Should choke lever affect idle speed?

[sdaughtry]

Possibly answered on the forum but I couldn't find it.

My 1973 has ZTherapy carbs & a new choke cable assembly. I had my mechanic reposition the choke lever off of the plastic center console and onto the tranny tunnel. Prior to this work, when I moved the choke lever all the way back it would raise my idle speed (which I need when the car is cold - otherwise she wants to die); now moving the choke lever doesn't affect idle speed.

My $1,000,000 question - SHOULD the choke lever also raise the idle speed (meaning that he didn't correctly adjust the choke cables)?

[Zs-ondabrain]

When the choke is pulled back (when properly adjusted) is should raise the idle a little. It's adding extra fuel which increases RPM's. Pulling it even further will open the butterflies a little which will also increase the RPM's.

If you're pulling it all the way back and there is no increase, they are out of adjustment.

Dave

[Bruce Palmer]

When you say new choke cable which choke cable 73 or the earlier cable? If it's an unmodified 73 the ends of the housing will need that excess "stuff" cut off to work correctly.

[esmit208]

SDAUGHTRY

Not sure what the reason for the relocation of the choke handles was for other than aesthetics. When the choke handles sit in the factory mounted spot the cables wouldn't be twisted. Possibly the mounting on the tranny tunnel could cause some binding issues. Just food for thought. If this is the case a minor adustment could solve the problem. Maybe Bruce Palmer could chime in on this again as far as the mounting of the choke handle assembly in a location other than where the factory intended.

[sdaughtry]

Bruce: I bought a NOS 1973 choke cable assembly from MSA about 2 years ago and had it installed when the existing choke cable snapped (where it bends in the "U" shape under the lever). Are you talking about shortening the cables where they attach to the carbs?

Esmit208: I relocated the choke lever because I didn't want to snap the plastic center console - I could feel the choke lever twisting to the right when I pulled back the lever - I used the same design posted elsewhere on this forum to secure the choke assembly to the center console - it wasn't for aestetics

[Bruce Palmer]

Cut that extra goobery stuff off the end of the cable housing. Not the cable just the housing. You want the housing firmly mounted so that action at the lever end turns into reaction IN THE CABLE at the carb end. If the lever is making the housing move you are defeating the purpose.

[sdaughtry]

Bruce - your recommendation worked like a charm - idle now raises about 400 RPM when the choke lever is completely pulled backwards after trimming the rubber off the end of the cable housing. Thank you!!!

[Bruce Palmer]

Bruce - your recommendation worked like a charm - idle now raises about 400 RPM when the choke lever is completely pulled backwards after trimming the rubber off the end of the cable housing. Thank you!!!

That's why they pay me the big bucks..... Nyuck nyuck

You are welcome.

[240260280z]

Here is a great photo someone from zcar.com took that makes it easy to describe parts.