That's how a choke is supposed to be used. Full choke when cold, crank until the engine fires, then push the knob halfway in or a little less to prevent flooding and stalling. A cold engine that starts easily without choking is running WAY too rich. It should not be necessary to pump the gas pedal at all if the choke is working right. If an engine with a completely dry float bowl needs to be cranked for more than 10 seconds, the fuel pump is probably bad. With some gas in the carb, 2-5 seconds of cranking should be all that's required.
Jerry
