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Auto choke questions

I’m new here and new to outboards, I have a 1980 mercury 40 horse, I’m having trouble with the auto choke, it engages when I push the key in but won’t disengage after starting, and the spring that is part of the system does not seem to be doing anything. any advise would be much appreciated.
thanks
 
Does this appear to be a corrosion problem that a little lube would fix? Does it disengage if the engine doesn't start? How fast is the engine running when it is supposed to disengage and doesn't? If it has a wire energizing it, if you disconnect the wire does it release?
 
Does this appear to be a corrosion problem that a little lube would fix? Does it disengage if the engine doesn't start? How fast is the engine running when it is supposed to disengage and doesn't? If it has a wire energizing it, if you disconnect the wire does it release?


I have cleaned the piston and the barrel of the solenoid and nothing changed, it does not disengage if the engine does not start or when it is running, I have to manually disengage it after it kicks, then start it again with the choke off. I havent tried to disconnect the wire to see what happens, its in a tight place and that will be tricky but I'll give it a whirl later today. there is also a spring on the choke shutter that does not seem to be doing anything, Im not sure how it is supposed to be connected or what is supposed to do, It looks like it could possibly keep the choke shutter open but does not.
thanks for replying, I can use all the help I can get.
 
that nut was pretty loose when I started taking things apart, I'll make sure it moves good. I do have a question, is the choke solenoid supposed to close and open the choke shutter when you engage it with the push of the key? it seems like that used to work that way when I first got the boat but Im not sure.
thanks again for your help.
 
The key, when pushed sends power from the on/start contacts of the key switch causing it to energize. I'd investigate that spring. Seems to me that's in there for insurance that the choke will return properly when deenergized and off.
 
The key, when pushed sends power from the on/start contacts of the key switch causing it to energize. I'd investigate that spring. Seems to me that's in there for insurance that the choke will return properly when deenergized and off.

thanks, it makes sense that the spring should be involved, are you aware of any diagram that would indicate how the spring should be set up?
i appreciate your help
 
The spring holds shutter open..the choke plunger pulls it closed. Make sure shutter is adjusted correctly. Close shutter manually and tighten nut slowly till tension holds it closed. Then slowly back nut off till shutter sptings opens then about a half thread. If shutter too loose it wont seal and cause carb to flood (what a choke does)
 
The spring holds shutter open..the choke plunger pulls it closed. Make sure shutter is adjusted correctly. Close shutter manually and tighten nut slowly till tension holds it closed. Then slowly back nut off till shutter sptings opens then about a half thread. If shutter too loose it wont seal and cause carb to flood (what a choke does)

the way that it is set up now is that the spring closes the shutter, It makes sense that it should open it not close it, I need figure the correct assembly of things, I wish I could find a diagram....
thanks for your help and information.
 
All your advise helped me resolve the issue, I finally figured out how the spring connected to keep the choke open, I followed the tightening advise and it works like it’s supposed to, thanks a bunch.
now I need to sell the extra parts that I did not need.....
 
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