Carb with no choke

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Jarrett Melvin

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2020
Posts
78
Reaction score
29
Location
Newfoundland
First Name
Jarrett
Truck Year
1983
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
350
I have a 350 SBC with a quadrajet carb and electric choke. I want to put it in my project truck, that I plan I using just for summer Sunday/weekend driving. Not daily use but just summer use well say.

I was wondering what would it be like to run it carbed with no choke in the summer time only? I'm in Newfoundland so the summer and spring months are around 15-25 or 30 degrees or so. So it wouldn't be too too cold.
 

GXPWeasel

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2019
Posts
573
Reaction score
1,033
Location
Kansas
First Name
Greg
Truck Year
1982 | 2015
Truck Model
Sierra C15 | Silverado Z71
Engine Size
5.0 | 5.3
Not sure how that would work. What's your reason for not running a choke? Don't want to run an electrical wire? Maybe try a manual choke. I had a manual choke I installed on a 350 Buick Skylark back in the day, and it worked just fine.
 

RoryH19

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2015
Posts
1,668
Reaction score
1,081
Location
Texas
First Name
Rory
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
R10 Silverado SWB
Engine Size
350 TBI
Not sure how that would work. What's your reason for not running a choke? Don't want to run an electrical wire? Maybe try a manual choke. I had a manual choke I installed on a 350 Buick Skylark back in the day, and it worked just fine.
My thought as well. Just run the wire for the choke and not worry about the outside temp.
I personally don't see any advantages by not having one unless the choke is bad.
Just my .02
 

82sbshortbed

Fuckemall!!
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Posts
14,643
Reaction score
48,558
Location
SE Texas
First Name
Doug
Truck Year
1982, 1984
Truck Model
1500 shortbed, 1500 longbed
Engine Size
454, 305

Ricko1966

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Posts
3,934
Reaction score
5,685
Location
kansas
First Name
Rick
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
c20
Engine Size
350
Choke is only there for cold weather starts and drivability once the truck is started and engine warm it should be fully opened anyway.Some people set them fully open at all times. Some remove them completely. If you have it set fully open at all times it will be hard to start, you will have to figure out what it takes. Maybe pump the pedal twice start it,hold the pedal slightly open 1 minute and done. The plus side is it won't be running unnecessarily rich for the first minutes of operation. Which is better for the rings, cylinder walls, plugs and oil. Pros and cons either way. It's your truck your decision.
 

BKING33

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2020
Posts
268
Reaction score
751
Location
York Springs, PA
First Name
Brian
Truck Year
1987, 1989
Truck Model
K30, Suburban
Engine Size
6.2, 6.2 turbo
I don't have chokes on my Chevelle's and they are a bear to start in temps below 50. The electric ones work great. the old mechanical ones like on the
Qjets are fussy sometimes with sticking linkage.
 

Jarrett Melvin

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2020
Posts
78
Reaction score
29
Location
Newfoundland
First Name
Jarrett
Truck Year
1983
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
350
Thanks for the feed back, I have been looking into manual ones I think thats what I'm gunna do
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,698
Reaction score
11,148
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
@Jarrett Melvin I'm going to add to what folks have said. So years ago I had a dodge based motorhome with the 360, it had the choke stove in the intake manifold and the crossover pipe was plugged, so eventually on a trip I zip tied the choke open, because it kept shutting on me. To fix it properly I'd of had to remove the intake manifold and clean the passage or go to a differant carb. That thing had much bigger issues than the carb so I left it. Starting it depending on weather conditions was anything from a 3 pumps of gas and a little feathering for a minute of warm up, to quite a few false starts and stalls.

Can you run without a choke, sure, will it be a pleasant driving experience no. Further more running without a choke may not be good for the engine long term. All that pumping of the gas, possibly revving a cold engine to keep it running. A properly adjusted choke is best.

If your concerned about running a wire, and I'm not sure why you would be if your thinking of running a manual choke cable, but if that is your hold up some guys will steal power for the choke coil off the wiper motor which has a key on power source. That's not the best way to do it but it is an easy way.
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
28,956
Reaction score
23,465
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
I've been running my truck all winter with no choke. It's my daily driver and it's been 5°-20° in the morning for the last few weeks. It's perfectly doable, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it if the carb has a perfectly operational choke. In my case, the choke was hanging up a bunch last year so I disabled it while I decide what I want to do for new carb.
 

CoggedBelt75

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Posts
35,029
Reaction score
144,833
Location
Altus, Oklahoma
First Name
Joe
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
383
Y’all have some cold summers over there.
I run 2 Holley carbs without chokes. Daily driven, hot or cold. 1 pump in cool weather, starts and idles fine. Cold winter months while sitting outside at work I plug the block heater in. The heat radiates into the blower case. 1 pump and starts fine on the coldest days. A slight steady rev for around 1 minute and it idles fine.
They came with manual chokes but only used the rear one. Finally figured I didn’t need to use it so I removed both of them all together.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
41,848
Posts
903,412
Members
33,362
Latest member
Dhatch84
Top