Carb Cleaning, How to remove choke valve?

[JustinAlenScott]

Greetings Afourians and Carburetor Experts ^_^

I have a second Atomic 4 that I found for 100 bucks and while I am taking my time cleaning it up and rebuilding what I need to (I'll be wearing my learning hat a lot and my dunce cap a little) I am making use of some of the external engine parts for my running engine in the boat. Naturally I thought any carburetor problems I might be having might best be cured by swapping a newly cleaned up spare carburetor.

So now I am finding some of the effects from an engine sitting outside under a tarp for a couple months. Starting with the water I poured out of the carb when I pulled it off and we will see where else it got. The carburetor has a pretty nasty throat infection and I really need to clean this all out. I want to get the choke plate out and clean it thoroughly so that poppet valve doesn't get hung up. I pulled the screws holding the plate to the flat side of the shaft, but the plate is still retained by a clip around the shaft which now just spins inside that clip. I thought of course to remove the shaft, is that the answer? But after taking out a few screws from the arm and choke bracket it seems the shaft is retained somehow I cannot tell.

So here's my question. How is that shaft removed? Or how is the choke plate removed if there is a better way?