mar3

iTrader: (8)

Although all the manuals say the choke has to be set with the carb dis-assembled, it turns out this isn't true. The problem is that the choke idle speed doesn't have a screw like we're used to seeing on normal carbs. The Nikki uses a rod with bends to tip the primary throttle blades open when setting idle speed. Here's how to set that speed in the field or garage with the carb still in the car completely attached.

With the air cleaner removed, this is what you'll see. The blue outline shows where the choke rod pops out to connect to the choke plate over the primary bores of the carburetor.



There's a tiny cotter pin and an equally small washer that holds that rod to the choke plate bracket arm. Carefully remove the two and place them somewhere you won't lose them. The rod itself shouldn't fall out of reach. You'll note this pic was taken with me not holding or supporting the rod at all...



This is what that rod looks like out of the car. Now comes the tricky part.



That spot labeled bend shows where you must not grip the rod...or the area below it. The area above it is the target. Take some strong pliers (they'll just fit in there if you're using Craftsman) and grab that part of the rod once it's been disconnected. The trick here is that you want to pull upwards on that rod very carefully, but firmly in small, small amounts. You can unbend it some more in this manner, but you can't put the bend back in if you go too far. Take your time. Pull a little, attach the rod and pull your idle **** in the car, start it and see where the idle rpm's lands with that **** halfway out. You're looking for 1500 rpms or wherever you're comfortable it'll stay running once it hits the road for real. Keep repeating this routine if you didn't pull the rod enough the first time.

Just remember, you can pull some more, but to bend it back will take some creative thinking unless you pull the choke coil housing and bracket. And that defeats the whole purpose of this adjustment. As an asides, the bracket arm at the bottom will take this abuse. I've set three carbs this way so far and have not had any breakages...

TEAM GO FAST

Damn, man. what were you trying to adjust to discover this little known nikki tweek,,,,the title ? Also your sig.
how about a 1969 1/2 'bird' T.A. ?? 455 HO. the vents, the ram air (for real). The tach on the hood.. awesome cars !! I love those 'birds'. before the body change..

mar3

iTrader: (8)

Early on, I tried my hand at rebuilding a Nikki and stuck it back on the car. Then I read the Haynes in how to adjust the choke idle and find it "has" to be dis-assembled to adjust. I couldn't accept that, so I sat down and looked at the whole system to see how it works and then tried my trick-of-the-week. I also could almost swear I had already posted this info once before, but a thorough search of the older threads here came up empty. I loaded the drawing, thinking it would tell me not to post the same info twice and show me where the ancient thread was, but it took the attachment, so I did the above post.

I'm either starting to

• Dream about the Forum
• Hallucinate as I sit at work that I'm contributing to the Forum
• Getting old or
• Flat out losing it

I'm afraid to think about it. I know I've posted this before....didn't I??

ps. And you're absolutely right. The 1stgen Firebirds were the most beautiful, proportion-correct of all the pony cars in all of the years they were made. That would include the Mopar E-bodies, too....

Sterling

There should be a Nikki specific archive here!
Great tid-bit and great delivery.

I would think the judges should give a 10.0!

Rx7carl

Good job Mario, and your not crazy, Ive seen your pencil drawing on here a long time ago. Maybe we're both crazy? Nahhhhhhh.............

This was alot better than my answer recently to bend the fast idle rod to do this. Im lazy sometimes, sorry guys.