Electric Choke to Manual Choke conversion? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Ol'Rover · 11-21-2010, 08:09 PM

I have a 1986 GMC Sierra K1500

305 4bbl (Rochester) with an electric choke. Its getting to the Cold winter season up here in Ontario... and my electric choke is garbage, and i know it. I want something a little more reliable. So how would i go about changing my Electric choke over to a manual Choke?

tucsonjwt · 11-21-2010, 10:12 PM

Absolutely! I have done it on all of my squares.
If you research manual choke conversion kits online you will see how it works. I assume that you have a black bakelite cap on a choke housing on the side of your carburetor. You remove that stock choke cover and replace it with one that has an external lever which actuates the stock choke valve lever inside the choke housing. The external lever is just a pin with a hole in it to accommodate the choke cable with a set screw. There is a cable guide which you mount to any convenient bolt in the area, then route the cable through the firewall (any existing opening) and mount under your dash.
I suggest that you adjust the cable so the knob under your dash does not close all the way into the mounting bracket opening. This is because your cable will "shrink or stretch" or loosen over time as you use the choke, and you want to make sure that you can close the cable all the way when closed.
Starting tip: depress accelerator all the way to the floor, pull the knob out and keep holding it while you release the accelerator. You do this to make sure that the choke valve closes the last 1/16" inch or so and gives you full choke. If you don't do this, the stock linkage on the carburetor will hang up the choke valve so it does not close all the way.
Let me know if you want pics of the setup on my 83.

Ol'Rover · 11-21-2010, 10:23 PM

i would love to see some pictures, because this is exactly what ive been looking for!

tucsonjwt · 11-21-2010, 10:55 PM

I will post some pics tomorrow morning. I don't know about the great white North, but you can buy these at any Autozone, Pep Boys, NAPA, etc., in the states. However, I would look for a better quality unit or even an OEM if you can find one, since you will have severe cold which will be hard on your cable and attachments, etc. In any case, a cheap one is only like $12 U.S., so you can experiment with a cheap one without much investment. My cheap Autozone one will loosen up where the set screw attaches to the lever at the choke cap, and I will know this when the truck gets hard to start cold. I just pop the hood, loosen the set screw, take up about 1/4" of slack, re-tighten the set screw - good to go.

tucsonjwt · 11-22-2010, 12:59 PM

Here are the pics. I would tape off/cap off the electrical connector lead to your existing choke cover if you go this route.
These kits are available all over the internet for $12 + S&H. Dorman makes one. JC Whitney, etc.

Ol'Rover · 11-22-2010, 01:57 PM

sweet! deffinatly going to do this!! thanks man helped alot. Ill remember the names and see if i can get one at NAPA. PERFECT!

wheels67 · 11-22-2010, 10:50 PM

I see tusconjt has a gear vendor switch!! LUCKY....

3r!c84 · 11-23-2010, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheels67

I see tusconjt has a gear vendor switch!! LUCKY....

thats the first thing i seen... lucky !!!

Ol'Rover · 11-23-2010, 12:49 AM

yea thats friggin sweet too! Do you have anymore pictures of your truck tuscon?

11-21-2010, 08:09 PM	#1
Ol'Rover Project: years too late. Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Almonte,ON,Canada Posts: 550	Electric Choke to Manual Choke conversion? I have a 1986 GMC Sierra K1500 305 4bbl (Rochester) with an electric choke. Its getting to the Cold winter season up here in Ontario... and my electric choke is garbage, and i know it. I want something a little more reliable. So how would i go about changing my Electric choke over to a manual Choke? __________________ 1971 C10 Stepper LSX 5.3/4L60E 3.73 12bolt posi. Father Son Project. In Memory of Bruce C. Shorten. Rest easy Dad. Ill take it fryom here.

11-21-2010, 10:12 PM	#2
tucsonjwt Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,195	Re: Electric Choke to Manual Choke conversion? Absolutely! I have done it on all of my squares. If you research manual choke conversion kits online you will see how it works. I assume that you have a black bakelite cap on a choke housing on the side of your carburetor. You remove that stock choke cover and replace it with one that has an external lever which actuates the stock choke valve lever inside the choke housing. The external lever is just a pin with a hole in it to accommodate the choke cable with a set screw. There is a cable guide which you mount to any convenient bolt in the area, then route the cable through the firewall (any existing opening) and mount under your dash. I suggest that you adjust the cable so the knob under your dash does not close all the way into the mounting bracket opening. This is because your cable will "shrink or stretch" or loosen over time as you use the choke, and you want to make sure that you can close the cable all the way when closed. Starting tip: depress accelerator all the way to the floor, pull the knob out and keep holding it while you release the accelerator. You do this to make sure that the choke valve closes the last 1/16" inch or so and gives you full choke. If you don't do this, the stock linkage on the carburetor will hang up the choke valve so it does not close all the way. Let me know if you want pics of the setup on my 83.

11-21-2010, 10:23 PM	#3
Ol'Rover Project: years too late. Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Almonte,ON,Canada Posts: 550	Re: Electric Choke to Manual Choke conversion? i would love to see some pictures, because this is exactly what ive been looking for! __________________ 1971 C10 Stepper LSX 5.3/4L60E 3.73 12bolt posi. Father Son Project. In Memory of Bruce C. Shorten. Rest easy Dad. Ill take it fryom here.

11-21-2010, 10:55 PM	#4
tucsonjwt Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,195	Re: Electric Choke to Manual Choke conversion? I will post some pics tomorrow morning. I don't know about the great white North, but you can buy these at any Autozone, Pep Boys, NAPA, etc., in the states. However, I would look for a better quality unit or even an OEM if you can find one, since you will have severe cold which will be hard on your cable and attachments, etc. In any case, a cheap one is only like $12 U.S., so you can experiment with a cheap one without much investment. My cheap Autozone one will loosen up where the set screw attaches to the lever at the choke cap, and I will know this when the truck gets hard to start cold. I just pop the hood, loosen the set screw, take up about 1/4" of slack, re-tighten the set screw - good to go.

11-22-2010, 12:59 PM	#5
tucsonjwt Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,195	Re: Electric Choke to Manual Choke conversion? Here are the pics. I would tape off/cap off the electrical connector lead to your existing choke cover if you go this route. These kits are available all over the internet for $12 + S&H. Dorman makes one. JC Whitney, etc.

11-22-2010, 01:57 PM	#6
Ol'Rover Project: years too late. Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Almonte,ON,Canada Posts: 550	Re: Electric Choke to Manual Choke conversion? sweet! deffinatly going to do this!! thanks man helped alot. Ill remember the names and see if i can get one at NAPA. PERFECT! __________________ 1971 C10 Stepper LSX 5.3/4L60E 3.73 12bolt posi. Father Son Project. In Memory of Bruce C. Shorten. Rest easy Dad. Ill take it fryom here.

11-22-2010, 10:50 PM	#7
wheels67 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: southern Utah Posts: 103	Re: Electric Choke to Manual Choke conversion? I see tusconjt has a gear vendor switch!! LUCKY....

11-23-2010, 12:49 AM	#9
Ol'Rover Project: years too late. Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Almonte,ON,Canada Posts: 550	Re: Electric Choke to Manual Choke conversion? yea thats friggin sweet too! Do you have anymore pictures of your truck tuscon? __________________ 1971 C10 Stepper LSX 5.3/4L60E 3.73 12bolt posi. Father Son Project. In Memory of Bruce C. Shorten. Rest easy Dad. Ill take it fryom here.



Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.