How does a push in key choke work?

[rooooney]

My 9.9 Merc 4 stroke has had trouble getting started for 2 years now. Once it warms up it's fine. I was recently told that if I push my key in on my pontoon it chokes the motor. When I pulled my carb off today to clean it I realized that nothing is attached to the mechanisms that open and shut the choke flap. It is automatic or am I starting wide open? Should there be some cable attached to the choke mechanism?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How does a push in key choke work?

I'm not positive about your 4-stroke but most newer electric start engines have what's called an "enrichener". It is not really a choke and there are not choke butterflies in the throat of the carburetor. An enrichener provides additional fuel into the intake for cold starts when the key is pushed in. You may here a click as you push the key in. If not, you either don't have an enrichener or it is not working. If you have not been using the push-to-choke (enrichener) function, that would explain the hard cold starting.