Alright everybody. I've had my 73 for 2 years now and i think I'm narrowing in on why it acts beautifully one day, and the other it just cranks till the cows come home.

We've tried things with the electric choke before, but i noticed something today.

For the past couple weeks it's been cold starting like a dream. It was over 55 degrees everytime also. My only issue was that it was taking FOREVER to idle down. Like 10 to 15 minutes. I'd give it a little gas and it just would drop down to normal idle (around 700 or so). I ended up adjusting the lil black circle on the side of the choke (the coil i believe) a tiny bit and that fixed it.

BUT today i went to start her and had my reservations because even though its 58 today, it's rather windy and feels like its in the 40s out there. This is when i like to act up. Usually. I tried starting and nothing. Cranking forever no matter how i tried giving it a pump or holding it half down during cranking. I even let it sit for a good 15 before trying again and more of the same.

I thought to myself "maybe i adjusted that coil a bit too far" and went to adjust and that's when i noticed my choke valve was wide open. Upon following the rod attached to the choke valve down the side i saw that it wasn't resting against the red limiter thing....sorry guys, i don't know all the terminology here. It's a Holley Carb btw. I thought "if that handing valve rod was pushed up and resting against that red thing, it'd be closed" and that's what would happen when i messed with it hands on.

I was wondering however why it wasn't being pushed up. Is there supposed to be a spring here??? Did it fall off??? IS THIS WHAT HAS BEEN WRONG THIS WHOLE TIME?

Well i found out later that there is in fact a spring controlling this rod, but it's internal. That surprised me because i thought the coil just slowing turned the red limiter arm up and slowly opened up the choke. But apparently there's two springs at work here? One doing what i mentioned before, and another keeping the choke valve rod pushed against that red limiter?

I tested this by taping the choke closed and cranking and WHATTTAAAYAKNOOOWWWWW. She starts. She got choked out right away and i could keep it running however. If i tried to jump out and take the tape off to open it up it'd die before i could get there.

Here's the kicker though. A few minutes later, whilst i was stomping around the garage in all my glory, boasting to the scrap wood and extension cords about my epiphany, i went back to check on the choke rod and low and behold its pushed tightly against that red limiter arm again. I can move it away and a spring (internally) pushes it back like it should.

WHAT. IS. THE. ISSUE.

Is the choke dying? Is there a certain part of spring that goes bad and causes these issues?

Please respond to my novel i just spent 15 minutes typing and i'll forever be grateful.

Happy Easter guys!

 

I'm not a holley expert, maybe one will chime in. Have you tried some of the spray carb cleaner on the choke linkage to see if it's gummed up?

 

exactly which Holley do you have so everybody can see what your problem is?
The list# of the Holley is on the front of the airhorn.
On a totally cold engine, on a almost 60 degree day, after you step on the gas pedal once the choke should completely close with just a small amount of resistance if you try to open it with your finger tip.