Quick Electric choke question

[Aaron65]

I swapped engines in my '65 Dart this weekend, to a low mileage 225 from an early 70s Charger. (I had to swap the pan and pickup, and you can still see the factory hone marks on the cylinders!)

It has an emissions carb on it, and an electric choke. I'm probably going to give this stuff a shot, because the machine shop said it ran perfectly when they pulled it.

What's the quickest place to wire in the electric choke so it has power when the ignition switch is on? Thanks!

 

[memike]

Turn your switch to the on position and pull the wire/wires off your ceramic ballast resistor and find the supply there, make sure it is before the ballast and not after, that is right there for easy and neat hook up .. just one mans opinion

 

[4spdragtop]

If it requires 12v, I would think any spot that supplies that would be good(key on of course)
Mike, Im still learning, why after the ballast??

 

[krazykuda]

Turn your switch to the on position and pull the wire/wires off your ceramic ballast resistor and find the supply there, make sure it is before the ballast and not after, that is right there for easy and neat hook up .. just one mans opinion

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Memike has it!!!


Yes, see which wires have power before the ballast resistor (going into it). that is where you want to tap into (I use a piggyback flat blade). Just do as Memike said above to find it (it is usually a dark blue wire).

Don't try to tap into the coil wires, they only see 6 volts, not 12 that you need for an electric choke.

 

[krazykuda]

If it requires 12v, I would think any spot that supplies that would be good(key on of course)
Mike, Im still learning, why after the ballast??

No, you want before the ballast.


Because the ballast is a resistor and there is a voltage drop across a resistor.


Just hook a test light to the battery negative terminal and then disconnect each wire from the ballast resistor. One side should make it light up, the other side won't. Go on the side that makes the test light glow to supply the + (positive) choke lead. The negative gets grounded to the engine/base of the carb.

 

[4spdragtop]

Thanks Karl, I wasnt sure if elec choke req'd 6 or 12

 

[memike]

Thanks guys :glasses7: I like it when I can help :cheers:and even better when I am right

 

[krazykuda]

Thanks Karl, I wasnt sure if elec choke req'd 6 or 12

They require 12. I've done plenty of them.


The first one that I did, I didn't get it right and the choke didn't work right. As soon as I found out that I didn't have enough voltage and fixed it, the choke ran fine.

Even in 10-20° F daily driver. Pump the gas twice in the morning, start the engine. watch oil pressure come up on the mechanical gauge, then put it in gear and go. No stalling or hickups... Once that choke was wired correctly and then set, it was great!

I always use electric chokes on my street drivers.

 

[krazykuda]

Thanks guys :glasses7: I like it when I can help :cheers:and even better when I am right

When you're right, you're right.


Getting a few posts that all agree helps the original poster make the best decision. I know that it helps me when I see it.

 

[Bad Sport]

Turn your switch to the on position and pull the wire/wires off your ceramic ballast resistor and find the supply there, make sure it is before the ballast and not after, that is right there for easy and neat hook up .. just one mans opinion

And another, that's how I hooked mine up!

 

[TrailBeast]

When you're right, you're right.


Getting a few posts that all agree helps the original poster make the best decision. I know that it helps me when I see it.

Ok, then I'll agree also.
I figured Mike had it covered, but you are right about the more that agree the better.

 

[Aaron65]

That's what I'll do then...thank you!

 

[BillGrissom]

... Once that choke was wired correctly and then set, it was great!
I always use electric chokes on my street drivers.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I pulled a factory electric choke off a late slant (Volare I recall). It has the heater around the bi-metal spring and remote thermal sensor. Not sure the rod will work perfectly with my Carter BBS, since I recall the junk car had a Holley carb, but I don't recall seeing different choke PN's for Carter and Holley. Will be a while. Right now I am looking for a good camshaft (tough for a slant, may go w/ an Oregon grind).

 

[jobrated_man]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I pulled a factory electric choke off a late slant (Volare I recall). It has the heater around the bi-metal spring and remote thermal sensor. Not sure the rod will work perfectly with my Carter BBS, since I recall the junk car had a Holley carb, but I don't recall seeing different choke PN's for Carter and Holley. Will be a while. Right now I am looking for a good camshaft (tough for a slant, may go w/ an Oregon grind).

Bill, I have a cam from Crower cams here in San Diego that I'll not use, send me a PM after a while, I'll go look at it and find what part number or specs it has.
And, I'm interested in that transmission down the road also.
:coffee2:

 

[RedFish]

Blue wires at voltage regulator or later square back alternators are hot at switch on.
Some models had only electric choke assist in the well with the thermal choke actuator. It made the choke open faster only to reduce emissions. Those had a small white ceramic controller. Blue wire mentioned is where factory got 12 volts to that controller. That controller is a piece of crap though.
It is very similar to the mechanical gauge voltage limiters inside but has 2 sets of bouncing points in it. It isn't sealed weather tight so moisture enters and corrodes.
If this is what your 74 has, don't hook it up. The thermal choke works fine without it.
Just a little slower.

 

[krazykuda]

Bill, I have a cam from Crower cams here in San Diego that I'll not use, send me a PM after a while, I'll go look at it and find what part number or specs it has.
And, I'm interested in that transmission down the road also.
:coffee2:

Crower makes nice cams. I had Dave Crower make a custom grind when we had my ex's slant rebuilt for her 64 Dart. It was 260 duration and .495 lift. She's pretty happy with it. If I rebuild another slant, then I would go back and let him grind me another one...

 

[krazykuda]

Blue wires at voltage regulator or later square back alternators are hot at switch on.
Some models had only electric choke assist in the well with the thermal choke actuator. Those had a small white ceramic controller. Blue wire mentioned is where factory got 12 volts to that controller. That controller is a piece of crap though.
It is very similar to the mechanical gauge voltage limiters inside but has 2 sets of bouncing points in it. It isn't sealed weather tight so moisture enters and corrodes.
If this is what your 74 has, don't hook it up. The thermal choke works fine without it.
Just a little slower.

I was describing how I hook up my Holley or Carter electric chokes.

 

[Aaron65]

Blue wires at voltage regulator or later square back alternators are hot at switch on.
Some models had only electric choke assist in the well with the thermal choke actuator. It made the choke open faster only to reduce emissions. Those had a small white ceramic controller. Blue wire mentioned is where factory got 12 volts to that controller. That controller is a piece of crap though.
It is very similar to the mechanical gauge voltage limiters inside but has 2 sets of bouncing points in it. It isn't sealed weather tight so moisture enters and corrodes.
If this is what your 74 has, don't hook it up. The thermal choke works fine without it.
Just a little slower.

This is exactly what it has...I'll leave it unhooked. Thanks!