I have a problem where my car takes a long time to start, taught it was because it is not used that often. Also lately it won't idle, cuts out at traffic lights. I decided to rebuild the Carburetor. The car is an 82 with 2.8L engine and the Rochester 2BBL Carburetor, E2SE. When I had the Carb removed I decided to check to see if the choke stat works. I applied 12V to the tab on the stat and grounded the Carb, nothing happen, not even a spark when I touched the 12V off the tab. I measured the resistance and am getting 30 ohms. I know that this choke has a bi metal coil inside and my question is how does it work.

I tought that when 12V is applied to the choke stat it closes the baffle in the carb and as the carb/engine heats up the bi metal strip expands and moves the baffle to open position. I have been reading some previous posts and in one it says the 12V applied to the stat heats the bi metal strip. But what happens then, I am confussed. Could someone please explain how it works. If I apply 12V to the stat, surely something should happen.

Thanks.

 

When voltage is applied to the coil it will apply tension to the choke plate, but it won't actually open unless the throttle is opened off the fast idle cam. That's why you have to "kick" it off. It's not a fast process, either. It can take about 45 seconds for the coil to heat enough to open the choke fully on an emissions-era carb, and several minutes on a non-emissions application.

 

Okay, Thanks for that. How does it switch off When the engine heats up.

 

It doesn't, and you don't want it to.

The choke is "on" when it's closed. As it heats up it comes "off".