Moparts
Don't Laugh. It's No Choke!
Posted By: Big Bad Bee
Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/29/13 10:10 PM
Just curious how many of you run a carb with no choke on your car. I have a carb I am planning to use, a Holley 4160 750CFM but it has no choke horn. Tell me your story.
Posted By: Jeremiah
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/29/13 10:19 PM
If you are going to drive it in cold weather then run a choke. If not it is not necessary as long as you don't mind baby sitting the car for a few minutes at start up. If you are going to run a choke the electric is the easiest and least intrusive.
Posted By: Big Bad Bee
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/29/13 10:23 PM
I live in the northwest but the car will rarely see below 50 degrees.
Posted By: dogdays
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/29/13 10:28 PM
I just blocked the automatic choke open with a piece of fuel hose because I was too lazy to run a wire. It is more interesting in colder weather, at 18 degrees it takes three pumps to get things started.
R.
Posted By: dustergirl340
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/29/13 10:30 PM
No choke on the Challenger, Dart, or Duster's Holley carbs. But they only get driven in the spring/summer/fall.
Electric choke on my daughter's '86 Chevy truck that is daily driven all year.
Posted By: areibel
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/29/13 10:32 PM
I had a friend back in the old days that had a 78 TA. He was a big Herb Adams fan, he had opened up the back of the scoop and milled off the choke tower. It was fun sitting in the seat, pump it about 4 times, hit the key and see what happened. Usually it would start after once or twice, but occasionally you'd be rewarded with a belch of fire- pretty cool!
Didn't like it if it was below 55-60 outside though- he'd keep a can of ether handy.
Posted By: Challenger 1
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/29/13 10:50 PM
Ran with my manual choke wired open for 20 years. Just had to pump the gas first and pump it cold to keep it running. In a minute or two it was ready to go.
But that sounded bad when I took it on vacations and would start it in a campground or something, everyone thought the car ran like crap when they hear me start it in the mornings.
So I got cable and hooked up my manual choke and it works good. Car starts better, just have to stay with it to adjust the choke as it warms up.
I fouled plugs letting it sit and idle with the choke on, I burned them clean after driving it for while.
It's not necessary the choke, but sure helps during the cold weather.
Posted By: 69B3GT
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/29/13 11:16 PM
No choke here, just fire it up and warm it up for a few minutes. Granted, it doesn't see below 50 degrees.
Posted By: DANA60
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/29/13 11:24 PM
I run two carbs, no choke, in my cars. The colder it is the longer to warm up. If it's a cross ram, a real long time to warm up in just cool weather. A couple pumps and then fast idle by the driver.
Posted By: Supercuda
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 12:22 AM
I ran a manual choke in the 64 300. Made it hard for anyone else to start (or steal). Went electric for the 72 Dart and 65 Cuda so the wife could enjoy them.
Posted By: Big Bad Bee
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 03:25 AM
Wow! I'm surprised at the results so far. vast majority run without a choke. I've never had a car that didn't have at least a manual choke but I get the pump three times and ride the idle warm up deal. For as little as my car will be driven, and in relatively good weather, it sounds like I'll be fine! One thing about the inland NW, guys with nice cars can't break them out until may or june because there's so much traction sand (more like gravel) on the road that it's nasty on paint.
Posted By: Cab_Burge
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 03:38 AM
Posted By: 383man
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 03:40 AM
No choke on my 63. I found out a few things over the years about this. I have an 850 DP and the DP are much easier to get started in cold weather without a choke then is any other carb with just one accell pump. Many carbs with one pump like AFB's and Thermoquads were much harder to get started with no choke. I can start my 63 in 25 degree weather without the chake. Hit the gas pedal 3 times and keep pumping while it cranks. Fires right up and of course you have to feather it for a few minutes to keep it running but its no problem. I start my car every few weeks thru the winter. Ron
Posted By: Jeremiah
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 04:22 AM
Electric choke:
Posted By: Jeremiah
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 04:25 AM
No choke horn...
I say if you have it set it up right and use it and if not that is no big deal over 50 degrees.
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Posted By: Big Bad Bee
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 06:57 AM
Quote:
No choke on my 63. I found out a few things over the years about this. I have an 850 DP and the DP are much easier to get started in cold weather without a choke then is any other carb with just one accell pump. Many carbs with one pump like AFB's and Thermoquads were much harder to get started with no choke. I can start my 63 in 25 degree weather without the chake. Hit the gas pedal 3 times and keep pumping while it cranks. Fires right up and of course you have to feather it for a few minutes to keep it running but its no problem. I start my car every few weeks thru the winter. Ron
This carb is I believe a 4160. Single pump, vacuum secondaries.
