to close. Can anyone give me some direction as to how to go about setting this up and anything I should check to make sure I don't have a bad choke.

Thanks
Chris

You need to start with a COLD engine, ignition off. Loosen the screws holding the cap, and hold the throttle open about 1/4 (keeps the fast idle cam, etc. out of the way). Turn the cap until the choke JUST completely closes, then tighten the screws.

Before turning the ignition on, Pump the gas once, then start it without touching the gas pedal. If the car does not start and [fast] idle itself, then adjust the screw that contacts the fast idle cam [on the choke linkage]. You should be able to watch the choke open as the choke pot heats up.

As the weather gets colder, you may want to readjust because the behavior will definitely change.

Any constant, full 12V source is fine to use (I have a wire running to mine from the IGN terminal on my fuse block).

The biggest PITA with this is the fact that, if you need to shut down the motor to make changes, you MUST wait until everything cools down or you will end up with an inaccurate adjustment and the choke won't work correctly.

Elec chokes heat the element so if you have had the ing on for any length of time it will take a while for the element to cool enough to close all the way. When I had an elec choke I adj'd it after letting it sit over night and not turning the ign on, just open the throttle and the choke should close then you can make adj from there.

It wont see much of any cold weather, maybe a fall drive or two. I thought about using no choke but even after it warms up for a minute it still sputters or backfires so i decided to try the choke. It ran OK before with the QJet that was on it when I bought it but I wanted to go to a Holley since Im not real up on QJets and the car seemed to "doggy" so I wanted to try to liven it up some . . It just doesnt have much of any low end power. Ive already checking timing and even put a new MSD dist on it since the original distributor looked like it was sitting open in the rain for a long time . . . was totally rusted inside! I know these are probably two different issues.

Any other suggestions?

When I put the choke cap back on after the rebuild all I did was put it on with the loop in the end of the element over the metal tab that goes through the back of the choke. I didnt turn it at all . . just put it on and tightened the screws. Should the cap have to be turned so many turns in either direction for initial setup or was this correct?

Yes, you need to turn it so the bi-metal spring "winds up" or tightens to close the choke butterflies.

Really?
There's nothing about this in the Holley Carb rebuild book I went by, and mine seems to be working fine. Just lined it up and tightened the three srews after slight twist as per the instructions. Am I just lucky, or could it work "better" somehow if the coil spring was pre-loaded in this way, with a FULL turn after the tab is engaged in the loop?

you want to hook it up to a wire that is hot only when the engine is running, use the factory choke wire. or if you just leave the key on say playing the radio, you can overheat the choke spring

:iagree: with Ace and Gator. I'm using the 670 Street Avenger and installed it per the instrutions with no pre-load. If the key is on for any period of time w/o running the engine then the heating element in the carb will open the choke. This is not a problem for me since mine is a DD and I start and go.

You said you hooked up the wire to your wiper motor, and measured 11.8V at the end near the choke. If you are getting the voltage there, then is there a mechanical interference within the choke cap preventing the coil from moving? A check so see if the coil moves freely, or if there is any shaft friction so the choke will not move from the position set by the bimetal coil.

kdf

Yes, really!

The bi-metal spring that "winds and unwinds" according to temperature is what closed and opend the choke.

You adjust (rotate) the cap so that the choke is ONLY closed when the additional fuel is needed (COLD engine) AND so the choke opens AS SOON AS POSSIBLE without sputtering or backfiring (Cold Lean). If it opens late, it can cause your exhaust to emit black smoke, fould plugs, and impact fuel consumption.