Yes, it has to be fully closed with a good amount of tension. When the engine starts, the primary choke pull off opens the choke flap about 1/4" against spring tension. That is what allows the engine to run at fast idle without loading up.
You learn something new every day. Once again thanks Larry, I'll be doing that hopefully Friday after I RTV the intake and then go for a drive. I'm going to eliminate the thermostat paper gasket, it's so damn useless.
John, Schurkey has an excellent pdf on automatic chokes. Read up and download it. https://www.chevelles.com/techref/Adjusting_Automatic_Chokes.pdf
I am home, work will commence tomorrow New List: ✅1. Free-unseize the brakes or whatever by driving it ✅2. Free-RTV the piss out of the thermostat housing 3. A little trans fluid-tranny governor 4. Free-adjust the choke properly 5. Gas-AFR carb tune, gotta get that cold start working 6. Gas-AFR street tune, gotta make that power 7. Hopefully less than $100-driverside power window ✅8. Hopefully free-aligned it myself based on the Buick chassis manual, lets see if it works. GOTTA MEASURE IT AGAIN ✅9. Hopefully free-adjust the steering box ✅10. Hopefully free-check to make sure it actually steers ✅11. Free-readjust kickdown so it actually works 12. Try to get the radio to work better 13. This won't happen, but headliner? 14. The drivers door mechanism ✅15. Move exhaust away from wheel 16. Rebuild or replace the starter
Best way to adjust choke is get an electric one on it. If you have an edle brok intake with the crossover plugged or if its plugged in the heads youl never get any choke but an electric one to work the way you want it to.
If you remove the door mechanism, you will be amazed. Its an intricate assambly of stamped levers, rods, pivots, stops and springs.
Makes me really not want to remove it lol. And I do have an electric choke. I just haven't set it up correctly yet.
A good bunch of the list is done. I'll do some road miles tomorrow to get the governor in the right state of mind and tune. I'll aim once again for 1-2 5500 and 2-3 5500 This thing wants to rev now.
Nevermind I can’t do jack, this big block snapped the nose cone off of the starter. Pictures coming soon. Are there any upgraded starters out there for reasonable cost?
Get one of Rob's starters with the pinion support. http://www.robbmcperformance.com/products/buick_starter.html (I know it's expensive, but I think it is worth the cost.)
Starter from 95-97 fbody lt1 motors fit our motors.....big box stores should have them in stk with warranty and several pounds saved. Just need new bolts. The short one is PN 14037733 and the long one is 12338064. They have 10mm shanks with 3/8" threads.
Mike, Robb's starters use the stock bolts. the GM mini starters need different bolts. What is your initial timing that it is kicking back like that?
Yeah, that's enough. Unless you use a start retard, you need to be careful when cranking it hot. If it feels like it doesn't want to turn, back off and try again.
