[78w72]

Originally Posted by carbking

On older cars with automatic transmission, the transmission REQUIRES the engine to be completely to operating temperature before the choke completely relaxes. At the first stop sign, choke was completely off, engine stalled, and would not restart as the choke was completely off. Wife walked home. Of course, when I got home, choke was completely closed, and engine started normally. The worst thing was I did not initially figure out the problem, and didn't fix it; figured just a fluke. Same thing happened the next day! That night, wife said fix it, or buy me a different car! That was a Friday. Saturday, after testing, fabricated a new choke stove and reinstalled the hot air choke cover. We put another 200,000 miles on that car!

As far as the Toyota versus the TransAm: never tried to run them at top speed, so don't know; neither one was awe-inspiring after maybe 80. The Toyota needed a sway bar, don't know what the T/A needed. The Toyota, with a full tank of gasoline, weighed about 2150. The TransAm, with a full tank of gasoline weighed about 3900. Before the turbo, I could spot the TransAm first second gears in the 1/4. After the turbo, could only spot the TransAm first gear. TransAm had a dogmatic transmission.

Modifications to the Toyota: 1967 (pre-smog, but same engine) cylinder head and distributor; plus someone breathed on the carburetor. 4-speed was swapped out for a 5-speed, but gear ratios were the same, except for the 5th gear overdrive. This was purchased before I was bit by the "buy American" bug.

I don't care what the magazines said; we had both cars.

EDIT: had a telephone call, and quit before finishing. I don't know enough about torque converters and automatic transmissions to know why the newer automatics don't require the long warm-ups like the old ones did. Have had LOTS of customers of older cars in the last 25 years that didn't want to repair the heat tube in the intake manifold exhaust cross-over, put on an electric choke, and basically made the car not driveable until it warmed up. I used to tell customers to either fix it right, or go back in the house AFTER starting the car, and drink a second (maybe a third) cup of coffee. Once the engine is to normal operating temperature, no problem. Had my wife known to pump the footfeed several times and then start the car at half throttle, it would have worked; but she didn't know that. Personally, on my own drivers, I replace ALL automatic chokes AND automatic transmissions with manual ones.

Jon

never heard of choke operation that way where the transmission? requires a certain temp to pull off the choke. GM service manuals state the choke should pull off completely in just a few minutes, has nothing to do with the transmission. i have a factory electric choke on my 81 turbo TA & it pulls off within the specified time of about 2-3 minutes & runs perfectly fine when its pulled off in that time in any ambient temps, especially in warmer temps.
i also have a converted electric choke on my cliff built 78 Q-jet on a 500+hp stroker engine with auto trans that operates the same way, pulls off in a few minutes way before full engine temp & runs great. actually the electric choke cars function much better than the original hot air choke on my 78 TA with a cliff built carb.

as for the toyota vs T/A, i dont doubt your experience with them, but something wasnt right in the T/A if a toyota that runs 20 sec quarter mile times was beating a turbo'd 301 that bad. doesnt have to be max speed, every spec of the 2 cars shows a turbo 301 in stock form being faster than the toyota. yes the toyota is lighter but the added HP & TQ of the t/a more than made up for the weight differences. was just curious, but every car is different with lots of variables so i believe what you said for those 2 cars at that time.