For the electric choke on an 86 TransAm.

 

I don't understand it . The choke wire shows a constant 12volts, but at the same time it also shows continuity with the chassis ground! When I plug it back up to the choke ,the voltage drops to around 2 volts. If this is also grounded and not burning something up, theres got to be something electrical backing it.Can anybody out there help??????

 

Someone?

 

tpi car? be spicific on what you want to know and what your car is equiped with.

 

This is evidently a LG4 or L69, TPIs don't have chokes...

The relay is under the dash, in the "convenience tray" that the ALDL is attached to.

What do you mean, "continuity with chassis ground"?

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

RB83L69, It seems the same wire that supplies the 12volts to the choke(with key)_ is also grounded. With my tester when I do a continuity check on that particular wire, it beeps off of everything e.g. battery(-), fenders, etc. I don't see how this is possible unless the relay is grounded and absorbing the power. Make sense? By the way , what is the a ALDL tray and where abouts is it?

 

The ALDL is the "assembly line diagnostic connector". It's the thing you short pins of to get the computer's error codes, it's behind a little cover right above the gas pedal. There's a little metal tray that it's attached to, which the factory refers to as the "convenience tray" (I know, it may be convenient for them, but it's a PITA for all the rest of us), that has a couple of relays, the key buzzer, and some other stuff on it.

I don't really think it's practical to check that with an ohmmeter that way. I'll see if I can find my factory manual and see how all taht part of the thing is hooked up, I can't remember it all right now. That whole circuit is intertwined with the alternator such that if the alternator is not working the relay is in one state, and when it is working it's in another state. The "Choke" light is also the "Alternator" light because of this. They did it that way so that there wouldn't be voltage applied to the choke if the key is in the "On" position but the engine isn't running, so your finding that the voltage goes to basically nothing with the choke stat hooked up may indicate that it's working correctly.

What are you really trying to ask about? That is, what's wrong with the car?

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

RichRad,

It's likely that the relay contacts are failing and cannot carry any significant current, or a connection in the circuit has degraded to a similar state. The vlotage is present until a load is applied, then disappears. There is a high-resistance connection somewhere, and I'd suspect the relay contacts first.

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Later,
Vader
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"Fear is how I fall, Confusing what is real..."
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

Thanks RB83L69, Thanks also Vader, I guess what I'm trying to get over to ya as the problem is that my choke doesn't get a 12v supply when the proper connector is attached. Therefore it takes the actual engine heat to transfer up into the carb before it'll open all the way. In the meantime I'm on fast idle. I tried a new choke thermostat and got the same results which are when I plug in the power connector the voltage to it drops to 2volts. If I direct wire it it'll open fine. There are not many choices for 12v under the hood at the key "engine on". A couple at the carb, I guess those are mixture and throttle sensors I tried tapping into the wiper power supply as suggested, but it is also live at accessory so if I'm just listening to my radio (engine cold) my choke opens ,then when I go to start I can't choke it.Quite a few things are live under the hood with the key(accessory). I'm fearful of tapping into computer controled wires at key(engine on). Scared I might fry something!There must be a logical reason that G M put this circuit into a relay, and with my car in a very original conditon I'd like to fix the problem correctly. By the way, I did locate the relay tray behind the ALDL . Four devices there. One's a key/light chime, one's a turn signal relay and two others, which I took down the part numbers and plan on calling them in to see which is the choke relay. Thanks again ,I don't think I'd have ever found them on my own.