Choke doesn,t go far enough

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supertramp

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May 29, 2009
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I have just aquired a 72 commando and find that the choke has no effect. Further investigation reveals that there is not enough movement to allow the slide to come more than half way down.Also the lever only moves a quarter turn where as I recall thirty years ago it moved half a turn. Any ideas?
 
If you are talking about the chokes for cold starting on Amals, I never found them to have any effect. Tickling will get it done.
 
JimC said:
If you are talking about the chokes for cold starting on Amals, I never found them to have any effect. Tickling will get it done.
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In FL I'd make the same statement. It's might not work as well in places with seasons other than "burn" and "hurricane". :mrgreen:

That being said, tickle and kick and see if that works. :D
 
supertramp said:
I have just aquired a 72 commando and find that the choke has no effect. Further investigation reveals that there is not enough movement to allow the slide to come more than half way down.Also the lever only moves a quarter turn where as I recall thirty years ago it moved half a turn.
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The standard choke control should move the slides from fully off, to fully on, in about a quarter turn (or maybe a little more) of the lever?

Maybe the choke inner cables are too short?
 
The cables are too short.

I, unlike others, have found them to be exactly what's needed for a one-kick start every time when cold. You STILL want to tickle them to a few dribble drops.
 
My 850 NEEDS the choke sometimes. It always has. My brother's 750 doesn't need it at all, ever. We live in the same town so it's not like we experience different weather conditions. I can't explain the difference but it's so.

There are different cables for choke and throttle. They look identical but are not. The choke lever only turns about 1/4 turn from full open to full closed. You should feel some slack in the cables at the lever and at the carbs when the slides are all the way down.
 
I agree with the comments above.

When the choke is on, there should be just a little slack in the cables, and the choke slide should be all the way down with the lever parallel with the handlebar. With the choke off, slides should be fully retracted, and the lever about 90 degrees from the handlebar.

Pulling the choke lever pulls the choke off, slackening the lever lets the choke on.

Here in South Florida, it is completely unnecessary to use the choke. I'm a few hundred miles further South than JimC. Its gonna hit 95 today - and that's just the humidity!
 
I have the same problem on my 850 with the choke cables being incorrect. My favorite supplier sent me throttle cables instead of choke cables. Looking on their website, it appears they do not understand the difference and supply throttle cables for both applicaions, which as we all now know is not correct. So I have to source the proper cables from someone else I guess.

BTW here in Colorado my Nortons do not need the chokes in the summer but very definitely do need them the other nine months of the year. Choke is usually only required for the first start of the day however.

Debby
 
Hi

When I first collected my 1974 Interstate, I rode it home 90 miles. It was and still is my first Norton.

For the first 30 miles it spluttered, back fired and was underpowered. I thought I had bought a dog and wished I had stayed with Triumphs. I realised however that the choke mounted on the handlebar was turned too far round that it retarded the fuel.

I adjusted the choke lever till the engine was running fine. The remaining 60 miles were a joy.

I do not touch the choke at all. I only tickle the right then left carbs before kickstarting.

Good luck mate.

Dave
 
I tickle my 850 when it's stone cold and also use the choke for the first minute or so. If not it will stall. If the engine is luke warm I use a bit of choke and no tickle. Once it's fully warmed up it needs neither.

Consider a carburetted car with automatic choke. You jab the throttle a couple times to squirt raw fuel nto the intake (like tickling) and set the choke mechanism. As the engine warms up the choke opens. If starting a warm but not hot engine, the choke closes slightly and opens as soon as it starts. Why should a well tuned motorcycle be any different?
 
Thanks to everyone who has given advice on this. I'm fairly sure now that I have throttle cables fitted to the chokes but think I'll just tickle and see how it goes.
 
maylar said:
Why should a well tuned motorcycle be any different?
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Perhaps an air-cooled motorcycle engine warms up faster? I think, as an informal survey will indicate, ambient temperature will have a significant impact.
 
Captain B said:
Has anyone just done away with the choke all together? :idea:
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I have and just leave the engine for a few minutes whilst putting on panniers, helmet, gloves then 1 cigarette and I am good to go. (Cigarette not compulsory) :)
 
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