I live in Costa Rica six months each year, and NC for the other six. About a year and a half ago, I bought a one owner 1994 80 Series in Costa Rica with just under 80,000 miles. The odometer is actually in kilometers since the car was originally purchased in Costa Rica. The truck is in superb condition; the gent always kept it under cover. Unlike my brother-in-laws '94 that is automatic, full-time four wheel drive, fuel injected , and was brought down from the States some years ago, mine is a 5 speed, has an extra tank with roof mounted gauge in a cluster with an altimeter, is not full-time four wheel drive, and is carb'd, not fuel injected. I absolutely love this truck. I just got back from a trip to Panama where I had new tires installed at Price Smart (Costco) for a fraction of what I would have paid here in Costa Rica. I only mention this trip to indicate how much confidence I have in this vehicle. I have no concerns of driving it anywhere, whether it be to Panama or Nicaragua, or up to any of the volcanoes here in this country. It is such a sweet truck. I have a much newer, low mileage Sequoia at home in the garage in NC, and I have no more qualms about driving the LC on a long trip, as I do the Sequoia. And of course, they both love petrol, especially the Land Cruiser. So, having said all that, my question on the LC deals with the carb. Although I'm having no problems, and would obviously prefer fuel injection, I notice that I have a knob on the dash that sure looks like a choke. It pulls out easily a short distance to a "stop", and will only turn to the right, not left, but only with some strain. I tried to have my wife exercise the choke knob while I was looking under the hood for any cable movement, but saw none. I suppose I could assume the previous owner had the manual choke disengaged in favor of an automatic choke, but I can't imagine that being the case. First off, the gent was in his 70's when he bought the car and drove it into his 90s, and given the temperate climate in Costa Rica, 65-75 degrees all the time, the choke would not be a problematic issue. For example, I've been driving it for over a year, and I've not owned a carb car for many years, so after I learned the proper sequence is to depress the pedal to the floor one time, release it, and then turn the key, I have never had a problem starting the vehicle. The only thing I notice is when the AC is on, which by the way will freeze you out, the high idle goes from the normal 800 RPM to something around 1200-1300 when sitting in traffic. The car always runs super cold regardless of going down the highway or sitting for hours in traffic. I'm not a carb guy. I can do basic tune ups, brakes, stuff like that, but a carburetor has always intimidated me. I think it goes back to when I was a teenager and I convinced myself that I could rebuild the carb on my first car, an old Ford; I ended up with extra parts and a car that idled too high thereafter. So, can anyone tell me if this is truly a choke knob? I would look at my brother-in-laws '94, but that wouldn't help since his is fuel injected.
Choke on 1994 80 Series (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter talegate
- Start date
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Everything sounds normal to me. Do you have a picture of the knob you are referring to? My buddy lives full time down there, he is always traveling to Panama to buy all his stuff too. Way cheaper for sure. I went to buy gas there on my way back up to SJO a few months ago.
icorradoi
SILVER Star
I don't know much about carb'd 80 series, but i'm pretty sure that it should have an electric choke. I think you may have a factory hand throttle installed on your truck. It's used to keep the RPM's up when winching or using other accessories so that the truck will not stall out.
Does it look something like what is posted on this thread?
Group Buy -- OEM 80 Series Hand Throttle
Does it look something like what is posted on this thread?
Group Buy -- OEM 80 Series Hand Throttle
- Thread starter
- #4
It looks exactly like the picture, at least for the knob itself. And it's located immediately under the ignition switch. I can' t see under the dash to see where it goes, if anywhere. So although carb related, it has nothing to do with a choke; it's more of a manual idle adjustment to help drive accessories, such as a winch, where RPM's are required to accommodate the load. You could find the right idle speed, then turn the knob to lock and maintain that position. Interesting. I'll look further under dash and engine compartment to see if I can see if there is a cable that runs to the carb. However, when I've messed around with it while the truck is running, it doesn't seem to do anything, but now that I now know what function it provides, I can examine closer. Thanks so much to the respondents. Most helpful and very much appreciated.
