Getting used to using a choke!
 

Spoiled by years of injection cars its taken me a while to get to grips with the chokes on both of my 340's. I have found that they have their own (quite different) optimal times for shutting off the choke and if this isnt done at the right time they run rougher than normal, hesitate and generally misbehave for ages. The '87 340 will tolerate the choke gradually being shut off during the first few minutes of running where as the '90 340 likes it shut off within the first 30 - 60 seconds whilst the engine is gently revved before setting off.

Anyone else have to select just the right moment to shut off the choke or are my two particularly temperamental?!!

I would say your later one has carb troubles , running rich , is it heavy on fuel?

Hi Iain i struggle with the choke on my 340 and even Bobs 343 but i found if you play around for a while you will find the exact point where car will remain started

Think having a choke reminds you how much car technology had moved on over the years. Its all part of the experience of driving an older low tech car. With the Amazon, full choke from cold, once running in about half way and within a couple of junctions away from the house the choke pushed fully in. Would of expected the 340`s would behave in the same way.

Jim

Not especially, I took it out for its weekly 15 mile run (its a back up car so doesnt get used regularly - I run it once a week to keep everything moving) and it ran fine. Plugs look OK.

My car has a choke as most of you will know and it takes ages for the engine to warm up sufficiently to be able to let the choke off. This is probaby due to the plugs being choked up and the fact that when the car is warming up it is just stood in the garage rather than being driven.

Just recently when I cleaned the (completely clogged!) flame trap, the engine ran differently and stalled when left for 20 seconds or so (is this more air being let in and my grandad has just adjusted the carb as the flame trap has got more and more clogged to make up for it?)

My Dad helped me keep the car running by adjusting the throttle cable (dont know the technical term lol) because we couldnt get to the mixture screw because the car was parked up to the wall in the garage. We will adjust the throttle back to its original setting next time the car is out and we will have a go at adjusting the mixture.

I presume this will be OK? Will there be any problems with the emmisions?

If you dont have co meter available then very rough way to proceed is to warm up engine thoroughly, turn mixture screw for maximum engine revs, readjust idle screw to give 800 rpm, again adjust mixture for max revs and finally set idle to 800 rpm (or 900 if its an automatic).

I can't comment on 340 chokes, but I used to sell new Peugeots in the 80s, many of which had a manual choke. In every case, characteristics were the same for cars with the same engine type. So this would suggest that at least one of your 340s needs adjustment (assuming they have the same engine, carb, ignition etc). The one which needs no choke after less than a minute is likely to be rich I would say.


Note for Steve:

When a car is warmed up by ticking over, you will gradually dilute the engine oil. Some excess fuel will wash down the cylinder walls into the sump. This is why almost all car manufacturers advise that the car is driven to warm it up (takes less time, and more of the extra fuel is burnt).

I realise you can't drive your 240 yet. It's not a big problem, provided that you change the oil every few months, even at zero miles, if the engine has been repeatedly warmed up with the car standing. A quick check is to pull out the dipstick and smell the oil. If there is any smell of petrol, it needs changing.

Ian, what engines are your 2 300s? My 1.4 I could get off choke after no time at all, 30 secs or so, my 1.7 not so, and seems to be similar with other 1.7's, they are only happy when the water gauge is at normal, i.e. straight up. If it takes ages to build up water temp, check the thermostat though.

Both are 1.4's Chris. My 3dr daily driver has a faulty thermostat which is stuck wide open - I have a replacement, just need to get round to doing it!