[bgoggans]

I have a 1966 Valiant 200 4 door with the 279cu (4.5L) engine. The car sat for over 2 years, so a lot of work has gone on since I got it.

We replaced all the brakes (everything except the backplates!, and upgraded it to a 2 chamber master cylinder!). All rubber hoses replaced, new shoes, wheel cyls, turned the drums, replaced a bad steel brake line, all new hardware.

We also had to completely redo the fuel system. Gunked up big time. Cleaned the tank, replaced the sending unit, cleaned out the line, replaced the fuel pump, fuel filter, rebuilt the carburetor. dang thing runs like a dream now! I have the 2BBL Holley carburetor.

My problem? I cannot hook up the automatic choke. The linkages from the coil to the carb are gone. Kaputski! Even if I hook it up, I don't know if the coil will still do its thing. I have heard that these OEM chokes never worked very well anyway (it never did on my 1BBL1967 Dodge Dart /6 225 carb either).

if someone knows how/where I can get auto choke parts for the Holley carb, great! If not, does anyone know which Holley electric choke kit I can get to replace it with? I think I would actually prefer to go ahead and get the electric kit, but I am not sure.

 

[bgoggans]

There's no such engine. Are you referring to the 273 cubic inch V-8?

In my experience, the chokes worked fine IF the exhaust passage across the intake manifold, that was supposed to heat the choke coil, was not clogged.

Sorry for the typo on the engine size. Yes, my motor is the 273cu. V8 LA engine. I was in a bit of a hurry to get my question in.

Gosh. I better not do that again. Wow! that made a HUGE difference that makes in the answer to my question! Thanks! I guess the spelling, syntax, and punctuation police are on the job today! Hooray!

As for the operation of the choke, without the linkages, I really don't know if it works or not. My comment was only to the fact that Dodge auto chokes on the /6 225 was crap and I know this fact personally as I experienced it - even when I bought a brand new one and hooked it up, it never really functioned properly on really cold days.

Do you know of a source for the linkages? I have contacted Holley and have not had a response from them as of yet. No junkyard around here has any, no parts store lists it that I have found. If I cannot get the linkages for the OEM auto choke, then what electric choke replacement kit will work with the 2BBL Holley carb I have?

 

[bgoggans]

I just bought an electric choke conversion kit from carbs.com. Price was $50 + shipping. The part #1231 says it will work with both the Carter and Holley 2BB carburetors. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Holley is of no help on this issue. There is no known source of parts for the Holley Replacement carb for a 273cu engine - except for any JY's that might have the Holley R7890-2280 carb on a junker and STILL have the auto choke parts not yet salvaged....

I am also batting around the idea that I may be able to fashion a linkage myself using an image of one as a guideline - if all else fails. I can get Carter linkages almost anywhere, and the only real difference is that I need a little more height to be able to reach the connection point on the carb.

As for a manual choke. If I end up having to, that is the very last resort. My wife will want to drive this car from time to time, and she would not know how to manipulate a manual choke properly without me having to teach her.

 

[bgoggans]

As I stated in an earlier post, I bought an electric choke from carbsonly.com.

Because I do not have the Carter 2bb carb, but the replacement Holley 2bb carb (R7890-2280), I could not find anyone, anywhere who had the full automatic OEM electric choke assembly for this carb.

I called Carlos Vasquez at BFIC Fuel Systems (carbsonly.com) and he helped me order the electric choke (Part # 1274) I needed. Nice guy.

I got the part two days after I ordered it. I put it on this past weekend. It was a breeze! The instructions were simple to understand and it was easy to install.

1) I removed 1 bolt from my intake manifold close to the carbureator. I cleaned and sanded the spot and put the sensor and bolt back on.

2) The other wire was just as easy. It had to connect to the input side of the coil (not the distributor side). So, I simply added a loop connector to the end of the wire, undid the nut on that side of the coil, added it to the wire there, and put the nut back on. No cutting, splicing. zip. I even used the wire guides on the manifold cover to take up the extra wire to keep it neat.

3) Then, I removed what was left of the old temp coil assembly on the manifold and bolted the new electric choke assembly right back in the same spot - left it loose to do final alignment later.

4) Hooked the linkage right onto the the Holley carb choke lever like it was nothing and fastened the clip. Adjusted the assembly to make sure the linkage and the connection were clear, then tightened the bolts to lock it down.

5) Manually adjusted the choke by turning the assembly until the choke was properly set (the engine was stone cold), then tightened the bolt to lock the adjuster.

6) Hooked up the two wires (one was a male spade connector and the other a female, so it is impossible to get mixed up), and fired it right up. When it reached the proper temp. the choke disengaged as it should!

Wow! I wish I had done this a month ago! I hope this helps anyone thinking about switching or needing to replace one that don't work.