Carter YF Choke Adjustment

[pachecoj]

I have a carter YF on my 200ci. The car started great for the last couple months until the first warm day came. Then I realized the automatic choke was out of adjustment, it was completely closed.

So I turned the adjustor until I got it open but now I have to readjust the choke everytime I go to start the car. It either doesn't close or doesn't open. I don't know if it is getting stuck (it does seem like it since sometimes I push on it with my finger and it will pop open and stay there) or if it is just really out of adjustment.

Is there any resources online that explains how to adjust these things properly?

Jason

 

[fordconvert]

I assume this is a typical round black housing that you are adjusting? How far do you have to turn it when you do make the adjustment? If you think of it as a clock with 12 being 'normal' I would not expect you to have to go more than 1 hour in either direction to get it adjusted. If you are moving it farther something is screwed up. Some of them have a hook on the choke spring that has to hook to an arm on the carb and others just have a tab that pushes on the arm. With either style it may be out of the hook or on the wrong side of the arm? I have seen them come unhooked by forcing the choke open manually when they are cold. Most auto chokes will remain open (even when cold) until you stroke the throttle. That will allow the choke to shut and set the fast idle. There are also other adjustments that control how far the choke opens when the engine first starts.

 

[Bort62]

I adjusted mine with a hacksaw.

Now it's at the perfect setting, every time!

 

[pachecoj]

I definitely have to turn it more than 1 hour. Maybe I should pop it open and check to see if the shaft is hooked into the spring. I've never opened one, the spring isn't going to fly out at me or anything is it? Is there anything I should be careful of when I open it?

Jason

 

[Bort62]

Nah, it's pretty simple. Nothing will come flying out.

 

[ludwig]

The spring is a spiral bimetal with a hook at one end. It is not under any kind of tension. The tang can become disconnected from the anchor peg inside the black cap. Just unscrew the black plastic cover and clean everything you can inside the mechanism with compressed air (from a computer cleaner can) and some carb cleaner. Don't use oil of any kind since it will thicken and gum up the functioning. I don't know about graphite powder; maybe its okay.

Make sure the hook (tang) on the pulloff spring is engaged in the cap and reassemble. Then you can adjust the strength of the pulloff by turing the black cap clockwise and counter-clockwise.

The functioning may be impaired due to a burned divider between #3 and 4 where the air is heated. If so, soot from the exhaust is getting in the choke pulloff and blocking function. There are a number of fixes for this: 1) get an intact exhaust manifold and reassemble, 2) get an external pulloff heater that straps onto the outside of the manifold $5 to $7 at a speed shop, 3) aftermarket manual choke, 4) electric choke (kit).

 

[pachecoj]

You mentioned an aftermarket manual choke. I would actually like to just put a manual choke in and avoid the problem altogether. Are there any recommended manual chokes kits? Is this a stupid idea? I will probably try fixing the issue first and then maybe consider a manual choke.

Jason

 

[ludwig]

Are there any recommended manual chokes kits?

Don't know. I got my stock choke working as per above.

 

[fordconvert]

Here is the brand that most stores carry, some like Napa have their own brand name and part number but can cross the numbers.

https://www.dormanproducts.com/cgi-bin/ ... Time=42391

Two problems with the conversions, 1 is that they are designed for V engines so you end up having to get creative and fab up your own cable mounting bracket. 2nd is that they are not as easy to operate as a true manual choke because of the way the fast idle and such works. If you dont mind a few quirks they can work well but if non mechanical people or strangers ever have to drive your car its complicated and easy to screw up and you will end up spending all your time fixing the thing.

 

[Bort62]

You mentioned an aftermarket manual choke. I would actually like to just put a manual choke in and avoid the problem altogether. Are there any recommended manual chokes kits? Is this a stupid idea? I will probably try fixing the issue first and then maybe consider a manual choke.

Jason

Where do you live? I have still found no need for a choke, even when starting in sub 20* weather.

 

[pachecoj]

I'm in Rhode Island, it's been slightly over 20-degrees most of the time as of late, but the car does not want to start with the choke open even when it's in the 30's.

Jason

 

[ludwig]

The choke must be [nearly] CLOSED for it to help with starting. Open is in the normal-run condition.

Be aware that the choke must not be all the way closed in the carb throat. Some air needs to get it for combustion. If it is all the way closed, all you get is flooding. Max closure should leave a crack about 1/8" at the flap. You can adjust this with the choke adjuster screw as long as it is closing automatically with the spring.

Have you checked your ignition to make sure you are getting hot enough fire in the hole. If not, upgrade soon to DuraSpark II or at the very least Pertronix I with a 40K Flamethrower coil. Then open the spark gap to .055.

 

[pachecoj]

Yeah, I picked up a DSII at the junkyard last week. As soon as the weather warms up that is going in.

Jason

 

[ludwig]

You will notice a big difference when that is installed and working properly together with a very hot coil. Moreover, you can run colder plugs with a wider gap and get a big FAT spark. That really gets the juices going.

Doing the choke adjust is hard because you only have a minute or two to work before the engine is no longer cold. The up-side of your weather is that you can go back outdoors and fiddle with it a little maybe three times a day. Whooppee.

 

[pachecoj]

Wow, I never thought I would hear a positive aspect to new england weather! You must be a super-optimist, and here I was lamenting saying I want to move to California only 30 minutes ago.

Yeah, I can't wait to get the DSII installed, everybody says it will be such a big difference. There is definitely a nasty hesitation as it stands, I'm hoping the DSII will clear that up. It's fun trying to parallel park though.

Jason