Posted By: 451Mopar
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 09:11 AM
Electric choke on the convertible (street car.)
No choke on the Charger (Holley HP carb.)
At one time I had a Holley 850 DP with manual choke (no cable) on the Charger and when I went full throttle, the choke closed on me. Needed to put a wire in place of the manual choke cable just to make sure the choke din't get sucked closed.
Posted By: That AMC Guy
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 09:20 AM
All my stuff has electric chokes, even converted an ancient Carter WCD (on my Gremlin) to have an electric choke - which was no easy task!
But I have a friend who has this strange hatred of all things electric. He runs points in the cars he can reverse engineer and more than a few times I've watched him rip out a perfectly good electric choke to replace it with a manual one.
All because 15 years ago, he had a Pontiac Parisienne that had an electric choke that never worked properly.
Posted By: Challenger 1
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 12:58 PM
Quote:
No choke on my 63. I found out a few things over the years about this. I have an 850 DP and the DP are much easier to get started in cold weather without a choke then is any other carb with just one accell pump. Many carbs with one pump like AFB's and Thermoquads were much harder to get started with no choke. I can start my 63 in 25 degree weather without the chake. Hit the gas pedal 3 times and keep pumping while it cranks. Fires right up and of course you have to feather it for a few minutes to keep it running but its no problem. I start my car every few weeks thru the winter. Ron
I beleive it, many years ago on a Sunday when the Bengals went to the super bowl and it was really cold here. My DP 750 on my old rusty 73 340 challenger was the only car in the neighborhood that started. I ran errands for the old people who lived above my 1 room apartment. After that they seemed to accept me and my rusty noisey car more. Damn I was proud that day of my 150 dollar car. 
My Holley 750, and Quick fuel 950 have no chokes. Been running my Duster with out a choke for almost as long as I've had it. But out here in Calif., it's not needed much. Besides, the choke horn just slowes down the air flow. Need plenty of flow for
.
Posted By: Mr.Yuck
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 03:33 PM
I've run carbs w/o a choke and choke horn, no issues here/ This 6-pack as a manual choke I use it for about 2 seconds. Makes starts a tad easier.
Posted By: YO7_A66
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 04:43 PM
After two years of tuning during the Spring and Summer with O2 sensors, I found that once the cold Fall air hit I started having lean cold-startup problems. Since I had leaned out the carb to idle/transition/cruise in the 14.0 range, I found that I had to richen up the electric choke to compensate for the colder air with the leaner A/F setup. I am now an electric choke fan.
I do remember that I used to run a non choke DP Street Demon on the same engine. That carb would fire right up and idle on it's own in the Fall temps with two pumps of the pedal. I now wonder how rich that carb was running at idle/transition/cruise to be able to do this.
In this or any other areas of the country where you might experience cooler weather during the months you drive your car do yourself a favor and use an electric choke
Posted By: ireland383
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 05:07 PM
No choke! Two pumps of the pedal and fires right up. A little feathering of the throttle for a bit and she's ready to go even in the cold.
Posted By: 72roadrunnergtx
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 05:45 PM
Running a
modified electrically assisted divorced choke on a cold intake. Would never run a correctly street tuned carbureted motor without a functional choke.
Posted By: VincentVega
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 06:14 PM
Neither would I. A choke on a street car is a must, especially in a cold climate like where I live. And it's a safety feature. I can just imagine an emergency where someone has to drive me somewhere, and they can't even get the car running. That'd be my luck.
Posted By: radar
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 06:47 PM
Hot rods being a little more work to drive is part of the fun! No choke, three on the tree, maintaining drum brakes, big cams that have personality, muscling manual brakes and steering, all that kind of stuff is part of the danger excitement and manlyness of the old car hobby.
I do also have a 318/904 swinger with a manual choke- my wife loves to drive it and I do too but it's still not a camry!
There is no reason to say you "must" have a choke on a car
Posted By: Gavin
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 07:22 PM
I’ve been considering no choke……….
I used to have a manual choke but it was a bit hit and miss, and also I never quite trusted that it was not fully open (and staying open) even after the engine was warm. No biggie I could have tested for sure.
Electric chokes kind of take away your control – if something goes wrong with them you can’t start the car – cold or hot. How likely is that to happen? Very unlikely I guess but I did have a bad experience decades ago with my daily driver.
