71 Buick Quadrajet choke pull-off question

Discussion in 'The Venerable Q-Jet' started by tommieboy, Aug 6, 2020.

  1. tommieboy

    tommieboy Well-Known Member

    Can anyone confirm if the choke pull-off in the attached picture is factory correct or is this a replacement? I am used to seeing the bi-colored black/grey plastic ones on these carbs from this time period on the Buick 455.

    Carb number is 7041540 (1971, Buick, 455, Auto)

    Thanks,

    Tommy

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  2. Daves69

    Daves69 Too many cars too work on

    The NOS pull off assy I have for a 71 has the bi color plastic.
     
    mrolds69 likes this.
  3. mrolds69

    mrolds69 "The Cure"

    Bi-color plastic, yes. Plastic and metal, I don't think so on 1971 on a Buick carb. It's a repro.
     
  4. Cliff R

    Cliff R Well-Known Member

    The good early style choke pull-offs have been unavailable for quite some time. Once in a while you'll find them on Ebay, but they are pricey.

    The white plastic ones currently being sold do NOT work for chit, the spring is too strong and the hole or restriction is WAY too big. So they open instantly and allow the secondaries don't dampen the secondaries. The requires the spring to be wound up WAY too tight and ruins it.

    I modify all the ones we sell here and make them adjustable so they work like they are supposed to........Cliff
     
  5. tommieboy

    tommieboy Well-Known Member

    Cliff,

    Are you modifying the white plastic ones?

    Tommy
     
  6. Cliff R

    Cliff R Well-Known Member

    Yes, it is NOT optional. All of the white plastic ones currently being supplied open instantly and require modification.

    If you don't slow them down correctly there will be a stumble/hesitation/bog going quickly to full throttle. This results in the secondary air door spring getting wound WAY too tight and ruining it.

    You would not believe the number of early carburetors I've had sent here after fresh rebuilds and restorations that were puking all over themselves and the biggest culprit was the white plastic pull-off. I probably shouldn't mention it as I get hundreds of carbs sent here with issues in that area and the fix is pretty simple......
     
  7. tommieboy

    tommieboy Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the additional info Cliff!

    Also, thanks to the others that replied to this thread. Very much appreciated.

    Tommy
     
  8. tommieboy

    tommieboy Well-Known Member

    Cliff,

    I know it has been a long while since my last post, but can you describe how you take apart the white plastic pull-offs? It seems they are glued together as a one-shot deal.

    Thanks,

    Tommy
     
  9. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    I think Cliff either closes the vacuum hole and drills them smaller, or uses an adjustable valve in line with the vacuum hose to make it adjustable.

    https://cliffshighperformance.com/product/choke-pull-off-67-70
     
    Stage 2 iron likes this.
  10. Cliff R

    Cliff R Well-Known Member

    About 5-6 years ago the quality of the white plastic pull-offs went to chit. They weren't that great right to start with and not nearly as good as OEM or an of the aftermarket replacements made up to that point. What started showing up were made of a very low density plastic and it is hard and brittle. The very first ones could be taken apart and the spring swapped out, snapped back together and good to go.

    The problem was that they were so poorly made they would pop apart just trying to install them and for sure you couldn't ship a carb with one in place without it falling apart.

    I suppose the suppliers got enough complaints that they went to the manufacturer and bitched hard enough the started gluing them together. What's been showing up in the last couple of years doesn't pop apart without destroying them......
     
  11. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    Do you still have the good ones Cliff?
     
  12. tommieboy

    tommieboy Well-Known Member

    Cliff,

    So in reviewing your previous comments above, adjusting the air bleed hole size alone won't get the job done on these newer "glued" pull-offs? Without the ability to swap out the springs, these newer "glued" pull-offs might be a show stopper when it comes to fine-tuning?

    Thanks,

    Tommy
     
  13. rkammer

    rkammer Gold Level Contributor

    I remember back in the late 80s/early 90s we used to take the original pull-offs and open up the hole to allow the secondary air valve to open up faster. I still have the tiny drills and the hand drill I used on the carbs I did. I believe they were in the .015 to .025 range, if I recall.
    So, are we saying that the newer repros have larger holes than the originals?
     
  14. Cliff R

    Cliff R Well-Known Member

    "Do you still have the good ones Cliff?"

    I sell modified ones so the tuner can adjust the release time.

    The batch I got in the other day don't appeared to be glued together so I may be able to swap the springs out in them and make them adjustable. Been too busy to mess with that, may get to it tomorrow.......lunch break over.....back to it....
     
  15. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    Adjustable how? With the little inline vacuum valve?
     
  16. Cliff R

    Cliff R Well-Known Member

    Thru the inlet with a small allen wrench.

    If you don't modify or slow down these new white plastic pull-offs the secondaries will NOT work correctly and you'll over-wind the spring and ruin it......
     
  17. TORQUED455

    TORQUED455 Well-Known Member

    Cliff, what is it that you are adjusting with the Allen wrench?
     
  18. Cliff R

    Cliff R Well-Known Member

    I "modify" them to be adjustable for release time. At one point I also took them apart and installed a lighter spring we had made for them, until recently when they started gluing them together.

    I was able to take one apart today without destroying it, so they must have forgot to glue this batch together or changed something in the production of them......
     

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