choke, fast idle
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 4
From: Fairview Heights Illinois, near Saint Louis MO, STL C3 Shark
choke, fast idle
How long should my choke cause the car to idle fast? I've got a 76 with a holley and electric choke. I drove it around this weekend, coolant temperature got up to normal 195* but the fast idle would never kick off. I could blip the throttle and it would idle down a little, but then if I touched the gas at all, the fast idle would kick in again. What type of adjustment should I do?
I've only owned a manual choke 1968 chevy truck before the vette, so no experience with electric chokes.
Any help would be appreciated.
edit: temp this weekend was in mid 30s
Thx
I've only owned a manual choke 1968 chevy truck before the vette, so no experience with electric chokes.
Any help would be appreciated.
edit: temp this weekend was in mid 30s
Thx
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,384
Likes: 6,408
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
The choke and fast idle on an electric choke Holley should stay on for 5 minutes or less. You should be able to turn the ignition to the "on" position and watch the choke start to open without the engine running. If it doesn't start rotating almost immediately, check to make sure you have power to the choke.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 4
From: Fairview Heights Illinois, near Saint Louis MO, STL C3 Shark
Is there an adjustment that could be made for that? Mine was "on" or at least the fast idle, for about 15-20 minutes, till I pulled back in the driveway and shut if off. Otherwise the choke works great.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 4
From: Fairview Heights Illinois, near Saint Louis MO, STL C3 Shark
Don't the adjustments you both speak of only adjust the CHOKE part of it and not the fast idle? Last night drove around ~ 30* temp and the stinkin fast idle never shut off. If I blip the throttle it would temporarily turn off until the next time I let it rest at idle. The car doesn't need the fast idle after about 2-3 minutes.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
Originally Posted by lars
The choke and fast idle on an electric choke Holley should stay on for 5 minutes or less. You should be able to turn the ignition to the "on" position and watch the choke start to open without the engine running. If it doesn't start rotating almost immediately, check to make sure you have power to the choke.
Make sure there is power to it..the power heats the inner coil, and the coil expands and opens the choke...with engine off, key on, if it does not do that (open the choke butterfly if you give a little throttle), the coil is not heating, or the coil is too tight, or the coil needs a better ground (neg side)...I would take the coil cover off and see if all is working/adjusted properly...the coil should not be watch-spring tight, but just enough to close the choke (cold) then open it when it heats up as the coil expands...also make sure all the connecting linkage isn't binding...that was my problem..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
They are related...with the flap closed, it moves the fast idle block up and forces the linkage to move back a touch, increasing the idle, on both of my carbs it is on the drivers side of the carbs, there is a fast idle adjust screw there. Then as the choke opens, the idle will stay up 'cause it's trapped against the throttle linkage, but with a pop of the gas throttle, the block falls back to normal and the throttle returns to normal. If that block or linkage shaft is jammed, or dirty, it won't fall back down, even tho the choke flap is open...and the idle will stay up...I went thru this when I reconnected my choke...I had to loosen the flap shaft screw just a hair and everything was good...but could be anything, you'll just have to understand the system and you'll find the problem for sure... 
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