4.3 electric choke test???

Hey guys, I have a 4.3 carbed mercruiser. I have the carburetor disassembled & rebuilding due to starting issues when dewinterizing. Can someone tell me exactly how to test the electric choke?

Someone told me to just apply 12 volts to it? I have done this & it does nothing. I work on atv's & from what I know with electric chokes on them is that it is not only electric, but temperature related?

Can someone tell me how to test my electric choke correctly?

Thanks again.

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

It's simply a heating element that opens a bimetal spring. You will need 12v and a ground. Most are simply grounded through the body of the carb... but if your carb is on the bench, you will need to provide a ground to the element.

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

I do have it on the bench so if I connect 12 volts + to one wire from battery source & ground from a battery source to the other wire it should work correct? How long does it take for the plunger to pull back in & choke it?

Thanks so much

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

Just make sure you are grounding the correct part. If your element has two spade terminals, then one is for the 12v + and the other is for the ground.

If it only has one terminal, then that is for the 12v + and on the back of the element, where it connects to the carb body is where you will need to hook up your ground.

It should start getting hot and moving pretty quick - never timed it, but I would think less than a minute.

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

I have tried it by putting the 12vdc+ on both wires & can't get it to do anything. Should it be just like bench testing a starter, meaning that no matter where you connect the + and - as long as you have both it will work?

By the way my choke has a 2 pin connector

Thanks

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

As I say, it's just a heating element, and they do go bad. If you are applying power and a ground, then it should activate. If it doesn't, then I would say it is bad.

Is the element still attached to the carb? Or have you removed it?

You might take it off and make sure the spring inside isn't broken or not hooked up correctly.

Why are you testing it in the first place? Does the choke not open? (You do realize that the electric element only OPENS the choke - it has nothing to do with CLOSING the choke).

What symptoms are you having?

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

(You do realize that the electric element only OPENS the choke - it has nothing to do with CLOSING the choke).

Click to expand...

Here's how mine works. The weight of the plate and rod cause the choke "fall" open. It naturally wants to do this at all times. If the coil is cold, it blocks that from happening thereby keeping the choke closed. When the coil is powered or heated, it removes itself from obstructing this action and the choke falls open on its own weight, but the coil does not actually pull the choke open. When everything is powered down and cools, the coil then pushes the choke closed if there are no other linkages prohibiting it.

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

Fishermark said:

As I say, it's just a heating element, and they do go bad. If you are applying power and a ground, then it should activate. If it doesn't, then I would say it is bad.

Is the element still attached to the carb? Or have you removed it?

You might take it off and make sure the spring inside isn't broken or not hooked up correctly.

Why are you testing it in the first place? Does the choke not open? (You do realize that the electric element only OPENS the choke - it has nothing to do with CLOSING the choke).

What symptoms are you having?

Click to expand...

I am applying 12 vdc and ground and the plunger does not move at all. I have removed the choke from the carb & have it on the bench. I do understand that the element only opens the choke. It is in the closed position & moves freely when I push it in by hand, but again, with 12volts applied it will do nothing.

The reason I am testing it is because the boat will not run. It ran fine last year, I winterized it & now dewinterizing & it will not run. It will crank & sometimes start & run for no more than 2 seconds, then shut off. I was able to get it running one time by feathering the hell out of the gas, but once it got below 2500 rpm it would die. Someone told me it may be the fuel pump, but I have checked it & it is ok. I put a new set of plugs in it & still the same. When I pulled the breather off of it, it seems I got a wiff of bad gas (don't know why because I did put stabil in it). So I decided to pull the carb & check it out. I am an ATV shop owner & work on ATV's. My problems with the boat sound just like an ATV that has a clogged pilot jet. When I disassembled my carb on the boat it was pretty damn clean. The pilot jet may have been partially clogged.

So back to the reason I am testing the choke.... I have talked to a local boat shop & he said that he has seen some boats with my characteristics & it be the electric choke. So I decided to test it & want to be sure I am doing it correctly.

Let me know what you think!!!!

Thanks again

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

Measure with an ohm meter to see that there is continuity through the heating element.

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

bruceb58 said:

Measure with an ohm meter to see that there is continuity through the heating element.

Click to expand...

I am assuming that the element is the spring???

Is there a way to disassemble the plastic housing of the choke & is this necessary to do the continuity check?

Also do you agree with the test method of applying 12vdc to it & the plunger should move??

All help is greatly appreciated!!!

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

If you have two terminals then you do it across them. If you have one you measure between the the one terminal and the block.

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

bruceb58 said:

If you have two terminals then you do it across them. If you have one you measure between the the one terminal and the block.

Click to expand...

Doing "it" meaning the continuity check?

Mine does have two terminals.

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

ljenks said:

Doing "it" meaning the continuity check?

Mine does have two terminals.

Click to expand...

Yes.

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

So you are saying if I have continuity between the two wires & I apply 12 volts to it, it should move the plunger??

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

That's the first step in the troubleshooting process. If the coil isn't heating nothing else is going to work.

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

Is there a way to disassemble the choke housing?

Re: 4.3 electric choke test???

An electric choke is a pretty simple thing. It will not prevent the engine from running though (I only boat in warm weather....I completely disconnected mine altogether)

My Holley 4160 (from my former OMC 460) is below. Note the 2 "tabs" on the black choke element housing. You just check the continuity on those two tabs....or apply power there and see if it warms up..... (the 3 screws on the housing hold it together....)

That's also where you connect power. (12vdc) This one has VERY loose rivets holding the tabs on and they don't indicate very good continuity and it intermittently works.......If I was going to use it I would probably drill out the little rivets, install brass screws and maybe solder the tabs to the screws.....

But, as I said above, I just disconnected it and had no further problems.


I replaced the engine with a Merc 454 a few years ago and the first thing I did was disconnect the electric power to the choke and adjust it "out of the picture".........ymmv

Cheers,


Rick