Choke Cable

[simontink]

I need a new choke cable. The old one is hanging on by a thread. I was shocked at the price though. All suppliers charging similar amount, seems a lot for a cable. Got to have one though.

http://www.ldparts.co.uk/shop/shop.php?c=viewproduct&pid=976&cat=33&sid=sida5bef32312cd0812ff71d48be886585e

[mjb67]

Funny coincidence but I happened to ask Ben at Robsport about this the other day, and he said that they're expensive because they're a unique design with a double cable, and they're being manufactured in quite small quantities.

[4x4]

I need a new choke cable. The old one is hanging on by a thread. I was shocked at the price though. All suppliers charging similar amount, seems a lot for a cable. Got to have one though.

http://www.ldparts.co.uk/shop/shop.p...71d48be886585e

Do they call it a "Choke Cable" because that's the noise people make when they hear how much a new one costs?

The continual tales of woe here about choke cables makes me so happy the I have an electric choke Holley.
Turn on ignition, pump pedal twice - car starts instantly.

Sorry............

Then again - I do have many parts made from unobtanium on my car that make the choke cable look cheap!

[mjb67]

4x4 out of interest how does the Holley decide that choke is no longer needed?

[4x4]

4x4 out of interest how does the Holley decide that choke is no longer needed?

Bi Metal strip. It heats up and backs the choke off as it does so.
Hence the "electric" bit - the electric supply is to heat up the metal strip.
Personally - I love it (in case you hadn't guessed).


Adrian.

[V Mad]

4x4 out of interest how does the Holley decide that choke is no longer needed?

As far as I remember the electric choke sucks a huge current to heat up an element which then opens the choke (or not). I prefer a manual choke.

[KOY 23]

If you call just over an 1 amp initially dropping to 3/4 amp huge.......you must have worked on microcircuits

[tonyh]

The reason the choke cable and some other parts are expensive is because they are manufactured in small quantities, normally around 500 a time, some even smaller quantities, if you were to manufacture 5,000 a time you would probably cut the price in half if not more, 5,000 choke cables is probably about ten years supply and nobody wants to tie up money for ten years worth of stock. I am afraid that's the price we pay for owning a small production run car, now if you had an MGB a choke cable would cost you abut £12.00, but then it is a single cable with no warning light facility.

Tony.

[V Mad]

If you call just over an 1 amp initially dropping to 3/4 amp huge.......you must have worked on microcircuits

Extract from the Holley Installation guide suggests a tad more......" The 12V source selected should be fused. If not, an inline fuse rated at 10 amps should be installed"

[StagnJag]

It's as Tony says.

If you want decent quality parts that last longer than 5 minutes you are going to have to pay a higher price. The alternatives are c**P that lasts five mins, or worse, not available at all!

Rgds

Dave

[4x4]

Extract from the Holley Installation guide suggests a tad more......" The 12V source selected should be fused. If not, an inline fuse rated at 10 amps should be installed"

Not quite that simple...............

Europe tends to use continuous rated fuses - the Yanks use blow ratings.
So 10 Yankee amps would expect no more than a 5 amp continuous load (because the harder you push them, the faster they age and simply pop anyway) at the most.
Plus, you need to over rate fuses as temperature increases - a 70 degree temp increase would need a 1.5A fuse for a 0.75A load.
So in reality - it's probably drawing 2A at the very, very most in normal operation.

Not that I give a stuff anyway - I like my electric choke - and posts about the hassles of the manual ones simply reinforce that view.
But - I also understand - each to their own.

That said - I might just measure it to find out!

[mjb67]

My choke frequently gets stuck so I can't pull the knob. I think it's sticking at the knob end, and the choke warning light never comes on so I wonder if the switch is jamming it somehow. I'm going to have to pull the heater unit out at some point to service the control cables on that too so I'll probably do it all together.

Jobs for when the weather is less ideal for actually driving, I think :-)

[StagnJag]

If you have the standard set up, it is good practice to put your foot on the accelerator before pulling out the choke. It makes it much easier and puts less strain on the cable.

(Before you start the engine of course!)

Rgds

Dave

[mjb67]

Oooh thanks for the tip, I'll see if that helps.

[DJT]

Matthew,

Just to expand on Dave's advice: if you look at where the cable attaches to the LH carb, you'll see it operates a cam to raise the tickover speed when the choke is on. This is why it is advisable to press the accelerator pedal slightly as it reduces the strain on this cable. It is also a good idea to check that this cam is greased.

The OE cable is designed so that the knob is pulled out to the desired setting then turned slightly clockwise to hold it there. To release the choke requires a slight anticlockwise turn and a push.

Sorry if this seems a bit patronising, but there are so many drivers around now who don't know what a choke is, or how it operates.