By the way, driving in bumper to bumper, snail pace traffic in San Jose today (that's San Jose, Costa Rica), I saw a 1975 BJ40 that was really clean in the lane next to me. I yelled at the driver, as he pulled up next to me, to see if he would consider selling. He yelled out $12,000. From the shape it's in, and being it's a diesel (BJ40), which is in demand here, I yelled him my phone number and just hope he got the number right and he will call. My Spanish sucks, so I can only hope he got it correct.
By the way, driving in bumper to bumper, snail pace traffic in San Jose today (that's San Jose, Costa Rica), I saw a 1975 BJ40 that was really clean in the lane next to me. I yelled at the driver, as he pulled up next to me, to see if he would consider selling. He yelled out $12,000. From the shape it's in, and being it's a diesel (BJ40), which is in demand here, I yelled him my phone number and just hope he got the number right and he will call. My Spanish sucks, so I can only hope he got it correct.
On older semi's the knob to the right of steering wheel was the "cruise control".
The nicer semi's has the aircraft type throttle lock, it was adjustable!
The nicer semi's has the aircraft type throttle lock, it was adjustable!
Dave 2000
Not all Land Rovers are useless!
On the diesels it goes to the throttle pedal and provides fast idle as mentioned above for accessories etc.
I would guess yours has an electric controlled throttle, normally they use a bimetallic strip, which when cool tries to close the throttle flap. You press the throttle and it releases the flap to the closed position. Once started the charge via the alternator/sensor heats the bimetallic trip and it opens. Repeat and rinse.
regards
Dave
I would guess yours has an electric controlled throttle, normally they use a bimetallic strip, which when cool tries to close the throttle flap. You press the throttle and it releases the flap to the closed position. Once started the charge via the alternator/sensor heats the bimetallic trip and it opens. Repeat and rinse.
regards
Dave
Wait, I'm lost.
Squash
SILVER Star
There are two types of knobs which increase your RPM.
One model is turned clockwise to increase and CC to decrease rpm...you could be at either end of extreme so experiment.
Second model is a twist and pull type, best way to adjust either model is to apply throttle pedal and adjust knob to merely hold the desired RPM.
Look under your dash and follow the cable, if the cable terminates at your gas pedal then you know it is for RPM.
I cable ends at carb then it may be defined as being a choke?
One model is turned clockwise to increase and CC to decrease rpm...you could be at either end of extreme so experiment.
Second model is a twist and pull type, best way to adjust either model is to apply throttle pedal and adjust knob to merely hold the desired RPM.
Look under your dash and follow the cable, if the cable terminates at your gas pedal then you know it is for RPM.
I cable ends at carb then it may be defined as being a choke?
- Thread starter
- #9
The knob will not turn left or right when in the "pushed in" position. It can be pulled out about a half inch very easily to a stop. From that position, it cannot be turned to the left, but with some resistance, you can turn it a quarter or half turn to the right. I took a closer look under the dash. The cable from the knob runs to the top of the accelerator pedal mechanism. I have to play with it some more, but my assumption is that if you wanted to force a higher idle, to drive a winch for example, you would use your foot to accelerate to the desired RPM, then pull the knob out and to the right to hold that RPM. I'll play with it some more today when we go out. Thanks so much to all for the always helpful and prompt responses.
I've got a throttle lock on my 94 and it works exactly the way you describe yours. Rev engine to desired rpm pull throttle lock out and turn clockwise to lock.
- Thread starter
- #12
I may be doing something wrong, but I rev'd to about 1500, and pulled it out, turned to the right, but it does not hold the RPM, just drops by to normal idle. Maybe an adjustment is required. Given that I don't have a winch and I don't know why the previous one owner would have had a need to freeze the RPMs, maybe it's never been used.
I'm going to venture a guess that the lock on the mechanism has failed. Before I put mine in I read that the lock is not that robust. Folks lock the device, forget it's engaged, and use the throttle without unlocking it. This may wear out the lock.
- Thread starter
- #14
What you're saying Rebelcruiser makes perfect sense. I'm flying back to the States tomorrow for a six month stay, but I'll fix it when I return. Maybe when I'm in the States, I can find the suspect part on the internet and bring it back with me to Costa Rica in October. Thanks again.
