Tips on how to repair your choke:
You may find on a carbureted car that on cold starts, the engine is hard
to start, idles roughly, or stalls a lot when it is cold. This is
because the choke mechanism isn't working properly. Either the choke
coil itself doesn't coil up as much as it should, or the tang for the
choke mechanism has slipped off the coil inside the housing.
Unfortunately, for most of the X cars, this problem isn't very easy to
check because since at least 1981, the U.S. government mandated that the
choke mechanisms on all carbureted cars be riveted shut to prevent
tampering. Well, in a case like this, "tampering" is necessary. First,
check to make sure your choke linkage isn't binding, and spray some WD-40
on the linkage and make sure it moves freely. If the choke doesn't close
when you step on the gas with a cold engine, temporarily you'll have to
do the following. Try to start the car, and if the engine catches, keep
your foot on the gas a little to keep the engine running- let it warm up
for a minute to a minute and a half. Then drive off. If it won't catch,
pump the gas pedal again, then push it to the floor and hold it there-
then turn the key. It should start. Once again keep your foot on the
gas to keep the car running & let it warm up for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes before
driving off.
But that is only temporary. To really fix the car, you'll need:
-An electric drill with a 1/8 inch drill bit.
-Screwdriver
-Small hammer or mallet
-Awl
-Pop rivets (with pop rivet tool) or self-tapping screws (screws with
threads which dig in to the aluminum housing of the carburetor as they
are turned).
First, put the drill bit right in the center of the rivet and drill a
little bit- just a little, not too much, please! Then take your
screwdriver and hammer and use the screwdriver as a chisel to cut away
the rest of the top of the pop rivet off. Use the awl to push the body
of the pop rivet out. If you can't get it all the way out, use the
screwdriver and hammer again by putting it on the back part of the rivet,
and tap it till it comes out of the hole.
Do this for all three rivets, and the choke coil will come off. Make
sure the tang contacts the coil inside the housing, and turn the choke
coil until the notch in it lines up with the large dot on the carburetor
housing.(see not below)
Pop-rivet the clips back on the housing, or use self-tapping screws (which can be found in carburetor rebuild kits, or in hardware stores). I find the latter to be preferable as you can then adjust the choke for winter and summer driving situations, when you'll need more and less choking (respectively). It's not too hard- takes maybe an hour and some patience, but it is worth it to have the car start on the first turn of the key every morning!
*Note: On V6 carburetors I have found that this is the proper adjustment. 4 cylinder carburetors should be adjusted leaner than this (i.e. turn counterclockwise, I believe [I need to check]), or the choke comes on too often and stays on too long. Part of the reason is because the 4 cyl has a zinc choke housing, whereas the V6's housing is aluminum.