easy cold starts

[checker]

Guys, i just tought i'd share this with you;

I had problems with cold starts, to find out that my choke mechanism had some broken parts in it and therefore was not functionning as supposed. O.K. it was a good place to start with.
I try to keep the Kaiser as original as possible but in this case, i was tempted by a manual choke like i had before on other oldies. The idea of having full control all the time was pleasing me.
I bought a standard 'manual choke conversion kit' for $20 at NAPA. I fabricated a custom 'L' shape bracket to hold the cable on the engine's head and another custom bracket for the push-pull handle to fit in the optional overdrive handle (that i don't have) holes already there underneeth the dash.

Works perfectly, the car now starts without touching the gaz pedal at all times!   
It took me about 3 to 4 shots to find out how much of choke was needed depending on the circumstances and to realise that no gaz pedal action was needed.

Went to a car show today and it was a dream to start !

If anybody's interested in pics or brackets dimensions, again i will be pleased to share !

Bernie.

[retired wrench]

A functioning auto choke on an engine in good shape is a good thing,but they are dumb. A choke only knows "when im cold I stay shut till I get heat or vacum" if the engine fires right up it gets vacum and later on heat. If the engine has low comp and requires extended cranking the choke stays closed waiting for one of the above mentioned items. This leads to flooding and plugs drowned and a no start. And everyone starts cussing the choke when its only doing what its supposed to. Im talking of cold weather starts here. The biggest flaw in an auto choke was if you lived two blocks from the groc store the motor would warm up some but the choke would not and when you came out to restart it would flood. Thats why they had the linkage set up so if you "floored" it the choke would be forced open to clear it out.

[boatingbill]

When I was 16 and driving my "51 in Minnesota, I put a manual choke to prevent flooding. It
sat outside and my dad's "53 got the garage. I set the choke opening to 1/8 drill bit size (don't
drop it). Even at 10 below with a 6v system, it would fire right up. I used to drop off the
neighbors at the local Standard station for jump starts on my way to school. My dad covered
his hood with a blanket and a 100w bulb next to the battery and his was in the garage. He
could not believe how mine would start right up. I used to jump start his when his failed and
he had the auto choke. I agree checker that having full control is better. I didn't like not
being able to move the choke as retiredwrench said, especially on short 1 mi trips. In cold
weather the temp gauge didn't ever start to move in 1 mi.