Electric Choke for 57

[Bob Babanats]

I have taken the FI unit off my corvette and I have put on a Carter 2655 carburator while I am working on the FI. Any ideas where I might find a electic choke to fit the carburator?
rsnats@hiwaay.net

[Ed Jennings]

Re: Electric Choke for 57

Unless yopu're operating in very cold weather, just adjust the choke to stay open all the time. It might take a few more squirts of the accelerator pump, but I've always been able to start a car without a functional choke. Of course, I live in a relatively mild climate. If you are in "Yankee Land" that might not be a very good suggestion.

[Bill Clupper]

Re: Electric Choke for 57

Electric choke covers made for the AFB should bolt right on in place of the cover you have. The AFB is currently made by Edelbrock I believe.

[Christopher R.]

Re: Electric Choke for 57

If the electric choke for the AFB will fit (and I think it does), they are readily available at the usual hot rod mail order places (Jegs, Summit, etc.). I think they're around $50. Edelbrock and Federal Mogul both make a version of the AFB. I think Edelbrock calls theirs the "Performer" and Federal Mogul calls theirs the "Competition". You also might try your local hot rod store. That way you could try the cover to see if it fit before you bought it.

I've driven a Corvette w/o a choke in "Yankeeland" in the Summer. It'll work. Pump the throttle pedal a few times; start the engine; and, hold your foot on the pedal to maintain a fast idle. After a few minutes, you can drive off. For the first few minutes, the engine will stall if you take your foot off the pedal, and it won't be happy while driving. But that goes away in a few minutes. Keep the revs over 1500, and you'll be OK.

[Ryan Clark]

Choke Operation on '65

What you described is exactly what I have to do when starting my corvette, AFB w/ Manual Choke. It wasn't until very late in the summer that I looked at the choke. The cover didn't seem very tight and the spring was very loose.

Would a new choke cover and spring help to correct this problem and give me an easier to start car.?

Sorry to jump in on this thread. And kind of change the subject.

Thanks
Ryan

[Christopher R.]

Re: Choke Operation on '65

An AFB with a manual choke? And a cover and a spring?

When you say, "cover," and, "spring," it sounds like an automatic/non-manual choke. A manual choke is one where you have a cable to put the choke on and off. Do you have such a control cable?

When you say, "cover," do you mean that black round thing with hash marks on the rim and arrows pointing to lean and rich on the face? Then, you've got an automatic choke.

Let us know, and we'll try to diagnose further.

[Ryan Clark]

Re: Choke Operation on '65

I apologize.

It is an automatic choke, not an electric choke. It has the metal coil which is heated by a steel tube running from the exhuast manifold. It also has the black cover with the hash marks.

Sorry

But my problem is pretty much how you described in the previous post. I have to pump the pedal several times and then it runs rough for several minutes until the car warms up. At the end of the summer I did give that area a good shot of carb cleaner which loosened up some of the parts. Unfortunately I didn't drive it again after that time.

Thanks
Ryan Clark
#35188

[Jack H.]

Re: Choke Operation on '65

Sounds like you've got a choke adjust problem (starts hard, runs rough until engine is warm). There are two inter-related components to 'tweak' here: (1) the closed choke plate geometry, and (2) the pull-off. Ballpark settings and method of adjust should be covered in your copy of the Shop Manual.

When you follow cold start engine proceedures, you begin by pressing the accelerator to the floor to set the choke (these cars aren't fully automatic like today's--you have to TELL the carb you're starting for the first time to engage the choke). When you do set the choke, just how far closed the choke plate goes depends upon how it's set. The black bakelite choke cover can be rotated by loosening the attachement screws and most have an arrow indicator with RICH and LEAN directions.

If you first start the car and she blows black smoke, she's set too rich. Lean 'er out a bit by re-adjusting the choke cover.

If she fires and catches promptly, but then runs rough (either too rich or too lean--check the exhaust color) suspect your pull-off needs tweaking. When the intake starts to develop vacuum, this is used to feed a 'pull off' assy that manually opens the choke plate a 'scootch'. It let's the engine run better during the initial warm-up period where there's insufficient heat to expand the bi-metal controling the choke plate.