Accelerator Linkage Adjustment

[jbscheff]

I need to adjust my accelerator linkage and the ball nuts at each end are already at their limits already. I need to make the cable just a little shorter still. My car is a '73 and it's got this weird coupler near the engine end of the cable. The connecting rod at one end and the cable on the other side both have plenty of thread with jam nuts, so it looks like it's supposed to be adjustable. I loosened the nuts but neither side will screw in further. For what it's worth, they won't screw out either. Each end seems to be loose in the coupler. If I'm lucky I think I can put it back how it was if I haven't already screwed it up.

1. What the heck is this thing really for? What's it supposed to do?
2. Is it possible to adjust it?

Here's a picture:


In the diagram below it's part number 10.

[Flat6pac]

It looks like you’re several inches too long.
Are you connected properly at the foot pedals?
The connector is supposed to be inside the rubber cover at the firewall.
There are long and short female ball connectors
Bruce

[jbscheff]

In the picture the cable is disconnected at the pedals and pulled out so I could try and adjust length at the coupler.

['78 SC]

When you screw the rods into the coupling, can you move the rods in and out freely or are they semi-rigidly connected? As I understand it, the coupling has an internal rubber section that is designed to separate if the cable is overstressed (to prevent cable breakage). The metal can constrains the two ends as a sort of "limp mode", but once the rubber has separated, you can't get full throttle travel.

[jbscheff]

The rods do seem to move freely in and out, but are still connected to something inside the can that won’t let go. It seems that the only way to get the coupling off is to cut it open

['78 SC]

Sounds like the internals separated. Either the coupling failed due to age or it did its job and protected the cable.

I looked at mine, but only one end is visible. Does part of the internally threaded piece protrude from the coupling body enough to grip it with pliers so you can unscrew the rod? Otherwise I'd push/pull/twist the rod to try to jam the internal part enough to unscrew the rod. Maybe a drop of penetrating oil on the threads first.

[jbscheff]

I can get a good grip on it since I disconnected it at the pedals and pulled it back. I’ve tried to thread in the cable and the connecting rod and they Both just spin freely. I think the other assessments are right - internals are separated. Good thing they aren’t expensive.

[jbscheff]

Once the new one comes in I see a dremel getting some work.

[Tony V]

Put a wrench on both nuts and loosen. To see if the coupling is broken inside, see if when you pull on one side if the other rod moves. The rubber inside rarely breaks.
The original was just a cylindrical piece of rubber. If it broke, you had no throttle. When the rubber is incased in the brass holder, you still have some throttle.

[jbscheff]

Got the new one and cut the old one out. Sure enough the rubber was split. Now I get full travel, meaning full throttle. Wooohooo!

['78 SC]

Congratulations.

Would you mind posting a photo of the failed internals? Maybe a description of how you removed it, also. Nice for future searchers.


keywords:
throttle linkage
throttle travel
not getting full throttle
Throttle Rod Coupling
911-423-081-02

[jbscheff]

As requested here are pics after I used my Dremel to cut the coupler open. I had to release the cable at the accelerator and also release the clamp for the hand throttle (1973 911). That allowed me to pull the cable out far enough to get to it (see first pics in post).


The one end had sheared from the rest of the body and was floating within the case, adding slop to the throttle.