I’ve got a manual choke on my 69 F250 CS and it is a pain in the butt. I’ve found the sweet spot when it is cold, but as the truck heats up I’m tweaking it again to keep the engine running smooth. Then I have to tweak it again when I go from city to highway, where I give it more gas pedal. I feel like I’m pushing and pulling the dang thing constantly.

What are my options? It has a different carburetor put in by the previous owner, so I don’t think it is stock.

 

That is the nature of a manual choke. I drove for many years in the familiy's 65 Falcon with a manual choke. Your carb is a rebuild so you could buy a new rebuilt one that has an automatic choke. Just match the Venturi size which is a 1.xx number on the main body. If a hot water automatic choke, buy an electric 12v choke conversion kit to replace it.

 

this is the exact reason why I put a manual choke in my truck when I bought a new Edelbrock. You are driving an old truck. When you drive an old truck there are old truck things you get to do. If I want the conveniences of a new vehicle I’ll drive a newer rig, but when I want to do old truck things I’ll drive my old pickup.

There are a lot of people who like their electric choke, but then have zero control over what it’s doing. I like to think that since my fuel system doesn’t have a brain (ECU) then I would make a better brain than a bent wire that moves in and out.

 

Yes, I’m aware of the issues with old trucks, but running with a badly adjusted choke is gonna be bad for the engine, fuel efficiency and power, (especially if I plan on pulling an RV). I can adjust my choke 3/16” and hear a difference in efficiency. I can’t maintain that adjustment for efficiency manually under various road conditions.

If I planned on using my truck to just putt around town or in parades it would be different.

 

If you have to fiddle with the choke that much I'd venture to say your carb tuning/jetting is suspect.
I have a manual choke also and I just choke it to start (cold), back it off to 1/4-1/2 choke after 30sec to a minute and then no choke once the engine starts coming up to temp. I never have to monkey with it beyond that.

 

That’s good to know! I can’t run with the choke all the way in. It has to stay about a half an inch out. The guy I bought it from installed the rebuilt carburetor.

Sounds like it definitely needs to be adjusted.
Any good references on how to adjust it?

 

go loosen the screw holding this onto your carb.

Loosen a little the one that’s holding the black coating for the cable right there too so the metal line inside isn’t impinged.

Then go push your choke **** all the way in, tape it in if you need to or have someone hold it.

then you should see more cable coming out of the end that you can slide through the bracket on your carb and tighten.

Then retighten what you loosened.

Then go drive and see how it works.

you may need to adjust your carb as well. If it we’re me, I would go buy an Edelbrock you won’t have to fiddle with tuning it after you do it once.


edit**** I read your post wrong— I thought you were saying your choke handle wouldn’t go in. Lol

yes it sounds like a tune may be in order, I have a shop where I live that I would trust. I would call your local auto parts store and ask them
who works on the most old cars in town.

it’s really not hard if your are a DIYr just YouTube university that carb and adjustments. Or pony up a few hundred bucks for a good edelbrock or Holley and even if they have a manual choke will last hold a tune.