Lets talk electric chokes

[VWScott]

Ok the situation is as follows-car runs but has a non functioning choke which means its hard to start in cold weather like say today. Choke mechanism isnt working and I verified this when I removed it from the car and applied plus 12 volts and ground to the coil. It heats up but does not move. I buy a new one. This time it heats and moves but when applied to carb-Weber Progressive the choke plate stays where you set it and will not come down the fast idle cam even after blipping the throttle. I am seriously considering converting over to manual choke instead of messing with this Mickey Mouse auto choke that Weber uses. Any thoughts?

[OldRoller]

If your new coil expands as it should then the connection to the body of the choke (linkage pin and its associated parts) are suspect. Do the choke blades move through their travel when finger manipulated? Fast idle cam come up when blades are fully closed? Any binding felt in the linkage? Do the check at the pin the electric coil slides over.

One thing often overlooked is the ground for the coil. It grounds through the body of the carb at the housing. Check the tab that contacts the housing for connection. Any gasket on the flange may be isolating the coil, or a loss of continuity through the carb body to the housing. Take a test light connected to battery positive and verify ground at carb body, linkage, and housing. When installing cold, turn the choke until it just closes the blades, then a tiny tweak more. Too tight and it won't retract the blades. as there is minimal movement of the coil when heated.

 

Electric chokes on the Webers work beautifully when adjusted correctly. Don't give up on it! 

Edited February 16 by OldRoller

[VWScott]

3 hours ago, OldRoller said:

If your new coil expands as it should then the connection to the body of the choke (linkage pin and its associated parts) are suspect. Do the choke blades move through their travel when finger manipulated? Fast idle cam come up when blades are fully closed? Any binding felt in the linkage? Do the check at the pin the electric coil slides over.

One thing often overlooked is the ground for the coil. It grounds through the body of the carb at the housing. Check the tab that contacts the housing for connection. Any gasket on the flange may be isolating the coil, or a loss of continuity through the carb body to the housing. Take a test light connected to battery positive and verify ground at carb body, linkage, and housing. When installing cold, turn the choke until it just closes the blades, then a tiny tweak more. Too tight and it won't retract the blades. as there is minimal movement of the coil when heated.

 

Electric chokes on the Webers work beautifully when adjusted correctly. Don't give up on it! 

I've been through this process multiple times.Continuity checked-good.No binding.For the life of me I cant see why when choke is heated it isnt moving the butterfly backwards after blipping throttle. I mean the choke system isnt very complicated but I will say single barrel Solex even less so. I've run dual carbs without chokes on my VWs for many years and the last carb with a choke was a stock '65 Bug.That carb 28pict-1 was dead simple. I will  go pull choke on this Weber if I cant get it sorted.They are simple and reliable.