(I see that you asked the same question on the BOC.)
Hello All, I'm trying to get my electric choke re-connected. I have a 1996 Bayliner 2655 with a 5.7 liter engine, Edelbrock 4 bbl carb. My choke was sticking closed, traced the wire from the choke (purple/yellow) to the alternator where it had came loose. The terminal was the type that slipped onto the bolt and has gotten rusty so it wouldn't hold any more,so I replaced it where I thought it was connected before on the purple wire on the alternator with just an eye terminal type. My findings where to purple wire on the alternator was to the ignition switch. After connecting it I get a negative 8-10 voltage reading at the choke. Got me stumped, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Terry, first off, these should be called an "Automatic Choke" with an "Electric Un-Choke", so to speak.
I doubt that your choke plate stuck closed because by default, a choke plate is to close when the engine is cold.
The Helix does this automatically when cold, and in the same fashion that the old school pull cable did.
This same Helix opens the choke plate as it warms.
The Helix on your system is heated electrically via a 12 volt electric heating element inside of the black Helix housing.
It's likely that your Helix heating element is bad, or is not recieving power, or is not making a good Negative connection.
Some Helix heating elements recieve power through the Ignition circuit, and some recieve power from the alternator field circuit.
My prefered method would be via the alternator in that the heating element will not begin to warm the Helix until the engine has fired up.
With an Ignition circuit supplied power, the element begins to warm the second that the key switch is in the ON/RUN position.
When you take your voltage reading, make sure that you're using the correct alternator terminal, and take it while not connected to the Helix heating element.
You should see no power with the engine stopped, and power with the engine running.
If Ignition system powered, you should see power the moment that the key switch is in the ON/RUN position.
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