Should the choke be on or off?

Asked by: Lori Thomas

Generally, the choke should be closed for a cold start, opened for a warm start. Closing the choke, provides excess fuel which is not needed for a warm start. Excess fuel will quickly cause ‘flooding’ if cranking continues, even with a cold engine.

Is the choke supposed to be on or off?

Leaving The Choke In The On Position During Starting



This indicates that it is not only good but important to turn on the choke before using the equipment in question. This position helps with starting and warming up the engine.

What happens if I leave the choke on?

Leaving the choke on for too long will cause unnecessary engine wear and waste fuel. This is also bad for the environment. The choke is mainly used during winter to help with starting. The engine needs its fuel to be vaporised in order to burn it.

Does choke off mean closed?

When using the choke, this means that the entire amount of air entering an engine must pass through, therefore the choke must be closed during a cold start.

Is full choke open or closed?

Normally choke will be in open position, in which valve is parallel to the air flow, and has no effect on the air flow. When choke is actuated by mechanical or by pneumatic method, it rotates an angle restrict the air flow (closed position).

Is it OK to ride with choke on?

The truth is that while this is not good for your bike and it will cause some problems if frequently done, it is not that bad for your bike. But if you do this too often, it will cause your bike to run richer (using more gas), and may cause damage to the motorcycle.

How long should I leave the choke on?

The choke usually “chokes” the air supply into the engine so it gets more petrol than usual. Hence it’s name. You should start the bike from cold with half or full choke depending on how cold it is. After 30 seconds is usually enough for most bikes.

What is the choke on position?

Choke on means that the choke plate is covering the carb throat. The “choke” is off when the choke lever is down or when the choke lever is facing you if your choke is a handle bar mount. Choke off means that the choke plate is not covering the carb throat.

What does choke off mean?

Definition of choke off



transitive verb. : to bring to a stop or to an end as if by choking.

Is it bad to run mower with choke on?

The way that choking an engine supplies more gas is by restricting the airflow into the carburetor (which is why it is called a choke). Using the choke to get an engine started or warmed up is normal but if the lawn mower dies when the choke is off, something is probably wrong.

Why do I have to leave the choke on?

Why would the engine only run while the choke is on or with repeated manual priming? An engine that requires the choking ( partial or full ) after initial engine warm up is an indication that the engine fuel air mixture system is out of adjustment.

When should I use choke on my lawn mower?

A lawn mower choke reduces the airflow of the engine, allowing for more fuel to be used. This process allows the engine to spark and ignite easier, starting up in an instant. Choke valves should only be used when absolutely necessary, as they can damage the engine if they’re overused.