Divorced vs. Electric Choke

[cwilkie]

Thank you guys for the advice earlier on the intake.

I am undecided on which carburetor to purchase. I have done some reading and there are divorced and electric choke carburetors. I decided on a carburetor; however, I do not know if I should get a divorced or electric choke. The carburetor is a JET Streetmaster Quadrajet Stage 2 Carburetor from Summit. They are identical except one is Divorced Choke and the other is Electric Choke. Is electric choke more reliable?

The links for both the divorced and electric choke.

1. Divorced Choke

2. Electric Choke

Thanks again for all your input on my earlier post.

[kgt]

Electric....the factorys went to it for a reason, nothing to plug up and much more reliable.

[jim zag]

Electric. I back mine off for the warm weather and add it back in when it gets cold.

[mclairmo]

Electric for sure. Much more reliable and longer lasting.

[Mertz]

I have a Jet Stage II and have not been happy with it. These are supposed to be for perfomance engines. If you want to get a Jet go with Stage I. I would get one from SMI or Cliff's Performance. Cliff is an expert on the quadrajet and has written a book on them. He is setting one up for me. It has a divorced choke. I personally feel that the electric chokes can open to early.

[StingRay]

The electrics work pretty good. Like said richer when colder and a bit leaner in warm weather. A divorced choke will work fine too and will actually react to engine temp as opposed to the length of time the heat coil has seen current. Sure engine heat is component but is secondary at best. Both have pro's and con's. I prefer the electric on a daily driver used in really cold weather.

[C-10 simplex]

How hot does an electric choke get? And how much current does it use? Comparable to a radio maybe?


i'm leaning towards remote choke as i just like the way it operates---simple and direct. However, i am looking into electric as i feel it could be even more simple and direct as far as choke types go?

The only thing that concerns me is that, apparently, the elec choke is "on" all the time until you shut the engine off.

[StingRay]

It's the element that is on. It's still thermal. The element heats the bimetal spring that opens the choke. If it's really warm out and the engine is hot I have found mine would come most of the way open anyway but if it's cold out not a snowballs chance in hell without the electic heat. I can't recall the draw but it's not huge. They are very simple and really reliable. Where the system can lack is if you were to leave ignition power on without the engine running. On start up the choke would think the engine was warmer than it was because the heater would have warmed up the choke. Normally that would take time once the engine was started. As I said before ambient temp and engine heat contribute but it's the element that really controls it.