Poor cold running (stock Solex) due to Choke mis-adjustment

[Willy_g77]

when i let my car idle about 5 minutes today.. and then while backing up it didnt want to go it was backing up, but it was jumpy and very slow.. then when i got it out of the drive way it wouldn't want to go foward either.. it would go.. but i had to push the gas pretty far and it would slowly move.. and talk about a rough ride..it doesnt do it when is is good and warmed up.. and note this.. if i go out and start it right now(cold) it will start.. but if you hit the gaas it will die.. but if i let it run 5 mins at idle it wont die when i hit the gas.. but i dont think has has anything to do with tranny.. could it be low on tranny lube.. yes this is dumb.. but how do you check it.. and where to add? thanks in advance..

[soybean]

First, is it manual or Auto? If it's manual the procedure below has always worked for me. Auto, you might need fluid.
As far as checking the fluid level (gear lube), the plug is located on the drivers side. Above and forward of the speedometer cable. I've always pulled the plug, (hex head), stuck my little finger in (crooked) at the edge of the opening and if the tip of your finger hits the gear lube, it's correct. That's what I was always told to do. As far as filling it, to me the easiest way is to get the gear lube in the plastic bottle, add about 18 inches of tubing to it, and put the tubing in the hole and squeeze until correct level is achieved. You can do this from under the car, or pull the console up and go down through the shifter opening. From your location, Illinois, I suspect it's because of the cold weather. HTH somewhat, Jarrell

[Willy_g77]

its a 4 speed.. it kicks and slowly goes foward.. and after about 5-8 seconds from starting.. it will kick in... and yes it will not do it when its been idling or drove for a while.. just need to know if this a problem..???? it is my summer car.. so it is only driven on dry warmer winter days. which today wasn't to bad around 37 degrees...

[soybean]

My daily driver, 89 Saab Spg, 5 speed manual, does the same thing until it warms up during the cold weather. If I remember correctly, my 74 Manta was the same way and it was a daily driver until 89. Older cars, somewhat like their older owners, as in my case, take a little longer to get moving in the mornings esp in cold weather. Jarrell

[tekenaar]

when i let my car idle about 5 minutes today.. and then while backing up it didnt want to go it was backing up, but it was jumpy and very slow.. then when i got it out of the drive way it wouldn't want to go foward either.. it would go.. but i had to push the gas pretty far and it would slowly move.. and talk about a rough ride..it doesnt do it when is is good and warmed up.. and note this.. if i go out and start it right now(cold) it will start.. but if you hit the gaas it will die.. but if i let it run 5 mins at idle it wont die when i hit the gas.. but i dont think has has anything to do with tranny.. could it be low on tranny lube.. yes this is dumb.. but how do you check it.. and where to add? thanks in advance..

Check the setting and operation (no sticking) of the choke! This is a carb cold start/run, ergo choke, problem. Are all your idle/fast idle adjustments in spec?

[baz]

billy i seam to remember you had some carb trouble the other week
is this not the same thing
does it jump like a kangaroo as you try to drive it if so then as otto says its your carb still not the box
the only part of the drive in that area that can stick then free up is the clutch plate sticking onto the imput shaft or fly wheel but they need to stand for a while to do that but they would give you no clutch then a small bang as they unstick and you would have to start the car in gear to do that

[Willy_g77]

i have to keep messing with the carb depending on weather... it started nicely today..and ran fine until i hit the gas.. then it died.. so then i pumped the peddle, started it up again and didnt touch the gas.. let it warm up about 5-10 minutes, then it wouldnt die.. and today it got up to 56.. but it only jumped a little.. not even for a block.. but yesterday.. it did it for about a mile or two.. and yes i have had alot of problems with the carb.. but didnt think that would cause this...

