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I'm thinking about converting my Quadrajet over to electric choke. While doing some research, I see that there are kits available for every make... except Oldsmobile. Also, it seems like the cutoff is 1974, except for Chevys which go up to 1978. Does anyone have first hand experience with these? Which would be best for my application, trying to make a 68-74 Buick one work, or getting the 70-78 Chevy one?
I assume from your screen name that you have a 1976 Olds with a Quadrajet. If so, it has a hot air integral choke. You don't need a "kit". You just need a replacement electric choke coil. These bolt into your existing carb in place of the hot air coil. I like to use Standard Motor Products CV329, which is for a mid-80s Chevy full size pickup. Simply remove the three screws and retainers, remove the hot air coil and gasket, install the new electric coil (WITHOUT gasket, since it needs to make electrical contact for ground), and wire it as detailed in this thread. Done.
You'll probably have to play with the exact clocking of the coil in the housing by trial and error.
No, you don't need to do anything with the existing hot air tubes. Just leave them. They won't hurt anything.
What's wrong with your hot air choke? Just curious.
The choke is opening too soon, and I've adjusted the thermostat as best as I can.
The car will start right up and run fine. Then when put it in gear, it dies. When I try to restart it, it will just crank and crank because the choke is wide open. I try to adjust the thermostat and it doesn't help. I just have to keep closing the choke manually until it starts back up.
The choke is opening too soon, and I've adjusted the thermostat as best as I can.
The car will start right up and run fine. Then when put it in gear, it dies. When I try to restart it, it will just crank and crank because the choke is wide open. I try to adjust the thermostat and it doesn't help. I just have to keep closing the choke manually until it starts back up.
The cheapest thing to do would be to just replace the hot air coil with another one. The spring does get weak. Do you know if the end of the spring is properly engaged with the lever in the choke housing?
The choke is opening too soon, and I've adjusted the thermostat as best as I can.
The car will start right up and run fine. Then when put it in gear, it dies. When I try to restart it, it will just crank and crank because the choke is wide open. I try to adjust the thermostat and it doesn't help. I just have to keep closing the choke manually until it starts back up.
Is this on a cold start or after engine is warmed up? Get some carb and choke cleaner and spray all the choke linkage and fast idle cams.
Has this car sat for any length of time? A carb disassembly, cleaning and rebuild may be in order.
An electric choke is a good thing, but as Joe P has pointed out it could be as simple as a weak choke coil spring.
Make sure the choke coil is wound correctly. QuadraJet coils are wound opposite direction from 2GC coils. I assed around with a poorly working electric choke for several years before I found Holley Pro Shop had put a 2GC coil on the QuadraJet I ordered from them.
As joe said, they weaken over time. We changed quiet a few in the shop I worked at when these cars were on the road in good numbers. Also make sure the choke pull off is properly adjusted. I used to swap out the hot air choke coil for electric. I like the hot air actually better now over electric. You can't over adjust the hot air choke and still have it come all the way open. The electric can be set much richer and still fully open, your call, good luck.
January 12th, 2022 | 02:47 PM
