Weber 38 choke question-need advice please!

[calicolorado]

Good evening, all!

 

I have a Weber 38 DGES (electric choke) which I have been quite happy with but have been having trouble with a specific part of it. There is a link connecting the electric choke to the choke valve that pops off and leaves the choke valve uncontrolled. This is causing my car to run poorly, and to keep it running at stoplights, I have to keep my foot in the throttle while in neutral. I have looked at pics of the carb, at parts diagrams etc., but I cannot figure out what retains this link to the choke rod/pivot. The 'D' shaped end keeps it rotating properly, but there is some lateral play in the linkage that, under vibration, allows the link to jump off. There is a circlip at the other end of the link, but no hole or groove for a pin or circlip at the 'D' end. Has anyone had this issue and if so, what can you recommend to remedy this? Thank you for any and all help!!

 

-Brendan

 

 

[halboyles]

NT

Edited March 3, 2023 by halboyles

[2002iii]

I believe that should be staked on from the factory and is not meant to come off.

 

I would try using a punch and hammer to mushroom the end of the shaft so it can't wiggle off again.

 

Or maybe some epoxy.

[N2MY2002]

I had the same problem. I tried "mushrooming" the fitting but I didnt want to break the casting of the carb. I wound up putting a dab of JB weld on it. Its been holding just fine.

[Hans]

What about trying to move the arm already on the spindle closer to the carb body to make more room? Can the other end of the spinfle be supported? It looks a bit wonky

[calicolorado]

Ah, makes sense! Certainly explains why there isn't something in the parts diagram-it's not supposed to come off! I'll see if the mushrooming approach is feasible, but I'm not sure what level of force I might have to apply to do it. Would not want to damage the casting or something else. I'll take a look again at it and consider some JB Weld-sounds like it's worked here. Thanks, folks for the responses!

-Brendan

['76mintgrün'02]

If the carb was off the car, you could stand the other end of the shaft on "an anvil" to peen the tab back on, but I wouldn't try pounding on it without supporting it.  JB weld should work just fine, since there's minimal stress on that part.  Even a tiny bit should do the job.

[landon]

After years of messing with this problem, I took the arm and shaft over to a local shop and had them weld it together. I don't know if the materials are really that weldable but it has held for many years now. 

[Hans]

The carb would have to come off as suggested above to support the spindle. I'd try to get that arm on more.

Edited March 3, 2023 by Hans
Clarity

[02Les]

Is there enough room to drill & tap the end of thr "D" for a screw with large enough diameter washer to hold it together?

[Mike Self]

It would probably take two people to do this properly and without the risk of cracking/deforming the pot metal carb housing....but, have one person hold a heavy piece of metal (like the head of a hammer) against the opposite end of the choke plate shaft, while the other takes a sharp pin punch and another hammer to dimple the shaft's end in several spots, thus expanding the metal to keep the bracket from coming off.  

 

mike

[Hans]

I misunderstood the problem. Will the arm go on further?

Edited March 4, 2023 by Hans
Clarity

[TobyB]

I'm with Les- drill and tap it for a 6-32 screw, then loctite that, and snug it nice and tight.

 

t

 

[calicolorado]

Well, I ended up using a 1/16” punch and small hammer to deform/mushroom the rod end over the link as some here have suggested. It isn’t the prettiest outcome but it is perfectly serviceable and did no harm as evidenced by a nice 30-ish mile drive around the area.
 

I was careful and didn’t cause damage by using too much force- fortunately the rod seems like a softer metal. Ideally I think drilling and tapping the end would be best, and I may do that when I rebuild the carb someday. 
 

Thank you everyone for your advice/suggestions/wisdom, I appreciate that others have had this issue and we’re able to help me. Hope all have a great weekend of driving!

 

 

Edited March 5, 2023 by calicolorado