What are the correct cold idle and hot idle rpm speeds for my car?
I have a 260 V-8 with an automatic choke and an "instant-quick and liquid-smooth" Ford-O-Matic transmission.
The engine presently idles at about 575 - 600 rpm while in Drive and it does not change speed as it goes from cold to warm, meaning that both the cold and hot idle speeds are set to the same rpm. That is not a problem and is actually sort of nice, but it caused me to wonder if the automatic choke had stopped working.
I checked and saw that the carburetor flap valve stands vertical when the engine is warm, tilts down about 1/3 when the engine cools, and drops to 3/4 closed when the engine is cold and I tap the throttle to the floor. So, the automatic choke is functioning perfectly. As an aside, this is what I like about these old cars. You can actually see how things physically function, and you can literally touch them and move them back and forth with your fingers. They are so simple and yet they work so well.
What are the Ford-specified cold and warm idle speeds for my engine/transmission combination, and do those idle speeds apply to the transmission when it is in Drive or in Park?
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