Choke won't stay fully up...

[Taliesin]

When starting my bike, I have to have the choke fully up, or else it just won't start. This is if it's even sat for like an hour, etc. I don't really have a problem with that...except...

My choke won't stay up. When I pull it out all the way, it immediately lowers, and I have no idea how to tighten that up, or whether I'm missing a part that would have provided more friction to keep the choke knob fully up until I press it back down.

Anyone else experience anything like this, or know what my problem could be?

I know the choke assemblies in each carb are spring-loaded, so it doesn't really surprise me that it lowers back down, but it's a pain to have to play a game of Twister with my bike to get it to start:

Left Hand - Clutch
Right Hand - Choke
Right Elbow - Starter Button

[Nessism]

Try tightening up the friction collar around the cable end. If it doesn’t turn you need a new cable – about $20 at your favorite OE parts source.

[Agemax]

pull up choke cable then twist it. it should lock in that position. to turn it off, simply turn it the other way and it will go off

[Rudeman]

pull up choke cable then twist it. it should lock in that position. to turn it off, simply turn it the other way and it will go off

That's what I do; it works on mine.

[Larry D]

Sounds like a personal problem.......

Really... try tightening up the plastic collar around the cable, just under the knob. They have a way of snapping if you try to tighten it too much......like mine did. I have a new cable on order though.

In the meantime, you can get a clothespin, the kind with a spring in it, and clip it on until you need to release the choke, then put it in your pocket. It has worked great for me for a long time.

[Taliesin]

Oooooo. I really dig the twisty idea. I'll try that this evening when I get home from work. I'll also take a look at that collar, but I really don't want to have to buy a new one after breaking it. lol.

Getting her up and running has been maddening, but absolutely satisfying.

Thanks for the tip!

[Agemax]

Sounds like a personal problem.......

Really... try tightening up the plastic collar around the cable, just under the knob. They have a way of snapping if you try to tighten it too much......like mine did. I have a new cable on order though.

In the meantime, you can get a clothespin, the kind with a spring in it, and clip it on until you need to release the choke, then put it in your pocket. It has worked great for me for a long time.

all it takes is a twist! cheaper than a clothes pin and less embarrassing too

[Larry D]

all it takes is a twist! cheaper than a clothes pin and less embarrassing too

It takes alot more than that to embarass (sp?) me !!!!

I've tried the twist thing, it didn't work for me. I ordered $164 worth of parts last night, including new throttle, clutch and choke cables. So, it won't be a problem for much longer.

[Steve]

Not sure about the "friction collar", but I have found on my son's bike that if you twist the knob itself (careful, it doesn't go very far), it will stay where you leave it.

Another way to prevent playing "Twister" is to disconnect the clutch safety switch. If you do this, you have to be sure to verify the bike is in neutral before hitting the key. To disconnect the safety switch, remove the headlight (just two or three screws), follow the wires coming from the clutch switch into the headlight bucket. Those wires are yellow with a green tracer. You will see some bullet connectors in the wires. Disconnect the bullets, then re-connect the bullets that are part of the main harness to each other. The bullets that go to the clutch switch can be left alone, if you want. Put the headlight back in. You no longer have to hold the clutch to use the electric starter.

A third way to reduce your chance of playing "Twister" is to thoroughly clean your carbs and set them right, but do this after checking (and adjusting) your valve clearances. With proper valve clearances and clean carbs, you might not even need to use the 'choke' at all.

.

[Taliesin]

The carbs have been cleaned and dipped. Float heights were re-set. (PO measured from the wrong part of the float.) Valve clearances were checked, and a shim was replaced to keep everything in spec. (Thanx for the spreadsheet again, by the way.)

I really like the concept of the clutch safety, so I don't know I want to go the route of disconnecting that particular safety feature.

I'm going to try the twist idea and see how that works. Then I'll take a look at the connect assembly and see if I can't figure out how to cause it to have a little more friction. In the worst case scenario, I'll continue to do the Twister thing.

In cold weather, it's almost like a theft deterrent.

[Agemax]

It takes alot more than that to embarass (sp?) me !!!!

I've tried the twist thing, it didn't work for me. I ordered $164 worth of parts last night, including new throttle, clutch and choke cables. So, it won't be a problem for much longer.

thats what you get when you buy cheap after market choke cables...they dont work like the genuine suzuki cables

[rustybronco]

Try tightening up the friction collar around the cable end. If it doesn’t turn you need a new cable – about $20 at your favorite OE parts source.

Not sure about the "friction collar", but I have found on my son's bike that if you twist the knob itself (careful, it doesn't go very far), it will stay where you leave it.

Under the choke knob is a round rubber cover. if you lift/pry up on the rubber cover, as Ed said, you will see the plastic friction "device" (nut). however there is no need to remove the rubber cover, you just turn the cover and the nut (friction device) will turn with it. clockwise increases the friction, anti-clock lessens the friction on the choke knob cable.
try it...

My choke won't stay up. When I pull it out all the way, it immediately lowers, and I have no idea how to tighten that up, or whether I'm missing a part that would have provided more friction to keep the choke knob fully up until I press it back down.

[bakalorz]

When starting my bike, I have to have the choke fully up, or else it just won't start. This is if it's even sat for like an hour, etc. I don't really have a problem with that...except...

My choke won't stay up. When I pull it out all the way, it immediately lowers, and I have no idea how to tighten that up, or whether I'm missing a part that would have provided more friction to keep the choke knob fully up until I press it back down.

Anyone else experience anything like this, or know what my problem could be?

I know the choke assemblies in each carb are spring-loaded, so it doesn't really surprise me that it lowers back down, but it's a pain to have to play a game of Twister with my bike to get it to start:

Left Hand - Clutch
Right Hand - Choke
Right Elbow - Starter Button

My bike has the choke on the top of the steering head, if yours is like this, this may help.

The choke "cable" is a rod, that goes through two nuts.
the top one causes friction ... when tightened down it compresses a plastic "cone" onto the choke cable/rod. unfortunately, this cone wears out, and the top nut cannot compress it anymore before it bottoms out and can't be screwed any further.

I just unscrewed the top nut all the way, took small piece of flexible tubing and placed it in there (I forget if between nut and cone or between cone and cable/rod)

Pretty much free, took 2 minutes, and now my choke stays in place again.

[Speedo]

Taliesin (interesting sitename esp considering ur religious refs btw...would love to know what it means as I'm a curious guy) -
where in central coast are you? I'm off 68 near laguna seca. if you need help wrenching, let me know, I will try to help you out...2 heads are (sometimes) better than one...and almost always more fun...

[outlawfox13]

pull up choke cable then twist it. it should lock in that position. to turn it off, simply turn it the other way and it will go off

Hey thanks for the tip, I wondered why mine wouldn't stay upright. Now it does!!!!!!!!!