can i convert to manual choke?

[JeremyL]

my old 4bbl 85 RX7 had a manual choke and i thought it the coolest thing in the world at the time. is there any way to remove the troublesome choke diaphragm and make this thing a pull the cable and choke it myself?

[A20A1]

yes, it's difficult however to get it to work smoothly.

The kit I bought was supposed to replace the throttle lever on a small engine push mowers.
The cable shaft needs to be secured on the adjustment side as well as to the carb.
The cable itself was a rod and not really a cable... if you were to use a cable you'd need some kind of return spring but with low tension so it wont fight the adjustment lever.

1 & 2 show the choke rod removed from the choke linkage... In #1 the cotter pin is being held by needle nose pliers... and is being pulled from the hole in the rod connected to the choke.
This hole is a little bit small for the rod/cable of the manual choke conversion to fit thru so you may have to widen it slightly but too wide and you'll break the linkage.


This next image is just a wider view of the rod disconnected from the choke linkage but still connected to the choke.


In the last image I have the carb TOP HAT in my hand, just so you know what the top hat is.

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[A20A1]

Now if you remove the electric choke completely when you convert to manual you'll also be disabling fast idle... if you remove the choke opener you need to seal the exposed vacuum hole on the front of the carb. The hole is next to the screw that secured the choke opener to the carb, it may have a small rubber o-ring around it. I used a putty mix that hardens and bonds to the aluminum to seal the port. You can also use this putty to secure the cable to the carb... it's a good way to do it because it doesn't put any pressure on the cable shaft which could bind the cable inside the shaft and just create problems.

I ran the cable shaft from the choke... looped it down towards the valve cover and then back up towards the firewall.

I suggest if you are removing the choke components that are not used that you remove the top hat when applying the putty to secure the cable shaft to the carb top hat. this will ensure that you don't get excess putty too close to the rod that is connected to the choke plate... and possibly get in the way of it's movement.

[A20A1]

As you can see I ran the cable to the front of the carb not to the rear... this means the choke cable you use should be long... you have to make wide bends in the shaft... too tight a bend and the cable inside the shaft will bind.

Try to keep the cable and the choke parts all alligned parallel... even though in the pic below the red line kind of flares our to the left some before making the bend back towards the firewall.



I used quick steel to secure the cable to the underside of the top hat... this is why I suggest you remove the top hat so you can get a clear view of where it is safe to mold on quick steel putty.

For color identification:
The red is the cable shaft
The yellow is the cable
The green is the rod that connects to the choke plate



The last image is just showing you some quick steel (sold at walmart) I used to form a new mouth for the carb barrels after some heavy modfications. It also gives you an idea of how naked the carb is without the choke parts on it.

[A20A1]

here is the all powerful "quicksteel"

[A20A1]

I just had a thought...

I wasn't using the stock air box at the time... so I don't know if the underside of the stock air box will hit the cable when bolted down.

If you have to I suppose you could find a way to secure the cable to the air box instead of the carb.

[A20A1]

it's simpler then it looks... any update on the conversion?

A16A carbs came with manual choke

[lostforawhile]

why does every one want to remove the electric choke? i've had a problem with every part of my carb but that, the electric choke wasinvented because manual chokes were a pain in the ass.

[A20A1]

Don't ask me, I just removed mine cause I didn't really need it or want it for that matter.

[SQ is the SQUAD]

i think this sholud be a nhow-to, if it isent already is

[JeremyL]

i just like to do things myself, same reason i drive a manual transmission, automatics are of course easier but i like to shift it myself. same principle applies with the choke

[Ichiban]

hah got you all beat
my 82 has a factory manual choke complete with an indicator in the dash

[A18A]

this thread should be a sticky