Should I install a manual choke?

[50Champ]

Today while driving into town on a 2 lane road traffic was stopped due to an accident. As soon as I stopped my engine died. I couldn't get it restarted and had to push it down the road and into someone's driveway. Even though the engine was warmed up the choke was closed. I put a screwdriver in the carb to hold the choke open and it started. (This isn't the first time I've done this.) Since there are no instructions in the factory shop manual on how to adjust the choke should I just buy a manual choke to avoid this problem in the future? If so who sells a manual choke? Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance for the help....



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[r1lark]

50 Champ,

My copy of the '50 Stude car Shop Manual shows choke unloading mechanism adjustment and choke climatic control adjustment on page 184 and 185. This is for the Champion WE carb.

You might also want to recheck the float level adjustment, and consider setting it slightly lower for today's fuels compared to what the Shop Manual calls for.

The WE is a good carb and a carb kit plus closely following all the adjustments specified should do the trick.

Also, make sure the heat stove tube is clear so that the choke is coming off all the way.

Manual choke conversions are available (check NAPA or Google it, a lot of cars used the WE including I think the early Jeeps), but if the carb is set up right the auto choke should do fine. Have had this carb on a '53 Champion and was quite impressed with it......especially after driving a '64 with the crappy RBS carb.

[Mike Van Veghten]

50 -

Where do you live ?
If you live in a colder climate, sure. If you are much West of the Rockies, chokes normally aren't really required.
An extra quarter or half turn of the mixture screws will take care of any cold start leanness.

As a note, there is a possibility from your explanation, that your mixture screws WERE/ARE too lean.
Bring the engine up to full hot, in gear (if an auto trans.) and adjust your mixture screws.

Mike

[52-fan]

If the heat tube is clear and the linkage is not binding, after the engine is warmed up you should be able to loosen the 3 screws on the choke cover and rotate the cover until the choke opens. Check it again when the engine is cool and if the choke is closed it should work okay.

"In the heart of Arkansas."
1952 Champion Starlight w/overdrive. Searcy, Arkansas

[50Champ]

As shown in my profile I live in Kentucky. It was 34 here last night and it will be getting a lot colder in the coming months. I'm looking in the shop manual on pages 184 and 185 and I see that it's obviously geared for an experienced mechanic and not a non-mechanical type like me. I have no idea how to check the float level adjustment or what any of those parts mentioned in the manual are like air horn, choke valve, fast idle cam or throttle valve. I had the carb rebuilt last winter and it runs fine in the summer and lousy in the winter. The black round choke thing with the 3 screws was set all the way towards the passenger side of the car so I moved it so it's in the middle now. Will that make a difference? I guess I'll find out tomorrow....



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[Milaca]

When I adjusted the choke on my '63 Hawk while the engine was cold, I turned it until the choke valve just closed. After warm up and driving, I fine tuned it.


Brent's rootbeer racer.
MN iron ore...it does your body good.

[52-fan]

You moved the right part. I can't remember which way is more choke and which is less, but it is usually written on the 'black choke thing'.

"In the heart of Arkansas."
1952 Champion Starlight w/overdrive. Searcy, Arkansas

[studebakerkid]

Guys you missed one main point......he had the carb rebuilt but did not say who installed it and adjusted it for him. You simply can not rebuild a carb and bolt it on. It has to be adjusted even a new one out of the box even though the box says that it was adjusted at the builder.

Driving different in cold weather verses warm tells me right away that he has a mixture problem. IT could very well be that the bowl setting, mixture screws and choke settings are all off.

I have had to adjust all in fresh installs and even tweek the pull off linkages for a carb to work right.

If you car is ugly then it better be fast.....

65 2dr sedan
64 2dr sedan (Pinkie)
61 V8 Tcab
61 Tcab 20R powered
55 Commander Wagon
54 Champion Wagon
46 Gibson Model A
50 JD MC

[50Champ]

I installed it last winter after the rebuild but didn't adjust anything because I really don't know what I'm doing. This was the first time I've installed a carb and I was thrilled that the engine started after I installed it. I'm going to make some adjustments to it this afternoon so hopefully the engine won't keep dying when I stop and if it does it'll restart without me having to get out and put a screw driver in the carb to keep the choke open. Thanks for the tips so far....



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[Frank DuVal]

As Milaca says, with a cold engine, turn the "black thing held by three screws" until the choke opens up (AKA choke plate or choke valve), then turn until it just closes. Operate the engine until warm, then look at it again. It should be open. If not, there is a problem either in the tubes bringing the hot air up to the choke coil (the black thing you turn) or the coil is bad.

As you found out, a warm engine does not start easily with a closed choke.

Mixture or float level may be off, but start with the obvious problem, the closed choke. Then worry about other problems if necessary after fixing the choke.

Frank DuVal

Soon a 50 Commander

[50Champ]

I started it up and adjusted the choke. Before it was adjusted almost all the way towards the passenger side of the car. I ended up with it adjusted even further towards the passenger side-about as far as it would go. I let it run in the garage for about 10 minutes and the choke was fully opened after that. I adjusted the two screws a little but it seems to be running pretty good the way it was-maybe idling a little fast but that's OK, isn't it? I drove it about 4 miles to a high class local store to look for an anniversary gift for my wife. When I left Goodwill it started right up and it didn't die at all on the way home. Hopefully there won't be a problem in the future during the cold weather because I don't want to wait 10 minutes for it to warm up every time I drive it. Shouldn't I be able to drive it after about a 30 second warmup? Thanks to all who offered advice....



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[BobGlasscock]

You're funny 50Champ!!

I don't 'time' my warm-up or pay much attention at all to it. I check my oil guage and when it is good, I go. Yes, it runs a few seconds or longer, but I don't measure it.

'50 Champion, 1 family owner