However running no choke is not a no brainer either. First I’d like to be able to start and drive away quickly on the odd occasion I would leave early in the morning in my Challenger – to keep the peace with the neighbours! And presumably if you get it wrong you can flood the carb etc (can also do this on a manual choke).
For these reasons I got to thinking about a couple of block heaters instead. Most of the time would not need but for that occasional early start in very cold weather it would achieve the aim and your engine and cylinders would thank you for it too.
Maybe overkill but just another option…..
Posted By: VincentVega
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 07:39 PM
A well-type choke can be disabled by taking the clip off. a classic electric-only choke can be taken off with a screw driver. I don't think I'd be caught dead driving around in an old car without a toolbox
You're saying having to plug in block heaters is more convenient than keeping a choke tower and utilizing it? and if you happen to drive somewhere and leave it sit for a few hours? I just can't see it
Posted By: Challenger 1
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 07:54 PM
Quote:
I’ve been considering no choke……….
I used to have a manual choke but it was a bit hit and miss, and also I never quite trusted that it was not fully open (and staying open) even after the engine was warm. No biggie I could have tested for sure.
Electric chokes kind of take away your control – if something goes wrong with them you can’t start the car – cold or hot. How likely is that to happen? Very unlikely I guess but I did have a bad experience decades ago with my daily driver.
However running no choke is not a no brainer either. First I’d like to be able to start and drive away quickly on the odd occasion I would leave early in the morning in my Challenger – to keep the peace with the neighbours! And presumably if you get it wrong you can flood the carb etc (can also do this on a manual choke).
For these reasons I got to thinking about a couple of block heaters instead. Most of the time would not need but for that occasional early start in very cold weather it would achieve the aim and your engine and cylinders would thank you for it too.
Maybe overkill but just another option…..
A choke is nothing to be afraid of, expecially a manual choke. You can bolt a small piece of wire on manual choke carb to keep it from coming on like I did forever. Then it was real easy to bolt a cheap metal choke cable in place of the wire I bolted in.
That's all there is to it. No tricks or secrets and helps a ton at start up, then turn it off after it starts(push the cable in)
It's not something someone should stress over ...lol
FWIW I would not run a race carb on the street now thAT i REALLY DRIVE MY CARS.
A finely tuned muscle car on thee street impresses me way more than brut horsepower, on the street.
I'm becoming a dinosaur as it seems less and less people know how to tune a old car, or any car for that matter.
Posted By: autoxcuda
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 07:56 PM
Quote:
My Holley 750, and Quick fuel 950 have no chokes. Been running my Duster with out a choke for almost as long as I've had it. But out here in Calif., it's not needed much. Besides, the choke horn just slowes down the air flow. Need plenty of flow for .
Same here in So. Cal. Doesn't get used much even if I had it.
Posted By: Challenger 1
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 08:03 PM
I think my challenger idling in the winter with steam coming out of my pipes on cold morning is killer, just love seeing it come out behind me.
Makes me really appreciate my TTI exhaust. When I was younger all I could afford were header mufflers.
And the guy behind me is smelling grape because that's what my gas smells like.
I've driven my restored 71 in the snow...in the driveway!
Posted By: A12
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 08:11 PM
On a street driven car what's the disadvantage of having a choke?
Posted By: Challenger 1
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 08:17 PM
Quote:
On a street driven car what's the disadvantage of having a choke?
None that can think of other than missing a couple horsepower at 6000 grand rpm or higher.
Posted By: Paul_Fancsali
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 08:35 PM
Facts as I know them
DP Holleys don't need a choke period hot or cold I can start my car after sitting for weeks in cold with couple jabs of the gas.Even down to 5 degrees
TQ's will not start without a choke without a fit if at all
AVS will start provided the squirters are drilled
Q jets wiil have fit but start with no choke with backfiring and all.
If I have a holley I remove the choke and I have two electric setups but I found they run better without the choke My 10 cents
Posted By: Big Bad Bee
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 09:05 PM
Quote:
Facts as I know them
DP Holleys don't need a choke period hot or cold I can start my car after sitting for weeks in cold with couple jabs of the gas.Even down to 5 degrees
TQ's will not start without a choke without a fit if at all
AVS will start provided the squirters are drilled
Q jets wiil have fit but start with no choke with backfiring and all.
If I have a holley I remove the choke and I have two electric setups but I found they run better without the choke My 10 cents
You mention Double Pumpers. Is it the same for Single Pump/Vacuum Secondary Holleys?
