More Choke Issues....

[drquazar]

Ok I am not a mechanic, and my mechanic is stuck on this at the moment.

We just had the carb rebuilt. ( about $200 professionally done stock QuadraJet) Installed it and it was great for about a day. Lots of new power and top end speed. BUT after a day I noticed the RPM increasing and then ultimately the Choke light would stay on all the time.
I brought it back and he had the carb rebuilder check the choke mechanism again. All was in good working order. The problem seems to lie in the electrical line to the choke. It is not sending enough power to the choke to disengage it. 12v to 1.5v type drop ( He explained it all, but hey I am a professional chef, not a car mechanic.) So I gave him my electrical chassis diagram to help find the problem. He seems to think he will figure it, but I am hoping someone here may have some helpful hints or suggestions.
Like where does the circuit go behind the dash, and what could he look for they may be a problem spot for this type of problem. I am clueless, unless you'd like a nice Lasagna or Garden Vegetable soup..

My mechanic will formulate a coherent question for me to try here tommorrow if he doesn't make any headway. I am sorry I am kinda vague, but my understanding of how a carb works is pretty vague..

I did hear a buzzing from under the dash when choke light would'nt go off. Disconnecting the green wire from the carb (passenger side front) stopped the buzzing and turned off the choke light as well....

I am not doing my mechanic justice here, he knows what he is doing and I don't understand anything except my baby is having troubles... Sorta like a Taxi driver trying to explain what went wrong with a Brain Surgury from watching it on TV...

So any insight, helpful advice or knowledge on what the heck I am talking about will greatly appreciated.

Drquazar
81 Black on Black Cloth seat Batmobile..

I found this thread on the forum here....
seems to fit my dilemma....
Choke

will be checking all the suggestions tommorrow

[drquazar]

Well the new rebuilt original carb runs great, but the choke issue was never completely resolved:

1. The Green Relay for the electric choke was shot... there is to my knowledge no replacement for it...

2. We bypassed the choke relay and hooked to the generator. Kept the choke light from lighting unless while starting in the on position in the ignition. She worked well with that set up for about a week. Then I noticed the choke would not disengage, and idled at 1400 rpm's. Nothing could get it to kick down from within the car.

3. We removed and checked the choke coil which appeared unbroken and tested fine electrically. Yet nothing we did would heat up the coil. We assume we are looking at a toasted electric choke.

4. Meanwhile with the choke manually disenengaged the car ran perfect, a nice 7-800rpm idle when warmed up.

5. Since my mechanic and I still can't figure out why and how the electric choke coil ceased to function, we were leery of putting in a new $83 electric choke. Perhaps the bypassed/elliminated Choke relay somehow protected the coil, and we may potentially burn out another one.

6. I only drive during warm weather and the car warms up and runs so good with the rebuilt carb, I opted to say forget the electric choke....put in a manuel choke (gasp) and say the hell with messing with any more wiring. Its my daily driver during the warm months here in Vermont and that isn't really the many, so the whole choke issue is not that big a deal. Admittedly a sorta ham and egg job, but the car runs so well that I am just tired of trying to understand what the Green Choke Relay switch did in the beginning and how to replce a non replaceble part.....

Any questions or comments would be appreciated, since I am sure this "tractorfication" of my 81 Corvette could be considered sacriledge...

Drquazar
81 Blk on Blk clothseat Batmobile

[LannyL81]

I am going to have to check the chock coil voltage on my car tonight. I am assuming from reading your two posts that 12 votls is applied to the choke whenever the key is in the ON position. But I thought the CCC turned off the voltage once the engine was warmed up....again will have to check this out tonight.

You said that the choke relay was shot...how? stuck closed, stuck open...contact fried....what?

And I think connecting 12 volts from the alternator (not generator) probably fried the choke coil as it drew too much current and fried itself.

I would think that a new relay and a new electric choke would fix everything, but not a problem except when starting. It may be hard to start when cold, but if you just keep the idle up until it warms up...you should be fine.

Later,
LannyL81

[Artsvette73]

I would suspect it has something to do with the choke relay.

[drquazar]

The choke relay making a buzzing sound was the beginning of my trouble. Its a green 3 prong relay located in the center console. Once removed and bypassed, I am assuming my only circuit protection is the 20a fuse above the fuse box. (Which I have never had any problem with)

Since to my knowledge the choke relay is no longer available. Perhaps it is?... If anyone knows where to get one please let me know and I may likely bite the bullet and install another electric choke. Since the electric choke worked about a week WITHOUT the relay in place. My mechanic thought perhaps the lack of relay ultimately fried the actual electric choke unit. We were both leary of installing a $80 electric choke without the relay, in fear that it would only be damaged.

At the moment the manual choke is on hold. The choke has been manually disengaged completely, and the wire left in tact to keep the choke light from staying on.

Witha new relay, I may try to solve this again soon...But since the recent rebuild, it runs so great, I hate to mess with a good thing. Even without the choke, the car starts excellent and warms up fast. Holds a perfect idle within moments. So until I get more info on the choke relay, i will just have to enjoy the summer while it lasts.

[schweng18]

I found this link that might be of interest to you and me (http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/stup...78-print.html). I have not yet checked my alternator, but it is something to look at.

Dave