When I got my 1966 Cadillac back the choke did no longer work. The hot air choke mechanism on the Carter AFB carb was stuck open and thats why the previous owner removed the choke linkage, which would close the primaries when the car was cold.
I removed the choke housing from the car and it was completely stuck and did not move at all. Both the lever and the counter weight were completely frozen up although everything inside the housing looked pretty clean.

First I tried anti seize oil which did not change anything. Then I soaked the unit in a parts cleaner solution over night which did not free it up either. The next day I soaked it in a rust removing solution which did not help either. I then put it in a can of transmission fluid for a while.
In-between I always gently tried to move it and suddenly it freed up and now works perfectly smooth again. I put the carburetor back together and now the car is very easy to start again - even on a very cold day.

The choke after repair.
The choke mechanism disassembled for repair after I managed to free it up.

Tags:Carburetor, Carter AFB, Choke, Hot Choke, 1966 Cadillac Repair Tips