Posted By: ireland383
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 10:53 PM
Quote:
Quote:
Facts as I know them
DP Holleys don't need a choke period hot or cold I can start my car after sitting for weeks in cold with couple jabs of the gas.Even down to 5 degrees
TQ's will not start without a choke without a fit if at all
AVS will start provided the squirters are drilled
Q jets wiil have fit but start with no choke with backfiring and all.
If I have a holley I remove the choke and I have two electric setups but I found they run better without the choke My 10 cents
You mention Double Pumpers. Is it the same for Single Pump/Vacuum Secondary Holleys?
Holley 3310 vac secondary here. As Paul said a couple of jabs and presto. I was out last week in 20 degree weather warmed right up and went. The key is having your car tuned correctly.
Posted By: 1E2C
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/30/13 11:06 PM
Sometimes a choke is a good thing. Set up properly they can make life a lot easier. I use electric on most of my stuff.
Picture taken as I was digging it out for a little road time.
Mike
Quote:
Hot rods being a little more work to drive is part of the fun! No choke, three on the tree, maintaining drum brakes, big cams that have personality, muscling manual brakes and steering, all that kind of stuff is part of the danger excitement and manlyness of the old car hobby.
this is why I drive old cars/trucks with no choke,lumpy cams,manual shift/brakes/steering.
takes more driver input to fly it straight.
the preventive maintence is something for me to do as a hobby.
no chokes needed in FL. 
Posted By: 360cuda
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/31/13 05:13 AM
I use an electric choke on my Holley. I would much rather hit the gas one time, and fire it up almost instantly, other than pumping the gas and grinding on the starter over and over on a cool/cold day, just to get it to fire...maybe. I like my choke.
Posted By: Gavin
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/31/13 01:46 PM
Re the block heater, yeah I am not wedded to that idea, just thinking over a few possibilities. That would achieve the one objective of not having the car sit there warming up and waking up the neighbourhood at 6am. Elsewhere it would not matter, pump it, start it, wait a few mins.
I had been planning to use a TQ that already had the choke removed, hence my line of thought.
Chokes work and can be made to work, I realise that, though remember they are only necessary because of the raw fuel that is dropping out when the engine is cold and going into your intake or cylinders, it's really a band aid - but does its job.
None of this is keeping me awake at night, either solution can me made to work!
Posted By: STROKIE
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 01/31/13 10:05 PM
Don't need choke, only use my car during summer...
Posted By: Winchester 73
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 02/01/13 04:18 AM
Quote:
Quote:
No choke on my 63. I found out a few things over the years about this. I have an 850 DP and the DP are much easier to get started in cold weather without a choke then is any other carb with just one accell pump. Many carbs with one pump like AFB's and Thermoquads were much harder to get started with no choke. I can start my 63 in 25 degree weather without the chake. Hit the gas pedal 3 times and keep pumping while it cranks. Fires right up and of course you have to feather it for a few minutes to keep it running but its no problem. I start my car every few weeks thru the winter. Ron
I beleive it, many years ago on a Sunday when the Bengals went to the super bowl and it was really cold here. My DP 750 on my old rusty 73 340 challenger was the only car in the neighborhood that started. I ran errands for the old people who lived above my 1 room apartment. After that they seemed to accept me and my rusty noisey car more. Damn I was proud that day of my 150 dollar car.
i was in the military in connecticut years ago and there was a 70 chevelle with a stock 396 in the same barracks parking lot as my 71 duster.there was about a foot of snow on the ground and i never drove my car on salty ct roads but would start it up often.one morning the kid who owned the chevelle was cranking and cranking but no start.i asked him if he needed a jump as his battery was starting to die and he said yeah,you know how these old cars are hard to start.one tap on the gas of my duster and about 1/4 turn of the mini starter and she barked to an idle.he said wow this thing runs great,maybe we should race sometime!i lifted the hood and showed him the 440, tall single plane and fenderwell headers and he said maybe not 
holley dp 850-no choke.
Posted By: 383man
Re: Don't Laugh. It's No Choke! - 02/01/13 05:09 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Facts as I know them
DP Holleys don't need a choke period hot or cold I can start my car after sitting for weeks in cold with couple jabs of the gas.Even down to 5 degrees
TQ's will not start without a choke without a fit if at all
AVS will start provided the squirters are drilled
Q jets wiil have fit but start with no choke with backfiring and all.
If I have a holley I remove the choke and I have two electric setups but I found they run better without the choke My 10 cents
You mention Double Pumpers. Is it the same for Single Pump/Vacuum Secondary Holleys?
No its not the same and will not start as easy as it only has the primary acell pump. Ron
