silverriff

I have a 1972 Cutlass with a 455 4-barrel, and I am in need of some info about its stock choke tube. The clean air tube is very corroded, and broke off upon removal from the carb. So I have some questions... 1: Would the corroded tube cause any side effects like rough idle, lean/rich mix, overheating? 2: How are the clean air/hot air tubes installed into the stove plate? Fusick, OPG ect. sell them as 3 different parts. 3: Would there be any ill effects if I ran the car with the tubes taken out...besides the chance of the carb/manifold sucking crud into it? Thanks!

silverriff

Ok upon further inspection of the parts sites, it looks like the clean air/hot air tubes are tapered at the bottom, and just pressure fit into the plate/stove tube. SInce mine broke off right at the plate, how do I get the broken off piece out? There really is not anything for me to grip onto with pliers, the only thing I can think of is CAREFULLY drilling it out.

rocketraider

Thread an appropriate sized screw or bolt into it, grab the head of the screw with Vise Grips and rotate it out. PB Blaster or other strong penetrating oil will help too.

Don't be surprised if the choke tube in the manifold is burned out too. If it is, you'll hear a pfft sound like an exhaust leak. Do you see any sign of soot at the carb end of the clean air pipe?

Hateful job, 'cause those choke stove bolts almost always wring off in the intake, and a job I really need to do on the wagon. It currently has an inoperative choke. Carb functions well otherwise so I haven't messed with it.

Warhead

Hope you have a nice replacement. Once you dig it out it will, of course, be unusable.
These just slip fit into the manifold part, and the manifold is sealed here, so it won't suck or lose pressure. The crossover just heats what goes through the tube.
The last one I sold on E-bay went for $60. Just the tubes.
I have 1 left, and it is NOT for sale.
Good luck finding a good one.
It's really easier to just get an electric choke, from any Q-jet truck in the yard.
And your car will run right from a dead cold start.
Jim

J-(Chicago)

I just threw out 3 or 4 of these things because no one at the Byron race wanted them. Also chucked 3 oil pans, and 4 or 5 sets of pulleys.

Oldsguy

J, you are a bad boy......

silverriff

Yeah I was bidding on one over the weekend, and that one went for I think $77.00. Luckily it is just the clean air tube I need which I can buy for $9.00. I know I will eventually switch over to a new carb w/ elec choke, but for right now I have a couple of good months before the weather gets crappy. Another question, where can I get the manifold closeoff for the stove if/when I switch carbs but not neccessarily switch manifolds?. Worst case I guess I could just weld up the holes in the one I have, but I hate irreversibly altering an original part.

J-(Chicago)

I figured people would just make their own out of Ecklers.com repop stuff if they ever needed one.

I saved 2 of the loop tubes that tuck into the intake manifold if someone on here is hunting.

justinj

Have a look at the last page of this catalog. They have choke tubes listed after all the brake stuff.

http://www.rightstuffdetailing.com/2004_pdf/cutlass.pdf