So I've had to replace the cc'd q-jet that was on my car with a remanufactured one. Hooked everything up and the dash shows an idiot light for the choke. The choke seems to do nothing at all no matter what. I've let the engine warm up to full operating temp and it does nothing. The engine runs VERY high at idle...can't be sure exactaly what rpm, but maybe 2500rpm+. I've ream on this forum about a few similar problems and I've tested the voltage for the battery terminals and the choke wire. I've got 12.4 volts at the terminal engine off. 14.6 at idle. The choke wire gets 2.2 with the ignition on, 12.2 engine running. I've checked all the fuses, they're all good. The dash light for the choke is working. I don't think this has anything to do with anything but the carb, since this engine was running with the old (busted) carb last week. Any ideas?

 

Got the old choke thermostat you can put on and try? You can ohm out the choke coil (connector to housing). Per Damon on an earlier post:

"Resistance of the choke element changes with temperature. At room temp they are usually in the 5-10 Ohm range new. Any higher than about 20-25 Ohms and they're usually shot."

 

I've got the old coil, but it's still got one rivet holding it on. Two screws...one rivet...WTF? lol. I was just hoping it was something else so I wouldn't have to drill it. But If I can't get the brand new one to work I can try that.

The resistance measured from the wire to the carb casting(that's the right way to measure, right?) is all over the place. I get a reading that goes from 2-75 and everywhere in between.

 

That choke light usually means your alternator is going bad. Weird, I know. But true regardless.

 

TG Matt- please post your outcome...and maybe whose carb if you are happy with it for others. Just got a reman from Guaranteed Carbs-FLA today, would have felt better finding good things about them rather than just a lack of bad reviews.

 

Drill it out and swap it on. No big deal.

The choke receives power directly from the alternator. This way it's only powered up when the engine is running - and the choke's not slowly opening while you're sitting in your freezing car with the ignition on/engine off listening to the radio, or whatever, waiting for whatever reason to start your car later.

The choke light will come on when the choke circuit does not receive 12volts. This indicates a failure in the circuit that is usually a bad alternator.

 

Alright, so I got the old choke coil on the new carb. The idiot light went off, but then the car wouldn't start...Got some starter fluid and got her started...barely. It still wouldn't settle down at idle or start without the juice. I knew it was getting fuel so I assumed the plugs were bad. The ones on there were there when i bought the car 10,000 miles ago. So, I just got done changine the plugs (FML) and it starts fine now. Still idles high, but not as high as before. So I've still got tuning to do. But it runs, and I'm kicking myself for not changing those plugs before. Anyways, thanks for the replies, ya'll realy helped me track down the problem.

For those interested I got the carb from ebay from 'mountaintink', which is a seller for Mountain Man Fuel Systems. Got the part for 205 plus shipping. That was cheaper than alot of places selling remanufactrured q-jets that I saw. As far as I can tell it's put together well. I still haven't figured out the choke thing. The new choke looks like a new part, I can't find anything wrong with it, it just causes a fault on my car. Also they did not send me an idle adjuster with the carb. I'm also using the old one now. No biggie. I think it took them all of 4 busness days to get the part to my door. Ordered fri got here wed. not bad at all.

 

Alright, I'm about to ditch this POS on the side of the road. Started the car this morning just fine. Drove it down the street, got some lunch. Came back 10 minutes later and the car won't start again. It just cranks and cranks, dosen't seem to want to try to turn over. Called up someone to bring me a can of starter fluid. That did nothing at all. Why does letting it sit for 10 minutes cause starting problems?

 

ignition components fail when hot...the ignition control module is notorious for failing to restart when hot. pull you cap and check for play in the shaft. look to see if it's coated in rust down there. a reman dist from AZ or one of the others usually runs around $90 and should come with a new module (vs spending near $40 for a module alone. not saying that's your big problem but I've solve alot of these probs with a new dist.

 

Well...if that's the case does this sound like an opportune time to get a regular dizzy? I'm not planning on running the computer stuff after I get the motor swapped to a 350 anyways. Might I take this chance and get an MSD vaccum/mechanical advance one like this;

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MSD-8362/

 

Yes you can. You may as well buy one now since you need it. But make SURE you need it first lol

 

you'll have to swap the carb for a mech one and use an alternate method to lock the converter clutch

you have a spreadbore intake which limits your carb options, just don't get an edelbrock, my vote is a mech qjet

the 350 WILL run fine under the computer controlled induction though.

 

It will indeed, even with a vacuum advance distributor instead of a computer controlled one. I've done it and I couldn't really tell any difference as long as it was timed correctly.

 

Unless you are building a show- or race-only 350 with wicked cam duration and overlap, just stick with the computer system. It is by far the superior street/performance system.