Tattooartist'81vette

My e. choke will not open. I cleaned it and there is power to it. I had a friend bubba fix it for me, so now it doesn't close. Just did that until I can get some suggestions. Can you buy the choke by itself? Anything else I can try?
Thanks,
Dean

Boofers

Here is a site where you can buy a new electric choke... http://www.carbs.net/quadrajet.asp

stickboy

Hook it up to the postive terminal on the altenator. It should open after several minutes. If it does open then there is a good chance you choke heater relay or the wiring in between has gone bad. The relay is located between the ash tray and the shifter and can be accessed by removing the driver's side console cover and if original is an ugly green color. The relay gets power from the same circuit as the battery charge light (I forget the real name, its the light right above/below the check engine light) You can get the relay at the GM dealer for under $20. I think I had to break of a platic pin to make the connector fit, but it works fine. Also the Choke light in the dash will stay on if this relay is bad.

Dalannex

If you have power to it and you said you have it fixed open right now, that means you need a new choke heater. (If that's what it's called :)) Since you do have it opened that means that the choke moves alright, no sticky spots. You can get the electric part of the choke at any pars store. It's not that unusual for them to go out.


-Justin

lars

Make sure you don't have the big round gasket installed under the choke cover. The gasket is only for use with hot air chokes; if you install the gasket with an electric choke you won't get a ground on the choke when you apply power to it, so yank the gasket out and throw it away.

If the choke really is bad (very rare) you can get new ones from NAPA. They run about $45.

Tattooartist'81vette

Thanks for all the info!! Couple more questions, If I bought a new e-choke, would it include a choke heater? (~ no idea what a choke heater is ~) As far as the gasket goes, the choke always worked until recently, nothing was done to it.... Could it still be the gasket in the wrong place? I'm not getting a choke light on the dash panel. Thanks again!!!
Dean


[Modified by Tattooartist'81vette, 5:17 AM 3/25/2004]

stickboy

The choke heater is what LARS what talking about getting at napa. It the plastic piece on the carb. One side is where the choke wire plug in, and the other side is the heater/coil that opens the choke. These are pain to set once you take it apart so I suggest testing your choke first. Hook a jumper wire from your alternator (positive post) to test the choke. It should open within a few minutes, do the test without the car running. If your choke opens then it is good and you have a wiring problem.

This is not true, the choke for the '81 get it's power from 2 circuits. One which goes thru the choke relay gives the choke most of it's power. The other circuit is for the choke light, which give the choke 12 volts, but does not allow enough current (amps) through to open the choke.

The '81 service manual has a very good diagram of the choke circuit. I don't have a scanner, but if you don't have one it's possible someone else could post this.


[Modified by stickboy, 2:02 AM 3/25/2004]