LUVTruck.com

Looks like the former owner of my 1979 LUV wired open the choke, probably due to problems getting power to the electric choke.

Unfortunately, this means the truck starts with difficulty for the first time each day, because the fuel has run out of the engine. The problem seems to get worse if it's cold. I usually have to crank a couple of minutes while pumping the gas pedal to get it to start in the morning. (It's about 45deg right now)

It starts RIGHT up once I've gotten it started for the day.

I'm very new at this... so... Do I remove the wire and try to diagnose the issue, or just live with cranking it? Am I looking at two problems (difficulty starting in the cold / wired-open choke) or just one?

Thanks!
Rev

One of the first things I would do is see if you can get the choke to work right. Yes, there could be a second problem, the float bowl could leak. Before starting it, look at the little window in the front of the float bowl. You should be able to see the gas part way up it. It should not be clear full or clear empty.

If all else fails, put a hand choke on it. In the past, I bought a kit for it, not much, a cable, a knob, and a couple of brackets. These days, you might have to rig one starting with parts from a small engine supply. My LUV is about the only carburatored thing I have owned I didn't eventually put a hand choke on. We had some bad winters in the 70's. My truck sat inside the garage next to furnace. Many days its first winter, I drove my 71 Valiant, which sat outside, because I could start it. It had a hand choke.

Sure, I've already got an array of supplementary controls on the dash for the floodlights, etc, so why not a manual choke, too?

Thanks for the response!

Rev

I agree with Labman too, get the choke operational. If not, the next thing you will be replaceing is the starter, battery, alternator, etc from over stress.

I picked up a choke cable at the junk yard for a few bucks,fires right up every time!

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76 mikado project,mean green

Yeah, the junk yard. Great! Good thinking!

you will probably go through a lil more fuel with this setup

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76 mikado project,mean green

This morning it wasn't any warmer, but the truck started right up. Boy, am I puzzled now. Wondering if there aren't a few kinks being worked out now that it's being driven regularly.

Going to get that wire out of the way of the choke and see what happens.

Rev

I agree with everyone, use a manual choke or repair the electric one or at the very least you'll hate life on very cold mornings.

Here's an easy way to diagnose the electric choke:
With the engine off and cold, open the choke plate by hand and release it. It should spring back. Warm up the engine, turn it off and check the choke plate again. This time it should remain open. If it still springs back, there is either no voltage at the choke or the connection inside the coil is broken.

If the choke stays open with the engine off but shuts when running, the vacuum pull-off may be disconnected or damaged. If the pull-off is busted you may be stuck using a manual choke since I believe they are no longer available as replacement parts. Hope this helps out!

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-Micah
05 GTO 6.0
85 Yamaha RZ350

mine was doing starting stuff like that at random, but it was my Points, they were closed. opened them up gas milaged jumped up dramatically.

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1980 Chevy Luv 4x4 mikado factory Black.

1.8L 4spd

THANK YOU. I will do that this Saturday.

Hmm... Check and check.

Rev