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Hello guys, right on my cavalier 1.8 auto, I have a manual choke as I will be starting to drive it end of the month want to know the best way to use it, it's my first car with a manual choke so just need bit of help, thanks in advance

If you've never used one before it'll be tricky to set it just right at first, but you'll get used to it. I loved it on my old manual, almost felt like starting an aircraft engine.... Basically if the choke knob is pushed forward, it's off, if you pull it back, it activates the choke. I think on mine I pulled it maybe 2 inches on a cold start, less on a warm day. If the engine is warm, you don't need it on, it runs too rich otherwise. Listen for the engine note and you'll know when it's idling ok, as it warms up, you can gradually push the knob forward as it won't need it then. Hope this helps.

Pull it out fully on starting, push it in as soon as possible. You will get to know how quickly it will let you push it in, if it runs rough you are too fast. Basically run as little choke as you can retaining the smooth running.

Thanks guys, so basically pull it out fully and start engine and then push it back in slowly till it runs smooth without shuddering, someone told me never to start with the choke out but I'm sure it needs to be out for it to start in the first place lol confused, just don't want to bugger my engine

If you have too much choke it will start chugging , if left it could flood the engine and cut out.
if not enough choke it will not respond to the throttle, ie it will hesitate.
procedure for starting a flooded engine is, push the choke in fully, press the throttle to the floor, crank the engine until it fires up.dont pump the pedal as you will put more fuel in with the accelerator pump.
obviously once its fired up release the throttle but keep it at a fast idle until its running cleanly.
I have carbs on my FZR, from cold I give it almost full choke, soon as its started push choke to about halfway, set off then after half a mile or so push choke home.you will get to learn what it needs depending on car and ambient temperatures.

Lol now I get it, so press accelerator pedal to floor start engine, once started then pull out choke as much needed to run smooth and then as it warms up push in gradually, hope I got this right

CAV-BAZZA wrote:Lol now I get it, so press accelerator pedal to floor start engine, once started then pull out choke as much needed to run smooth and then as it warms up push in gradually, hope I got this right

Only if it's flooded. Throttle isn't needed if the engine isn't flooded, i.e. pumping pedal.... Just use the choke. If I had my old Cavalier still I'd make a video, but it should be simple to understand once you try it.

Ok so it's basically , pull choke out start engine (without throttle) and adjust to a level where the engine idles calmly and as it warms up let's it push back in, lol now is it right

There we go

So the choke is mainly used when u start car from cold ie: morning, other than that during the period of the day it should start by the accelerator if needed so for example if had driven it for 1 1/2 hours and then parked up for 4 I shouldn't need the choke, just wondering as my dad was like your always using Your choke to start but you shouldn't need it once you warmed engine up in morning lol the cavalier was born. Before me so need that extra help

Pretty much. Anything over 4 hours, you can use a trickle of choke, but if it starts fine on a warm day then no need. Only when cold engine and cold temperature.

So ideally it really depends what it need at the time of starting, for example after 4 hours if a bit of accelerator on starting doesn't work then abit of choke will be fine, sorry to be a pain just want to make sure I don't flood or mess anything up

Cold engine + cold temperature = pull choke before starting.

Cold engine + hot temperature = pull choke a little bit before starting.

Warm engine = no need for choke.


That really is as simple as it gets.