To be honest Ken, no matter how many gubbins Citroen added over the years to improve the design of the Solex twin choke, I have never needed to use choke to start up any of my A series - that includes in a winter with -15C temperature. The biggest barrier to starting tended to be shite leads sparking to earth.......

we have been told to dab pedal twice use no choke and turn over and catch with another dab of throttle and it works for us
did try choke when we first got dyane but that made it nye on impossible to start
the car does have a 123 electronic ignition
which ignition system has cold start problems of running on one cylinder then ken

If there's a 'choke pull-off' device on the carburettor, that's probably failed and needs to be removed.
Once it gets down to freezing, you will need the choke for reliable starting.


Limiting travel of choke flap. by slcchassis, on Flickr


This is as far as it goes... by slcchassis, on Flickr

I once drove all the way into Leeds to sort out a car which 'wouldn't start' in mid-winter, only to find out that it started inmediately when the choke was used.
The owner had decided to follow her ex-husband's advice never to use the choke, so you can guess my response...

123, since you asked.

ken

What is the problem with the 123 that causes the poor running?

For the answer to that I think that you need to ask Albertronics...