Is this normal?

Carb or EFI?

That's interesting. I bought an '88 pickup with a 22R. I still own it, and every time I start it cold, I pump it once, then hold the pedal down about half-way. Always starts instantly, even when I lived in Denver and temps hit -15°F. The engine sounded like there were a bunch of steel workers inside pounding on the cylinder walls with tiny ball-peen hammers, but at about 190,000 miles, it's still going strong. May trade it in a couple of years for a Tacoma...

This conversation's interesting. The device known as the choke is being discussed like it's a washboard for doing laundry. An antique! Any car I ever had with a choke required pressing the pedal slowly to the floor and then releasing it slowly, then starting the car. A faster tap on the pedal would disengage the choke and the car would idle normally.

Pumping the gas pedal forces the carburetor to dump a little extra gasoline into the intake manifold before the engine is started.

Pressing the gas pedal to the floor also sets the choke on a carbureted car.

New or old it is still needed to start a carbureted car.

On an older vehicle, many

Possible but not likely.

the fuel line isn't as

Not a concern when starting.

, or the fire coming from the plugs is not as

Only if it has a problem with the ingnition system.

Whatever the reason, a little extra gasoline squeezed into the