Choke Failure?

[Mike_Windsor]

A side effect of Canadian Tire working on my car is that my choke doesn't seem to work properly anymore.

Upon starting, the engine dies immediately if I don't have the gas pushed in a little bit. Also, it chugs and lugs when I try to accelerate.

After about 10 minutes it smartens up and doesn't do it anymore.

Anyone know if this is a simple fix?

Thanks.

[gadget73]

wait, didn't you say it wasn't charging anymore? If the charging system isn't working, the choke won't work correctly either. It powers direct from the alternator. Make sure that works first before you get too far into this.

[Mike_Windsor]

Sorry.

After Friday the volt gauge is showing roughly 14.1V, which is actually more (13.5-ish) than it would be when running normally.

They told me on Friday at CT that they had disconnected a vacuum line and plugged it, and now my car might have a "slight choke" issue.

I gotta stop blindly trusting people.

[Mike_Windsor]

So I went and rescued my car from Canadian Tire.

The wire they snipped has been put back into place and they added some wires to the main relay.

Whatever, I don't need a choke.

[L1011tristar17]

Run, don't walk, from that place!

[Mike_Windsor]

I drove fast.

I've composed a letter to their corporate head office in Toronto and I've submitted a scything review to my local "Letter To The Editor" newspaper.

[HiFiMerc]

They just go in and start cutting wires?

[Mike_Windsor]

Behold the carnage.

[marquisman]

We dont call it crappy tire for nothing.

[gadget73]

Thats the spark retard connection from the MCU to the Duraspark box. I wonder if they set the timing properly. From memory here, you have to unplug that connector, jump the wires together on the box side, and then set the ignition timing. If they set it with that wire just clipped, the timing might be who the hell knows where. That may be the real cause of why it doesn't run right, though randomly disconnected things are not liable to be helpful.


You really need to find a good mechanic. Obviously the people at Crappy Tire don't know how to work on this.

[Mike_Windsor]

Hey gagdet, I have an appointment on Friday with my regular mechanic who runs his own shop.

Could you get back to me before Friday on that retard stuff? Thanks.

[Mike_Windsor]

So it's still having choke issues. Somewhat milder than before but it's still not working properly.

I'm thinking my car will just have to permanently be like this. Will there be any damage to the engine?

Alternatively, is it relatively easy to repair the damage that those assholes did to my car?

[Brown_Muscle]

I will confirm what gadget said is correct. If they adjusted the ignition timing with it not connected the base timing will be advanced when the wire is re-connected, as the ignition module advances the base timing when you connect those two input wires. (I literally just dealt with this myself)....

BUT

I see the MCU is there, so assuming the rest of the sensors and wiring are still there, the two wires should be reconnected back to the original wires, as the computer will be able to control the timing. Sorry I forgot whether you still have the variable venturi carb or a different one on there?

As far as the choke goes...no it should not damage anything unless it is stuck ON all the time in which case the car will run rich and may fry your cats. If it has trouble activating which it sounds like it does then it will just run rough when warming up.

[Mike_Windsor]

So those double fuckups at CT butchered my choke/ignition timing? Wonderful.

I hope it's an easy repair.

And thank you guys for chiming in.