I have a 2-bbl Rochester with an automatic choke on my 350. Whenever I start the car in cold mornings, I press the gas pedal all the way down to 'set' the choke, but I have to give it gas and hold it down a little bit after I start the car to keep it going. Not too much gas, but enough where I'm actually putting some into the engine. I usually have to hold the pedal down for close to a minute before the car will idle on its own without dying. If not, it will instantly die or the idle will just slowly but surely slow down and the engine will shut off. After I've warmed it up like that, I usually have to let it idle for a minute or two more; if I attempt to put it in gear too fast, the strain of the transmission will weigh down the engine and kill it, unless I pump gas into it (not too great for when backing out of parking spaces, etc). I've heard that this is just me being 'new to the world of carbureted engines', especially the automatic choked carbs...which 'seemed like a good concept, but just didn't work.' Is this true or do I have some sort of choke problem? I'm certain we have the metal coil set up properly, right 'shaft' to connect this and the choke, etc. Thank you.

It sounds like the fast idle setting may be off a bit. But before trying to adjust it, check to make sure the choke is working like it's supposed to. In the morning, before you start it for the first time, open the hood and pop the top off the air cleaner. Crack the throttle open like you normally do and see if the choke butterfly closes. If it does, start the car. If you can keep it running, see if the choke butterfly is now open about a 1/4 inch. You may have to get someone to help you do this if you can't keep it running. If the choke closes when you first crack the throttle and then opens slightly after the engine starts, then you can move on to the fast idle adjustment. Check these things out first and get back with us. I'll probably have to scan some pictures out of my service manual to show you where the fast idle adjustment is located.

Weird... my 71 Buick GS with the 350 V-8 4 bbl motor does the same thing. I race it up a couple times and then it seems to be able to idle on its own.