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78 Pace Car L-82. Garaged 5 months or so every year during the winter. Should I remove the choke (electric) system since it is never really needed or just replace the carb. with one that has no choke and keep the OEM carb in storage.
If you're worried about airflow, it's not really a big impedance. My car (with a 78 L-82 Q-Jet) made 450 hp on the engine dyno with the choke system in place.
If it still bothers you enough, you can remove the choke flap. This will give you the benefits of fast idle for warmup without having to worry about the restriction of the little air door. You have to grind the staked section off the two retaining screws and then you can remove the flap
If you want to get rid of it all - well, you can. You’ll have to plug some holes.
Alternately, if you want to leave the air door in place: it’s easy enough to disable the choke by loosening the 3 screws (unless it’s riveted, then you’ll need to remove the rivets) and twisting the choke coil forward to take the tension off of it. You want to twist it far enough so that there’s spring tension keeping the flap open.
I put a new intake manifold on my 79 and it did not accommodate the choke. I added an electric choke a few years later and think it's great! I don't drive in really cold weather but I really think it helps start ups and warm ups, ( I just had to remember how to use it)
If you're worried about airflow, it's not really a big impedance. My car (with a 78 L-82 Q-Jet) made 450 hp on the engine dyno with the choke system in place.
If it still bothers you enough, you can remove the choke flap. This will give you the benefits of fast idle for warmup without having to worry about the restriction of the little air door. You have to grind the staked section off the two retaining screws and then you can remove the flap
If you want to get rid of it all - well, you can. You’ll have to plug some holes.
Alternately, if you want to leave the air door in place: it’s easy enough to disable the choke by loosening the 3 screws (unless it’s riveted, then you’ll need to remove the rivets) and twisting the choke coil forward to take the tension off of it. You want to twist it far enough so that there’s spring tension keeping the flap open.
I would not fool about with a stock Q-Jet. Just leave it alone. If in your area and temps it does not need choke action it will not occur.
It is not stock because in 78 it did not come with an electric choke. What is happening that you want to remove the carb? if there are no problems except you are just wondering then just leave it be. If it ain't broke don't fix it
There must be some 'issue' that you are not telling us. If the choke and carb work, leave it alone. There is no real "downside" to a functioning choke system.
If you have other concerns, what are they?
P.S. If you are listening to all the anti-Q-Jet B.S., just ignore it. What someone else doesn't like and/or doesn't understand should mean little to anyone else.