I just swapped out my LG4 for a 350 from a work van. The Electric choke decided to quit on me during the swap (I think). Theres the lttle lever by the choke with an E on it. It never goes fully open. The choke never fully closes either. There doesn't seem to be as much spring pressure slapping the choke plate closed when I open the throttle. I jerry rigged a spring on the bottom of the carb to close the plates when I first start to get me by for now. Do you think that My problem is in the electric choke? What should I look for? I have an older quadrajet that I might be able to use if I can figure out how to plumb hot air into the choke mechanism.
I also don't have my O2 sensor in my exhaust because I used headers that don't have a port. Is that something I need to work on or can I leave it? I know it sets the mixture, but I'm really burned out on this car right now.

 

You're using the LG4 carb and choke wiring?

 

yes

 

What's your choke light doing? When is it on and when is it off?

 

I know that it is on most of the time that the car is running. it might be off when I first start the car. I'll go check a minute>

 

Check your alternator connections. The choke light needs to be on when the engine is off, and off when the engine is running.

 

its always on. when the car is off it's on as well

 

Are you using the LG4 alternator as well, or did you swap a different one in?

 

everything is LG4 except the motor. Intake manifold is summit non-EGR and headman tork step headers. I had to modify the throttle cable bracket to work with the intake manifold as well. That is causing me some problems with shifting I think.

 

Check your alternator wiring and connections then.

 

Voltage readings seem normal, maybe even high. As far as I can remember all of the wiring to the alternator seemed fine. Why would the alternator affect my choke? When I first start the car, the choke plate swings most of the way open like nothing is holding it back. I can't see how the alternator would affect that.

 

If the alternator isn't charging, the choke relay won't apply power to the choke coil, and the choke light will stay on all the time.

 

Th alternator is charging. Is there some kind of spring in the electric choke thermostat thing to close the choke. On the other quadrajet I have, the choke seems to be spring loaded.

 

ideas?

 

The electric choke is a spring. It's a bi-metal thermostat heated by passing an electric current through it. The warmer it gets, the less the spring pressure and the choke butterfly opens.

 

what do you think are the odds that that is the problem? Should I take it apart and check it out? The car is currently at the transmission shop because i los 2nd and 4th gear. I wasn't getting any good answers here and I was getting burned out on working on the car. I'll pay someone else to tackle that problem. When I get it back I will drill out the rivets and take the electric choke apart.

 

The choke coil may be working properly, depending on what ambient temperatures are like where you live right now.

You have an electrical problem if your choke light doesn't go out when the car starts.

 

I have a bunch of electrical problems right now. I'll look into it when I get a chance.