Electric or Manual Choke?

[CarlF250]

I am looking for a carb for my 66 289 coupe. I have heard good things about the edelbrock 1405 and 1406. I have a performer 289 intake, edelbrock 6022 aluminum heads, a slightly more aggressive than stock cam and hedman headers. This car will only be driven in the summer months for cruising. My question is do I go with the electric or manual choke carb?
Thank You, Carl

 

[69Mach351]

i have an edelbrock with electric and have had absolutely no problems

 

[ron67fb]

Depends what you want. Electrics are automatic, but they do kick in even if the car doesn't need it. The choke housing cools off faster than the engine itself.

Manual's good since you (should) know exactly when the car needs more or less choke. But then leaving it on can waste a good amount of gas.

I have manual and only use it at startup. As I drive off I turn it off. Sometimes I leave it slightly on just to raise the idle a bit when it's cold or when my cam starts loading up the plugs in traffic. The linkage is adjusted so that in the first 1/4" I can get a high idle without richening the carb.

 

[84convertablegt]

i have a disconnected electric choke because like said above, it doesnt know when you dont need it, like in the middle of the summer. id rather have a manual choke, but no choke works just as well.

 

[krash kendall]

I have had no problems with my electric choke edelbrock that I bought for my 302 last summer and have been driving everyday since. The choke has never come on at the wrong time as the small block with headers keeps the engine bay warm overall for quite some time.

The car also has yet to stall unexpectantly or run without predictability since bolt up. Again, this is my daily driver.

 

[brianj5600]

Summer only? No choke.

 

[krash kendall]

I see a few replies saying no choke in the summer, but we don't really know where he lives. SoCal? Alaska? Iceland?

 

[69Rcode_Mach1]

I have never had problems with electric choke. I don't mind either it is nice to manually have control over it but I can't stand the handle inside the car I think it's very ugly and cheap looking. Either one is good I prefer Electric cause i haven't had any problems with it yet, but the manual was good too.

 

[66HertzClone]

I have manual and only use it at startup. As I drive off I turn it off. Sometimes I leave it slightly on just to raise the idle a bit when it's cold or when my cam starts loading up the plugs in traffic. The linkage is adjusted so that in the first 1/4" I can get a high idle without richening the carb.

I'm a little confused by this. If the plugs are loading up, won't more fuel make that problem worse?

 

[CarlF250]

Thanks for the help guys! I guess its all a matter of personal preference. By the way Krash Kendall, I live just outside of Chicago. The summers here can get pretty hot and humid.

 

[limey66]

I'm a little confused by this. If the plugs are loading up, won't more fuel make that problem worse?

No, re-read the post - he says that the first amount of travel just ups the idle speed, and doesn't richen the mixture. Saves him riding the gas pedal at the lights.

 

[Max Power]

If you need no choke at all on cold start up, even in the dead of summer, you are probably running a little too rich.

I use electric on everything. If you dial it in, no worries.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

If you need no choke at all on cold start up, even in the dead of summer, you are probably running a little too rich.

Whats strange is my '65 notch had a Holley 600DP and I didnt need choke in the summer or winter, even when it was lean and after I richened it up. Averaged 16mpg with 60mph coming in at about 2800rpm.

I would get a manual choke given the option. I never needed one, but at the same time I dont like anything "automatic."

Since it will only be driven in warm weather, I definitely recommend a manual choke.

 

[ron67fb]

The choke has never come on at the wrong time as the small block with headers keeps the engine bay warm overall for quite some time.

Electric chokes run off a heating coil in the housing, warmed up by electrical current when the ignition is turned on. Engine bay temp has little effect on it. The heating coil cools off faster than the rest of your engine which means the choke will engage somewhat even if the car is still slightly warm. As you guys with no choke/manual choke have noticed, a car that's been off overnight vs. a car that's been off for 2 hours is a big difference in driveability. An electric choke can reset much sooner than 2 hours depending on the ambient temp. For example, not driving my car for a few days and starting it during a hot summer afternoon doesn't require a choke, but an electric wouldn't know that. A cold morning is a different story.

While I don't doubt your claim that your car runs just fine, I'm sure your choke still comes on when you don't need it. But as long as it's worry-free and it's not giving you any trouble, then it's all good.