Correct run of the Choke Cable of BN6

[BN6_2197]

Gents,

pulling my choke needs lot of power. While investigating this issue I analyzed the following run of the choke cable: starting at the choke knob the cable does a direct left turn continuing beneath the dashboard. It then does another right turn and crosses the firewall at the left side. From there it runs straight to the carburetor. I am asking me if the two 90 degrees turns (one directly behind the knob and another one from dashboard through the firewall) might be the issue.

Can anybody in particular tell me where the choke cable is meant to cross the firewall. The choke knob is placed in the middle of the dashboard.

Volker

 

[RDKeysor]

This may not be helpful, but I found the choke knob located in the top center of my dash was ineffectual in operating the choke on my '60 BN7. Hard pull just as you experienced. The cable is now unhooked and coiled behind the dash, so I can't answer your question. I gave up on that choke, disconnected it, and bought a universal choke unit from a car parts place. I installed that choke knob out of sight under the dash just to the right of the steering column, which gave me a nice straight run to the carbs. As it happens, my car apparently had the automatic choke that Healey used very briefly that would have obviated a manual choke, so the choke I mention may not have been original to the car. It had the large white C and appeared as original, however. The only reason I recognized that my car had had the automatic carb was that the three intake manifold ports for that system were present, though they were plugged.

 

[Duane_Rhynard]

Gents,

pulling my choke needs lot of power. While investigating this issue I analyzed the following run of the choke cable: starting at the choke knob the cable does a direct left turn continuing beneath the dashboard. It then does another right turn and crosses the firewall at the left side. From there it runs straight to the carburetor. I am asking me if the two 90 degrees turns (one directly behind the knob and another one from dashboard through the firewall) might be the issue.

Can anybody in particular tell me where the choke cable is meant to cross the firewall. The choke knob is placed in the middle of the dashboard.

Volker

Volker,

The BN6 choke cables were mounted under the dash with the bracket shown in the picture below, and have just gentle bends to exit through the fire wall to the carbs. A properly lubricated cable is very easy to pull with this cable route.

Thanks,
Duane
'58 BN6


Edit: Choke controls were moved to the dash on the 3000's with the discontinuation of the thermo-electric choke (In service since July of '59) and the re-introduction of the manual choke (BN7/5234, BT7/5310) in November of '59 (Anders Ditlev Clausager, The Original Austin Healey, page 83.)

 

[BN6_2197]

Duane, thank you very much for the clarification. One question still open to me: where under the dash was the choke control mounted exactly? According to the blue 100/6 owners handbook it was located at the left of the instrument board for a RHD car. Is that correct? Maybe you have also a picture that shows that location from a driver's point of view. Thanks, Volker

 

[Duane_Rhynard]

Duane, thank you very much for the clarification. One question still open to me: where under the dash was the choke control mounted exactly? According to the blue 100/6 owners handbook it was located at the left of the instrument board for a RHD car. Is that correct? Maybe you have also a picture that shows that location from a driver's point of view. Thanks, Volker

Volker,

The pictures in my previous post were for my LHD car. The RHD BN6 cars have the choke cable bracket (Item 12) mounted on the parcel tray support (Item 11) as shown in the parts manual picture below. Mounted in this position, the cable run is very similar to the LHD routing, and is to the left of the instruments as shown in the owners handbook. (You are correct!)

Thanks,
Duane
'58 BN6

 

[RDKeysor]

Reference Duane's observation re the introduction and elimination of the thermo-electric choke as shown in the "Original Austin Healey," my car was has a 34XX VIN which should have had the auto choke (the intake manifold is of that type) yet it came to me with what appears to be an original Healey choke control mounted in the approximately the center of the dash. As I said, I can't really recall exactly where the cable ran, (it's now still in place in the dash but coiled behind it) but I couldn't get it to function. The choke I installed has a quite direct route to the carbs and works fine. None of this is in disagreement with Duane. My car also came with a Toyota five-speed, so it is hardly original.

 

[BN6_2197]

Gents, thank you very much for the clarification. Volker

 

[steveg]

I replaced my cable housings with teflon-lined bicycle brake cable housings - this is an easy way to free up those choke cables. The stuff can be bought by the foot at good bike shops.