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77 318 choke trouble

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5K views 17 replies 7 participants last post by  77gpw  
#1 ·
No matter what I do, I can't get the choke flap to work right on my 318. The rod that comes up from the manifold doesn't seem to be helping much. I have to manually go out and shut the flap, start it then adjust the flap just right to keep it running. Once it stalls, I have to lower the flap again, start it up, then adjust the flap to get it just right for it to run. Once it gets warm, the flap kinda get's in the right spot but won't regulate itself I believe because that rod from the manifold doesn't seem to be working right. Everytime I take it for a drive down the road it stalls on me, won't start back without me getting out and fixing the flap just right to get it started back. I'm so ready to put this thing in the shop and tell em to fix it but am afraid of getting the bill !!!
Any idea's before I call the stupid wrecker again ?

Troy 
 
#4 ·
I would pull the choke off, and take a look. Sounds like it is disconnected, or the coil is broken.

Image


Should have a noticeable amount of spring pressure.
 
owns 1990 Dodge W200
#5 ·
Wow, it looks like that could be a problem then.... I pulled that part out and all there was connected to the rod I believe was the spring, without that black part i see on the picture above. I will see if i can round up another one and see if that fixes it. Thank you so much for sharing this !!

Troy
 
#7 ·
Not all have the black part, the pic was more to show the thermostatic spring. I think it would be obvious if something is wrong with yours.
 
owns 1990 Dodge W200
#9 ·
I looked at the choke thermostat thing and the spring appeared to be ok. The choke flap opens up once the engine warms but wont get vertical, staying at about a 45 deg angle. Sometimes even once its warmed up i put it in gear and I lose rpm's and it stalls alot still. Then, I have to go out and manually close the choke just to start it back. I hate the thoughts of more money to a shop but I gotta get this stupid truck running ! Nothing I am tryin is workin and it looks like I'm in over my head :( The engine sounds great that's why I'm optimistic but I've not had this truck running good for over a week since I bought it 2 or 3 years ago !
 
#11 ·
Sounds like maybe your linkage is binding up somewhere. Or your choke pull of may not be working. I dont know where you are but if it's not that cold you can  disconnect the choke just so you can drive it.If you dont have emissions testing rig up a manual choke.
 
#13 ·
Are you disconnecting the rod when you go out to set the choke manually? If so, I might suggest that the rod is improperly bent and isn't actually long enough to open the choke fully. You can probably bend the rod some to adjust it to the proper length when the thermostat is fully open.
 
#14 ·
the thermostat "thing" is a bi metallic spring , 2 kinds of metal formed into 1 spring , the metals expand/contract at different amounts ( rates) so the make the spring wind up or unwind , over time and heat/cool cycles the metals "take a set " , the spring weakens, it don't move as much . LOOKING at it cannot tell you that has or hasn't happened . Replace the choke pull off ( spring thing) and then read how it is to be adjusted , according to which carburetor you have , carter or holley .
 
#15 ·
Yes, sir.... that appears to be my best course of action. I will get one and let yall know what gives. First, though, I will try and straighten the old one out and see if that does anything. That push rod is bent pretty good so maybe that is preventing it from letting the flap get vertical. We shall see !

Thanks so much guys.

Troy 
 
#16 ·
bending that push rod IS how the choke gets adjusted , lets assume it was cold and didn't have enough choke , so someone bent the rod , now it don't open enough , you unbend it , now it don't close enough , well its because the "spring thing" is not moving enough overall .  Be sure its not dragging on the hole it goes down into ......   
 
#17 ·
I didnt think about your choke rod being bent too much, but that could be your problem. Also, what he said about the rod dragging on the hole. My husband's Blazer had that problem, the rod was rubbing against the little housing that it was in. Chevy is different but it's something to check