Winter is quickly approaching, and while we don't see the frost accumulating quite as much over here on the West Coast, the fact of the matter is the temperature is dropping and the colder it gets, the harder it's going to be to crank over and get your carbureted engine started. We're sure your mill will love the chilly-thick air after it's running, but until that moment you could be in for some work, requiring a bit of patience. Besides, cranking over a frozen motor repeatedly is a good way to kill your starter, not to mention drain your battery. Who wants to be stuck in the cold like that? Add a supercharger or high-compression to the mix, and the only thing that's going to be running is your heart rate from all that erratic key turning and gas pedal pumping.

What prevents the engine from firing in cold weather? Basically it's a matter of atomizing the fuel properly and efficiently. In a nutshell, droplets of fuel have a difficult time evaporating in a chilly environment. So during cold weather, with the help of a choke-valve, the level of vacuum inside the carburetor rises, which also causes a proportionally greater amount of fuel to be sucked out of the main jet and into the combustion chamber, essentially cutting off air, enriching the fuel-to-air mixture, and allowing the engine to start more easily. Once the engine is warm from combustion, the choke valve opens back up, restoring the carburetor to normal operation.

While some factory cars have a manual option for the choke, we couldn't pass up a chance to upgrade our carburetor with an electric-choke kit from Holley, priced around $60 for the complete kit (PN 45-244S). The match was seamless and took approximately two hours from start to finish. Bring on the cold starts! We're not scared.

Quick Notes
What We Did
Converted our Holley 700-cfm carburetor from manual to electric choke

Bottom Line
No more cold-crank starts

Cost (Approx)
$60

  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Removed Manual Choke Housing
    To get a better handle on the install, we went ahead and removed the carburetor from the top of the engine. We also propped the carburetor up off the work area and then we removed the manual choke housing and all of its associated linkage, keeping the bolts off to the side for later.
    To get a better handle on the install, we went ahead and removed the carburetor from the t
  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Removing Screw That Holds The Fast Idle Levers
    First, we removed the screw that holds the fast idle levers. We set the screw, spring, and small lever to the side for a later time. The larger lever we won't need because the kit comes with a new one. Using the original spring and small lever, we reassembled the parts to the throttle-shaft with the new larger lever from the kit and bolted it into the body of the carb with the original screw. This took a little effort, but we got through it by taking our time.
    First, we removed the screw that holds the fast idle levers. We set the screw, spring, and
  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Removed Mast Idle Cam
    We had to assemble the choke housing to the main body of the carburetor and then took special note of where the fast idle cam (red lever) needed to be after being bolted onto the main body. We then moved the fast idle cam above the choke rod.
    We had to assemble the choke housing to the main body of the carburetor and then took spec
  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Choke Rod Placed Into The Choke Housing
    The choke rod must be placed specifically into the choke housing until the lever is past the hole in the rod. Once the choke is operational, this rod opens and closes the butterfly on top of the carburetor, creating vacuum and pulling more fuel when the butterfly is closed and less when it's open.
    The choke rod must be placed specifically into the choke housing until the lever is past t
  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Inserting Fastener Clip
    Taking our time, we placed each component of the choke housing (fast idle cam) and the choke rod to meet up. We threw in a mid-length bolt to keep the assembly together while we inserted the fastener clip with needle nose pliers to secure the choke lever.
    Taking our time, we placed each component of the choke housing (fast idle cam) and the cho
  • Next, we installed the new choke cap gasket onto the housing.
  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Sliding Retainer Ring On
    To install the choke cap, the retaining ring must be slid on first. Be sure to install the ring so it bows outward from the choke cap.
    To install the choke cap, the retaining ring must be slid on first. Be sure to install the
  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Cold Engine Start
    Once the ignition is turned on and the cold engine starts, the choke butterfly is closed (cold condition) creating more vacuum and adding more fuel. As power is sent to the choke cap, the bi-metal spring begins to heat up as the motor is running. Once the spring heats up, the spring should begin to wind itself, turning the choke cap. As the choke cap turns, it pulls the choke lever open, allowing additional air, which allows the carburetor to do its job.
    Once the ignition is turned on and the cold engine starts, the choke butterfly is closed (
  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Installing Assembly Onto Choke Housing
    With the ring on the choke cap, we installed the assembly onto the choke housing. When we installed the cap, we made sure the bi-metal pickup lever (in the housing) fit into the loop in the bi-metal spring. Once it was in place, we checked it and rotated the choke plate clockwise to open and close it by turning it counterclockwise.
    With the ring on the choke cap, we installed the assembly onto the choke housing. When we
  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Grounding Choke Cap
    Using the supplied ground wire, we grounded the choke cap to the carburetor by connecting the end-clip and connected the other end through the eyelet with a bolt from the choke housing.
    Using the supplied ground wire, we grounded the choke cap to the carburetor by connecting
  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Reinstalled Carb Onto The Intake Manifold
    Next, we took the carb back to the car, where we reinstalled it. This kit still requires vacuum to operate properly. Our kit came with a T-connector, which we tapped into the distributor vacuum advance line that goes to the manifold vacuum port on the carburetor. The other T'd line gets fed into the port at the bottom of the choke housing.
    Next, we took the carb back to the car, where we reinstalled it. This kit still requires v
  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Connecting Power Source Wires
    Our other wire from the kit needed to be connected to a power source off the ignition, but must only receive voltage when the engine is running; otherwise we could overheat the choke cap and damage it. We found a connection near the firewall that was fused and tapped into it with a splicer. Note: Connecting the ground/power wires opposite of each other could result in a direct short and could cause a fire.
    Our other wire from the kit needed to be connected to a power source off the ignition, but
  • Holley 700 Electric Choke Kit Install Setting Up Carb
    Once the connections were completed, we could set our choke to operate properly. To do this, run the engine and bring the idle up to adjust the choke functions. From there we shut off the motor to make sure the choke would close as it cooled off, andwe fired it up once more to verify that our new electric choke was fully operational.
    Once the connections were completed, we could set our choke to operate properly. To do thi
SOURCE
Holley
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