choke ideas

I have a 2006 vs speedster with a 1972 1600cc dual carb (webers I think ) and electronic ignition. In warm weather starts right up. Now that its getting colder harder to start. I'm in nj and like to drive in the col
There is no evidence of an automatic choke. Any ideas for a choke -automatic or manual?

Forget the choke. God knows why, but very few of these carbs have choke plates in them and they're about impossible to retrofit.

Pump the gas 6-12 times to get it running, then gently pump it a few times once running to get it to even out, then let it idle (it may be rough, but it should idle) for about a minute, then drive away.

It'll cough a few times when you first take off (additional gas pumping helps), but should straighten out in a couple of minutes.

I do it like Gordon suggests. I also let the electric fuel pump run for 15 seconds or so to fill the bowls before cranking.

These cars without chokes definitely know when it's winter!

In upstate N.Y. we don't need no stinkin chokes ! Just pump the gas like G.N. sez.

My Weber carbs came with the "cold start units" on the side, not really a choke.

I took them off and installed the plates.

I thought about keeping them and running cables from them to the unused heater lever by the parking brake.

I thought of that early on, using the unused heater lever as a choke control (and maybe the other side for a throttle), but then discovered that pumping seemed to do the trick. Laziness overcame me and I just lived with it. Honestly, once you get the hang of it, you can get it to fire right up.

I don't have the hang yet but hope to have it soon.

I was afraid to pump it as many times as you suggest for fear of flooding it.

Gordon, email me if you are interested in the Oberg. Otherwise I may put it on Samba or eBay.

Always remember......If you do flood it (and trust me - it takes a LOT to flood these engines), you'll smell a LOT of raw gas while it's sitting there cranking.

Just hold the gas pedal all the way to the floor and KEEP IT THERE while cranking until it cleans itself out, catches and starts.

No big deal, and I have NEVER yet flooded Pearl so much that she wouldn't start. Even with all that pumping.

with a couple of pumps on the gas pedal my speedster starts right up in the colder weather. The trick is also let it warm up a few minutes.

Thanks for all your input-definitely helpful.

Joel

And if you have all your factory tins, fan shroud and thermostat system it WILL be better.

Gordon is dead on this time.

We all used to laugh when all of the VWs turned up in the coffee shop parking lot each evening through the Winter. As each of us would come in and shake the snow and cold off of our shoulders, those that were already there would look up and say, "Six pumps?"

And that's about it. Around six pumps and feather the gas for a bit and you ready to roll. You sort of get used to it, like setting the hand choke on a British car, just becomes part of the procedure; something to remember and tell others in years to come, while you're waiting to them to change your diaper.

TC

What's winter?