No choke but still starts?
 

I did the Vortec conversion on my pickup when I discovered my original heads were crap and needed so much machine work that Vortecs were only $100-$200 more for brand new, higher performance heads, etc etc...

Anyway...that's all out of the way, and the truck's running great. :) However, my carb is the Edelbrock #1901 QuadraJet that I put on 3 or 4 years ago...and the Edelbrock Performer manifold for Vortecs doesn't have the choke provision. So, right now, I have the choke wired open. So far it's starting well - disturbingly so, actually, better than it ever has - but then again, I haven't had a really truly cold start yet. Am I going to have to precision-jerry-rig a manual choke onto it? What have you guys done in similar situations?

Buy the electric choke conversion, I think they run $30.00 or so?

They make one? Where?

Chokes work great for cold weather. In Tucson AZ I really dont think you need one. Of course you can put one anyway on but your engine will probably run just the same as it does now.

Sorry I didnt read your description right... Its the Q-jet by Edelbrock. The one I was talking about was the Edelbrock (like a carter afb)

You can grab a used carb from the junk yard and swap the choke parts over. There were some different models that used different brackets and such but you shouldnt have much trouble.

mikep is right though, with your climate you may never take advantage of a choke. How cold does it get there? I'm guessing but I believe the choke coil doesnt have enough force to move the choke plate until it reaches 50-60 degree's out.

I just mentioned this on another post somewhere. Mine isn't a built up engine, but I have the choke wired open on my truck also. I think the dampness we have (and you lack) makes it a bit more cold natured. No problems with it yet. But I have to admit, I haven't had to deal with it during December and January. Which still isn't cold to a transplanted Yankee....But I don't know what a 32 old truck will think about it.

Sounds like my 409! I can start it up in 20 degree weather with the choke wide open and it runs like a top! It has the original Carter AFB which is the same as an Edelbrock.

I put a manual choke on mine but haven't used in a few years.

You guys cars are running too rich if they start that easy cold... Warm your engine up and set idle mixture screws and idle for best hot performance. I like the chokes on my Q-jets, much easier starting than pumping the accelerator... JC Whitney has electric choke conversions for Q-jets and your local auto parts dealer should as well.

I dont thnk Ive had more than a couple of carburetors in my life that "needed" a choke to run in the morning cold. Pump it twice and go. The only thing I worry about is my oil pressure climbing too high when I start up and drive off in the morning. Im running a high volume hi pressure pump with fairly tight bearing clearances and the oil pressure climbs up to 100 psi occasionally. One of these days I'm going to blow the filter clean off the block. Warming it up before I leave is not an option. Wife is asleep when I leave and she'd kill me if I let it idle for 10 minutes.