Choke wire?

[Ryanz]

Can someone tell me if they think this wire would have been for an electric choke for a 292? 71 GMC 4x4. Previous owner had a manual choke with lever under dash. My bezel doesn’t have a spot for manual choke like I’ve seen on others.
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[RustyPile]

Nope, not for the choke.. The choke wire is a single wire with a single connector... Among other things, that connector/wires could be for the alternator....

[Ryanz]

Originally Posted by RustyPile

Nope, not for the choke.. The choke wire is a single wire with a single connector... Among other things, that connector/wires could be for the alternator....

Alright thanks. So, if there is no wire for an electric choke would that mean it came with a manual one? Was there such thing as manual chokes from factory installed under the dash and not in the bezel? Or possibly a dealer add on after? I'm trying to determine what this thing would have had. Electric choke or manual as I'd like to get it back to stock.

Thanks.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Could have been a divorced choke as well.

[Ryanz]

Originally Posted by 70STOVEBOLT

Could have been a divorced choke as well.

Sorry for my ignorance - but what is a divorced choke?
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[70STOVEBOLT]

It uses a thermostatic coil mounted on the intake manifold with a rod that runs up to the choke linkage. As the engine warms up, the coil winds up and opens the choke. When the engine cools down, the coil unwinds and closes the choke. It will also have a vacuum pull-off to open the choke slightly after startup to keep the engine from flooding.

[RustyPile]

Originally Posted by Ryanz

Alright thanks. So, if there is no wire for an electric choke would that mean it came with a manual one? Was there such thing as manual chokes from factory installed under the dash and not in the bezel? Or possibly a dealer add on after? I'm trying to determine what this thing would have had. Electric choke or manual as I'd like to get it back to stock.

Thanks.

Your truck came from the factory with an automatic choke.. Although manual chokes came from the factory on earlier models and most "heavy haulers", your manual choke has been added aftermarket... "Divorced choke" is a generic term and does not appear in any service manual.. The term used in service manuals is "Remote Choke".. Obtain a service manual for your truck model, they're available as a free download on the internet.. You'll find diagrams, pictures and explanations of how everything works.. There's a right way and wrong way to adjust a choke.. Get it wrong and you'll have endless problems...

[Happy_dan]

This is a divorced choke. As mentioned above, that rod is connected to a spring (that has a technical name LOL) under the silver cover. As it heats up, that spring is what works with the rod to open the choke. No power needed.

[Ryanz]

Originally Posted by Happy_dan

This is a divorced choke. As mentioned above, that rod is connected to a spring (that has a technical name LOL) under the silver cover. As it heats up, that spring is what works with the rod to open the choke. No power needed.

Interesting! Thanks for this.

[i82much]

nothing compares to a manual choke, they are the best!

[Ryanz]

Originally Posted by i82much

nothing compares to a manual choke, they are the best!

My brother feels the same. Would you put a manual back in it if it wasn't factory?

[Grumpy old man]

In Canada , Without a doubt . Once you get used to using a manual choke to start your truck in colder weather You'll be glad you did .

[geezer#99]

Always a manual choke in your area Ryan. When I lived in Alberta I converted all my chokes to manual.

[i82much]

with a manual choke, you get two benefits. the first is simplicity - you pull the wire, the choke flap closes and fast idle is engaged. if it's not working right, it's very easy to diagnose.

second, you get full control. with an automatic choke, it's up to the heat from the engine or resistive element to control the choke. so, for instance, with an electric choke, you might find the choke comes off of fast idle more quickly than you'd like. with a manual choke, you just leave the cable pulled out a bit and push it in fully whenever you are ready. with the electric choke, you have to rotate the choke housing to adjust the internal tension and keep doing that until you get it just right.

[NewBayColony]

Only problem with a manual choke is when you have a senior moment and forget to push it in all the way after everything heated up. Getting the "Divorced" automatic to work right sometimes takes a year. You get it to pull off nice in the summer then it won't come off when it's cold. They are good when they work right and they suck when they don't.

[geezer#99]

If I wasn’t using a manual choke I simply had two linkage rods. One for summer, one for winter. Easy to swap out. Made from clothes hanger wire.

[NewBayColony]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

If I wasn’t using a manual choke I simply had two linkage rods. One for summer, one for winter. Easy to swap out. Made from clothes hanger wire.

I like the way you think!

[StingRay]

I've swapped every vehicle back to automatic choke I've ever had that had been converted to manual. With a decent carb and an adjusted choke it has always been the better functioning system. I have a divorced on my 69 one ton now but I rebuilt a carb I had that is a late 70's electric heated choke Q-Jet. I ran it on my daily driver 72 GMC for years without a hiccup. Ran it in -40 to +40 C. Started every day.

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by StingRay

I've swapped every vehicle back to automatic choke I've ever had that had been converted to manual. With a decent carb and an adjusted choke it has always been the better functioning system. I have a divorced on my 69 one ton now but I rebuilt a carb I had that is a late 70's electric heated choke Q-Jet. I ran it on my daily driver 72 GMC for years without a hiccup. Ran it in -40 to +40 C. Started every day.

An auto choke in hard starting conditions takes away the ability to open it if the truck starts to flood , I remember more than once of having to get out and open the hood - pull the air cleaner and hold open the butterfly to get it to start after flooding from a closed auto choke condition . Simplicity works .

[StingRay]

I live in a climate that goes from -40F to +105F. I never have a problem like that. If it does that it's a problem with carb and/or choke adjustment. I've driven a lot of carbed vehicles in my 40 plus years of driving and all here in this god forsaken climate. None have had a manual choke. If they can work here they can work anywhere. As far as flooding goes. Floor it and a Q-Jet will open the choke butterfly. If it doesn't it's not adjusted correctly.