Choke? What Choke...

Upon inspection of my turn signal controls, I was looking closely at my choke cable, and noticed the cable was hanging on by one spindle/wire, I blame the OP...

I was just wondering what kind of damage if any (I dont think, am a newbie though) would I do driving it to the bike salvage for a new or slightly used cable

 

You'll be fine. Just don't go when it's too cold outside. (bring some starter fluid with you just in case)

 

so long as it doesnt fray and keep the "choke" open (its not really a choke per se) you should be fine to ride to get a replacement.

 

even if it was totally disconnected the enrichment valves will naturally spring closed

 

yes, as long as a frayed cable end doesnt hang up in the casing though. Again, its not really a "choke" so its less power robbing if it hangs up.


FYI for anyone wondering: A choke works by richening the mixture via a restriction of the air through a carb usually with a butterfly valve of some description. If a warm engine is choked it will have less power because there is less airflow, like a restrictor plate on a nascar engine
The fuel enrichement circuit on our carbs opens a passage that allows a little more fuel into the vacuum stream, so on a warm engine we will run rich but at least not limit power quite as much because we still have full airflow.

 

"A little bit?"

Have you had your carbs apart yet? The enrichment circuit opens a fuel DUMP (relatively speaking) that allows a LARGE amount (again relatively speaking) of fuel to pretty much get dumped into the intake stream.

A properly tuned XJ, fully warmed up, won't run on full enrichment, it will flood out sputter and die.

Luckily, as pointed out above, the mechanism is spring-loaded toward "off" so if the cable fails outright it won't stop you.

 

I was starting to wonder..... my bike wont run when the enrichment circuit is open more than a tiny little bit and then it runs really bad!!!

 

not true. it wont idle, but it will run. Go start your cold bike, full "choke" and before its fully warmed up, get it up to highway speed and leave the fuel enrichment on full, see how far you go. You wont even notice its on at highway speeds.


...of course your plugs will be black when you get home, but still...


and yes, Ive had my carbs apart. In fact, my XJ came as a rolling chassis and a bunch of boxes of parts.

 

I notice. There is a definate differance in performance and sound when I have it open even a bitand when it's closed. Doesn't even take highway speeds to know.

 

Yeah no kidding. If I forget and leave it only HALF on, the bike starts stumbling and burbling on over-run, even at highway speeds, once warmed up. PLUS it won't idle.

Both of my (properly tuned and maintained, stock carbs and exhaust) XJs behave the same way.

If the bike runs fine with the enrichment circuit "on" then it likely has a fuel delivery or mixture issue somewhere, or the enrichment circuits are partially plugged and not "dumping" fuel as designed.

With everything 100%, you will notice if the "choke" is on once warmed up, even at highway speeds. If NOT, somethin' ain't 100%.

 

lol, must be those tiny little 550 carbs.

p.s. I didnt say "fine" is said it will run and thats still true, but whatever.