I believe that setup runs off the heat riser in the intake and thats what controls it. I can't remember exactly but I think you have to bend the rods that go to the choke to get your adjustment. But it's also be 20 plus years and I'd only seen my buddy do that so might not be the "correct" way. Most have the black "pod" on the side with the adjustments built in. Post up what solution you find out

 

Bend the rod... similar setup:

I'm not promoting the video as I didn't watch it, but he does have a ref doc that for his model shows where the rod is bent.

 

You have the thermostatic spring in the intake not the black plastic cap style. You must bend the rod coming up from the intake until the choke plate is completely closed, don‘t over tighten it. Your carb builder can’t pre adjust it unless you sent the whole intake. Chokes are finicky. If you have big swings in temperature you may need to agjust spring and fall.
In Michigan with 0 in winter and 90 in summer I used to adjust a lot of chokes for the season.
The white plastic diaphragm is your choke pull off and should crack the plate open 1/8 to 3/16 of a inch when it starts, if not it will be rich and load up.
‘When the choke plate is shut the fast idle cam on the carb should be on the highest lobe or step. When the choke pull off opens it and you tap the gas the fast idle cam should drop to the 2nd step. Choke work well when everything is set correctly, but never like modern fuel injection.

 

You have the thermostatic spring in the intake not the black plastic cap style. You must bend the rod coming up from the intake until the choke plate is completely closed, don‘t over tighten it. Your carb builder can’t pre adjust it unless you sent the whole intake. Chokes are finicky. If you have big swings in temperature you may need to adjust spring and fall.
In Michigan with 0 in winter and 90 in summer I used to adjust a lot of chokes for the season.
The white plastic diaphragm is your choke pull off and should crack the plate open 1/8 to 3/16 of a inch when it starts, if not it will be rich and load up.
‘When the choke plate is shut the fast idle cam on the carb should be on the highest lobe or step. When the choke pull off opens it and you tap the gas the fast idle cam should drop to the 2nd step. Choke work well when everything is set correctly, but never like modern fuel injection.

^^^^^^^^^This above^^^^^

pretty much sums it up.

 

 

I received an email from Cliff this morning (I asked him the same question and sent him the picture as well) and he said my choke rod seems to be not opening far enough and that the fast idle cam needs to be at the highest position as well. How would I do that?

 

Give the throttle about 3 good pumps when cold and wait a few seconds before cranking. You have to push the pedal down for the choke to activate. Bend the rod to adjust the amount of choke you need. You might need to replace the spring in the intake as well

 

Is that the position of the choke blade with the engine shut off or after starting it? If that's cold, engine off, it's not closed up enough. Might wanna replace the choke heater spring. Looks like a lot to take up by bending the rod.

If that's the position of it after firing the motor up, that little white dashpot should be the cold choke pull off. Once you fire the engine and it gets vacuum to it, it should crack the choke to about where it is in the pic. To check if that's what has it open, just pull that vacuum hose going to it while it's idling and see if it tries to close up some.

FWIW electric chokes are much easier to deal with, tune, etc. The have 2 versions of the "little black canister on the side" one of the versions is still a heat riser, the other one is electric choke. You just run 12 volts key on to the connector and set the spring tension by loosening 3 screws and turning the black plastic part of the choke housing.

 

The rod doesn't need bent according to Cliff because it's already extended as far up as it can be and isn't closing the choke enough. His suggestion was to move the fast idle cam to the highest position.

 

It might be the picture? but the choke rod looks like its hitting the cover due to it being bent incorrectly resulting in the rod coming into contact with the sheet metal cover (saw this all the time back in the 80s when we still used to see them in the bays)....if this is the case the rod will not operate freely and the choke will never work correctly.

Also exhaust gas passes through the intake to heat the bimetallic spring. If the wrong intake manifold gaskets are installed or if it originally used a heat riser and its no longer working then the choke will take forever to open....particularly in cold weather.

Unless you are really dead set on it being fully original see if you can opt for an electric choke.....there is a reason the factory switched to them.

 

if that choke lever isn't all the way up, then it could keep the flap from closing all the way. If the rod from the manifold isn't moving freely then it won't close all the way. if you push the rod down and it's scraping then the butterfly may not open all the way when warm. I'd start with making sure they lever is all the way up and the rod is free.

 

What is the outside temp? I know on mine, when it's warm out, I don't need full choke and it's set accordingly.

 

You can convert it to electric choke, I think AutoZone or the like sells the kits, then you just need a hot wire.

 

The choke coil is most likely weak. Replace it.

 

Electric chokes suck. Replace that thermostatic coil and adjust it properly. It actually reads engine temp. Electric chokes don't read engine temp. They're like putting a timer on the choke.

 

Choke plate must shut completely. The fast idle cam shouldn’t affect it. The choke plate affects the fast idle cam. As the choke plate closes it lifts the fast idle cam. The cam works off the plate linkage, not vice versa. It is really pretty simple if you look at it and move the different parts to see how they affect each other. Some fast idle cams can be adjusted up or down with a screw others you need to bend the linkage.