Yesterday when I started my truck, well, it wouldn't. Turned over fine, with the smell of gas after a few tries. Popped the hood, removed air cleaner and fiddled with the choke a bit. Tried again, and it started, but not without generous gas pedal goosing. Any suggestions?

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86 D100 short bed A833, lean burn deleted.
07 Honda Accord EX-L V6
03 Toyota Highlander - 305k and still going strong
13 Toyota Highlander - 151k

Specs: Stock 225 with 1945 Holley non feedback

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86 D100 short bed A833, lean burn deleted.
07 Honda Accord EX-L V6
03 Toyota Highlander - 305k and still going strong
13 Toyota Highlander - 151k

I suspect an automatic choke malfunction. Clean linkage, check for bent, binding, or missing linkage. When engine is cold, remove air cleaner, rotate throttle by hand while observing spring action of choke heater, linkage, and choke closing action.

Dose everything move smoothly, with a bit of a snap, closed, or dose it kind of lazily almost close the choke but not quite?

You may have to repeat this procedure several times before you eye can catch all the action. Just open the throttle with one hand, while open back off high idle cam, and open choke butterfly to reset for a simulated cold start.

Sometimes the linkage pivot points become egged out a bit and will cause a binding; this can be corrected by a little bit of file work to dress the ridges just enough to allow things to move without hanging up.

Another problem is the bimetal spring becomes weak or broken and won’t push the choke closed.

The choke has to close with authority, stay closed until engine catches, and as soon as vacuum is present retract about 3/16th of an inch if the engine is to start easily. If choke won’t fully close, starting can be hard depending on how colt it is, flooding can follow due to excessive pumping causing a gas smell.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

like Bill said....choke must work right

Thanks guys-checking tonight

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86 D100 short bed A833, lean burn deleted.
07 Honda Accord EX-L V6
03 Toyota Highlander - 305k and still going strong
13 Toyota Highlander - 151k

Definitely a choke issue. Seemingly getting hung up on the choke stove. Also, the element in the stove seems to need "help" to properly choke. Ordering a new choke stove today. Thank you to wjajr and hantayo13 for your help.

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86 D100 short bed A833, lean burn deleted.
07 Honda Accord EX-L V6
03 Toyota Highlander - 305k and still going strong
13 Toyota Highlander - 151k

I thought I saw a while back that I could order the choke thermostat on rockauto.com, but as of today, that is not so. Anyone have any suggestions where I might find one? My local NAPA is no help, btw.

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86 D100 short bed A833, lean burn deleted.
07 Honda Accord EX-L V6
03 Toyota Highlander - 305k and still going strong
13 Toyota Highlander - 151k

You may order a new and improved electric choke kit from CarbsOnly. See HERE. I installed one of these on my brother's 83 Dodge van and it works beautifully. These kits are superior to the factory exhaust heat actuated assembly.

You might just need to take the choke stove off and shoot some PB blaster on the spring and work it back and forth until it loosens up. That's what I did on my 84 and it fixed the starting issues.

I have one on my 86 with 1920 and it works great!

Dave

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86 Miser 170,000+
2 1/4" exhaust
Holley 1920 #55
HEI MSD BLaster 2
17.8 mpg