I wanted to be able to start my '62 in the mornings with the engine cold without using starter fluid, so I tried to adjust my automatic choke by turning the plastic housing on the Carter carburetor to try to achieve this. However, you guessed it; I have thrown it out of whack. The engine runs a lot rougher now and is now hissing quite a bit more than it did before I made the maladjustment. How do I get it back to its top notch operating level with a properly operating auto choke??
ED: Doesn't this plastic cover have some markings on it to line it up with the housing unit? If not, try to get a service manual for the year of your car and the directions will give you all the needed adjusments as required to get the car running properly once again. Otherwise, if you don't set these adjustments up in accordance with factory specs you may continue to have problems. EAM
Ed,
Sounds like you created a vacuum leak when you adjusted the unit. Could be the gasket from the black cover to the carburetor or might be the line from the unit to the manifold.
Only way to fix it correctly, the first time, using the shop manual is to take it apart. This can be done on the carb, not everything will come out, but using carb cleaner, and lots of rags you should be able to clean it up so it works correctly. If the engine is detailed out, it would be best to take the carb off. More bad news, you generally have to buy the carb kit if you don't have a spare choke gasket.
Anyway find a shop manul, it will provide you with the info needed to fix this rascal. After all these years they get gummed up and don't work properly -- so cleaning is a great option to make the old beauty run great once again.
I have seen several cases when the plastic cover is removed, the inside of the choke housing is full of dirt/carbon/rust. The reason is that the tube inside the intake manifold is craked, allowing the carb to suck exhaust fumes into the choke, rendering it unable to function properly.