[baz]

billy all you are telling us says the choke on the carb is not working
when its cold take the air cap/air filter (sorry i forget what it is you have )
off so you can see the top of the carb with out touching anything on the throttle so its as you left it when it was running

look at the choke plate it should be vertical
next press the throttle down to the carpet and release
have another look @ the choke plate it should be almost flat horizontal then if it is start the car with no throttle and let it idle for a min or so
then blip the throttle once and the choke should open part way and it should still idle ok
let it idle for another min then blip it again and it will open a little more
repeat this about 4 times and the choke plate should be open fully
if it is not doing this then the choke is not set up right

[tekenaar]

billy all you are telling us says the choke on the carb is not working
when its cold take the air cap/air filter (sorry i forget what it is you have )
off so you can see the top of the carb with out touching anything on the throttle so its as you left it when it was running

look at the choke plate it should be vertical
next press the throttle down to the carpet and release
have another look @ the choke plate it should be almost flat horizontal then if it is start the car with no throttle and let it idle for a min or so
then blip the throttle once and the choke should open part way and it should still idle ok
let it idle for another min then blip it again and it will open a little more
repeat this about 4 times and the choke plate should be open fully
if it is not doing this then the choke is not set up right

BUT, if the choke is out of adjustment to begin with, the very first time he "blips" the throttle, it'll completely open the choke plate and car will die when cold . . . exactly what it's doing!

SO, let me repeat, Billy . . . adjust your choke!

[baz]

thought i was trying to help otto by giving a way to test that was easy to read and do

SORRY IF THIS STEPS ON YOUR TOES OTTO !
we can all see the choke needs to be set right but it will not happen by just saying again and again that he needs to set up the choke we need to talk billy through it so he gets it right

[tekenaar]

thought i was trying to help otto by giving a way to test that was easy to read and do

SORRY IF THIS STEPS ON YOUR TOES OTTO !
we can all see the choke needs to be set right but it will not happen by just saying again and again that he needs to set up the choke we need to talk billy through it so he gets it right

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Sometimes I assume that everyone knows how to do the basics . . . checking and adjusting the choke, for example. Your checks are right on the money to determine where the choke is at when cold and then adjust it properly from there. Most important to have a starting point!

[namba209 (R.I.P.)]

Guys, I think maybe his problem is, the choke is maybe set for "cool" weather, but not the "cold' temps that have hit the midwest the last couple of weeks. I think he just may have to set the choke for colder temps than it is now. Way back when in my USAF years, stationed in NoDak, choke adjustment was necessary 3 times during the year. Normal, for when the temps were above 50, cool, when the average temp was above zero, and cold when the average temps were subzero. Jokingly, but not far from being true, the comment was, we had one month of Spring, three months of summer, one month of fall, and 7 months of winter.

[Willy_g77]

i have tried adjusting the choke about 6 times now(everytime the cars engine was cold).... it seems to get a little better each time.. what i am doing is: loosen the 3 screws around the choke housing, then turning it to put just a very tiny bit of pressure on the choke plate.. during the summer the choke plate had a good bit of pressure on it.. but it ran good.. but now it has very little pressure, and it starts good.. but it dies when its cold, when you hit the gas.. and i thought maybe i didnt have enough pressure on it, so i put a tiny bit more pressure on it.. same thing happened... how hard is a weber carb to install?(mechanical skill is around a 1 or 2, so i dont know how to do much) and which is better water choke or electric choke?

[simplemind7]

my dad has a honda big red 3 wheeler that has the same problem, unless you hit the gas lightly and bring the revs up, then if you keep them up you can do anything, is this the same thing or what? it just started this winter so it seems like it

[tekenaar]

i have tried adjusting the choke about 6 times now(everytime the cars engine was cold).... it seems to get a little better each time.. what i am doing is: loosen the 3 screws around the choke housing, then turning it to put just a very tiny bit of pressure on the choke plate.. during the summer the choke plate had a good bit of pressure on it.. but it ran good.. but now it has very little pressure, and it starts good.. but it dies when its cold, when you hit the gas.. and i thought maybe i didnt have enough pressure on it, so i put a tiny bit more pressure on it.. same thing happened... how hard is a weber carb to install?(mechanical skill is around a 1 or 2, so i dont know how to do much) and which is better water choke or electric choke?

Basic choke rule of thumb: light choke tension (releases quicker, not needed as much) in summer; more choke tension (releases slower, needed longer) in winter.

[Willy_g77]

but if i put more pressure on the choke plate.. it makes it harder to start.. right now i got it with very little pressure.. i mean very little.... could the carb be adjusted way off or something?