Holley Carb question

I have a Holley 2bbl. on my 302. It is electric choke.

When I turn the key to the on position, the choke open the carb all the way and it is a ***** to get it started, unless we hold it closed and gradually open it up after it warms up. I actually have to identical carbs and they both do the same thing. We have adjust the side of the choke to make it lean or rich and nothing.

Any suggestion?

Thanks.

Re: Holley Carb question

Volt meter at the connection on the carb/choke.What's the reading?I think it should be 12v.No power?Figure out the problem.Power then adjust the butterflys.
Before you start and on a COLD motor.Remove the spring cover.Turn the butterfly till it just closes.Tighten the screws.I think that's how it's done.J

Re: Holley Carb question

The electric choke heats up properly, I believe. It just heats up too fast on both of my engines. Is there anything I can hook up that would slow down the choke so it wouldn't heat up too fast?

My engines will start, it's just a big inconvience to open the hatches and take off the spark arresters start and put everything together every time the engines are cold, ya know?

Re: Holley Carb question

how old are the carbs? the internal spring in the choke housings is probably losing tension due to age.

they are super cheap parts to replace. like $14 on ebay or summit racing.

another option would be to just convert to manual choke on both and mount them right below the hatch so all you have to do is pop the hatch open, pull the chokes, start and warm up, close the chokes and close the hatch...or run them all the way to the console?

Re: Holley Carb question

Go to the Holley website a lot of info problems/solutions there.

Re: Holley Carb question

Zamble said:

I have a Holley 2bbl. on my 302. It is electric choke.

When I turn the key to the on position, the choke open the carb all the way and it is a ***** to get it started, unless we hold it closed and gradually open it up after it warms up. I actually have to identical carbs and they both do the same thing. We have adjust the side of the choke to make it lean or rich and nothing.

Any suggestion?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

The way the electric chokes works is, when you turn the key to the "on" or "run" position, current starts to flow through a coiled up, bi-metallic spring. When the spring is cold, the choke in in the closed position, restricting air flow and richening up the air fuel mixture. The longer the key is on and current is flowing, the hotter the spring gets. The spring start to uncoil and that moves the choke to to the open position with unrestricted airflow.

If you turn your key on at the top of the ramp, you could be heating up the spring without running the motor, and then when you are ready to start the motor the choke has already done it's thing and you are in the open position.

The electric choke is also adjustable, by physically turning the spring housing. If it is mis-adjusted, the spring will never be able to close the choke and you would again be always in the open position, or it would open really fast. There are marks in the spring housing to help you adjust it, but moving the housing so the choke is fully closed ( but only just barely) when it is cold is how you pick a starting point and fiddle with it from there.

Do either of these scenarios sound like what happens to you?

You can also (I have been told), burn up your choke spring by leaving the key on when the motor isn't running, something about no airflow to cool it (a bleed hole that pulls air through when the motor runs?), but I have left mine on accidentally plenty of times for hours and mine still works fine. I try not to do it though. I imagine that a burned up choke spring would not work at all, which is the opposite of your problem though.

Re: Holley Carb question

Thanks for the responses.

Our boat is in the water, we rent a slip. So the key is always off until I try to start it. My 302's can be a hard initial start at times. Within about 2 or 3 mins the choke spring has opened all the way. My port engine usually starts fairly quick.

How can I tell if the choke spring is getting worn? When I adjust the choke lean or rich, it feels nice and tight, not sloppy.

The small screen on the choke, is that the bleed hole? I checked over the carb before everything, and I cleaned the screen off.

Thanks.

Re: Holley Carb question

*bump

Re: Holley Carb question

Zamble'
The advice above

There are marks in the spring housing to help you adjust it, but moving the housing so the choke is fully closed ( but only just barely) when it is cold is how you pick a starting point and fiddle with it from there.

Click to expand...

Your choke is misadjusted if hard to start it normally means choke is adjusted close to much, loosen the 3 screws that hold the black housing and rotate it clockwise 1-2 notches. Try to start if no fast start rotate more. You will see notches on the housing with a center point and indicator on the housing. My four barrels the manuals on the holley site say 1 1/2 notches off center toward back of engine. I would look on their site to find out what your setting should be.

Re: Holley Carb question

Zamble said:

Within about 2 or 3 mins the choke spring has opened all the way.

Click to expand...

That is about how long mine takes to open as well. You could adjust the choke by rotating the housing to leave more slack in the bi-metallic spring when it's cold. That would give you more time before the choke opened up all the way.

How can I tell if the choke spring is getting worn? When I adjust the choke lean or rich, it feels nice and tight, not sloppy.

Click to expand...

I don't think it ever really gets "worn out", unless it just stops functioning altogether. It's not really a spring at all, though it looks like one and that is what everyone calls it.

The small screen on the choke, is that the bleed hole? I checked over the carb before everything, and I cleaned the screen off.

Click to expand...

Yes, that's it. It's there to keep the choke from overheating, since the spring is being heated any time the key is on. It wouldn't be affecting the chokes operation at start up though.

Since it is taking you more than 2-3 minutes of cranking to get your boat started, I wonder if you don't have other issues. Certainly having the choke on longer would help it start, but perhaps finding and fixing the cause of your hard starting is where you should be looking. 2-3 minutes of having the choke on should be enough to get going and warmed up.

Re: Holley Carb question

Zamble,

My port engine usually starts fairly quick.

Click to expand...

Look at the port engine choke setting in relation to the housing center point marks I'd bet it's different on the starboard. If so, reset it to match port.