Re: 1968 55hp rude' choke issues
I don't own a '68 55hp and have never worked on one, so I'm going to have to try to help you based on looking at a parts diagram.
Once you unhook the connector from the thermo-switch, you should have isolated the choke solenoid from that switch. The purpose of jumping the terminal block positions on the later motors, is to direct current from the choke switch in the control box or dash panel, to both "hot leads" of the choke solenoid. On those motors, the #7 terminal is the control box/dash panel choke circuit, and the #8 terminal is the thermo-switch circuit. Jumping the #7 and #8 terminals sends the voltage to both solenoid wires on the down stream side of the terminals. Since your motor does not have a terminal block, however, you will have to find another way to do this.
Start by finding the choke circuit leading from the large, cylindrical plug that remains in the motor cowl. Once again, your motor doesn't have a terminal block, so the lead in question should terminate in an individual wire connector. On the later motors, the wire is purple/white, so it may be in your motor as well. If in doubt, use a multimeter or a 12v test light to find the wire that you need. Whichever you choose, place it so that you can see it from the steering position, while you actuate the choke switch.
Once you have found the hot lead from the control box/dash panel choke switch, you will need to wire it into both hot leads on the choke solenoid. The wires may be purple/white and purple/yellow. You will probably have to either splice the wires together, or make your own connector.
Once all of this is done, you should be able to obtain full choke solenoid actuation, through use of the steering position choke switch.
