Archived Snapped throttle cable???

[PhillySingle]

Hey all...



Ok... so, I take the truck up to visit a friend here in Pottsville, PA and we're driving around town... and wham...



... I step on the throttle and NO rev at all!! We get under the hood and notice one of the cable to the throttle body, more or less, snapped.



It's not the main cable on the top that seems to actually open the TB - but rather another cable on the bottom - a tentsion cable?



Basically, i NEED to get the truck back to NJ. . in the AM we're gonna try to rig up a solution by taking out the slack on the main throttle cable, so when I hit the gas - the TB actually opens up - rather than it just moving around in the 1-1/2" of slack that is there now...



Any thoughts... . ideas... anyone local to Pottsville, PA!?!



Thanks,

Jay

 

[Detroitiron]

try this

I doubt if a dealer would be open on Monday, Memorial Day. But maybe a bicycle dealer will?? Anyway, if there is one, they have small diameter cable to fix the brakes on the multi-speeed bikes, and the cables are connected to the calipers with small fittings. The fittings are like a small brass sleeve with a set screw. You put the end of the cable in the end fitting, adjust the cable to the desired length, and tighten the set screw. I used this fix years ago on an old car's carb linkage, that broke on a holiday weekend. The fix lasted plenty long enough to get home and even drive around if necessary, until a parts store opened after the holiday. It may sound crazy, but it worked for me.

lotsa luck,

Dave

 

[Joe G.]

There is no such thing as a throttle body on one of these engines. There are three cables to the throttle linkage assemble on the side of the injection pump. One is from the throttle pedal, one is from the cruise control, and the bottom one is to the kick down cable on the transmission. If the kick down cable broke then you will still have throttle. If the linkage assemble moves in response to pushing the pedal than a busted cable is not the problem. The motion from the throttle cable is transferred to a rod by the throttle assembly. The rod connects to a lever on the side of the injection pump.

 

[PhillySingle]

Thanks Joe...



after reading that, I'm thinking the rod to the injection pump let go - since when I press the pedal - I do see movement.



Are there any "quick" fixes I can do to let me get home to NJ ... it's about a 2hr ride.



Thanks,

Jay

 

[Joe G.]

If the rod is broken you can wire it together to get home with. There are a couple of other possibilities. One end of the rod may have come off. You can wire that back together. The rod connects to the side of the injection pump with a lever that is bolted to the injection pump lever with two screws. A screw may have fallen out so the linkage lever is not moveing the pump lever. You can probably patch that together with wire. Make sure you have wire with you on the way home. This mess might have to be done over. Make sure that the throttle spring between the pump lever and the block is still there. The trip home might be a little more exciting than you like if it is missing.

 

[PhillySingle]

Again... thanks. I'm getting a ride over to where the truck broke down in just a few minutes. I'm going armed with a bunch of wire and your suggestions.



I'm pretty sure the throttle spring is still there - I think one end of the rod broke off where it connects to the lever on the side of the pump.



I'll update in a bit...



Jay

 

[PhillySingle]

Made it home that night... it was pouring out and I couldn't get it rigged to run on the side of damn road. AAA came and trailered me the 100 miles home!



Next day - it was sunny out and I could see exactly what happened. The throttle rod snapped in half right where the adjustment screw is!!



Joe... I did just like you said- I took a section of metal wire (metal coat hanger actually... ) and rigged it up. She started and ran around just fine! Now I'm waiting on my replacement parts...



But thanks for all your quick replies on Monday - I owe you man...



Jay

 

[Joe G.]

Glad to see you made it home ok. Gotta have a little wire and some duct tape on board when you go anywhere. Not very elegant fixes with that stuff, but it beats walking.

 

[GAmes]

I've had three rods break. Every time I had a heavy trailer hooked up and was far from home. After the first one was replaced I figure eighted . 032 stainless wire from one end to the other as a backup. The figure eight keeps the broken rod from dropping down and jamming the throttle. The second one broke near Alamagordo, NM and I drove all the way to Tuscon before I replaced the rod (cruise control works when it is broken because it is a separate cable) and the third broke in rush hour traffic in Redding, Ca and I was able to drive to the local Dodge house to get another replacement. Every one of them broke in the threaded portion.