new one - ghost throttle!
 

ok, i drove my car to a friends down the street. hanging out, and on my way out. it was damn cold, by california standards at least. my car was fully frosted. i started it up, nothing spectacular. but the car was stumbling a bit, so i feathered the gas. from there, things got wierd. my car started reving up. it got to about 4k, when i came to my senses and shut off the ignition. i jiggle the foot throttle, nothing wierd, popped the hood, checked the throttle from that end, nothing wierd. i restarted the car and all was well. what happened? my floor mat was clear, nothing amiss. i am stumped. it ran fine all the way home. (against my better judgement, but i kept one hand close to the key)

cliff

Sticky throttle linkage.

Check around the bell crank and at teh back of the engine for obstruction.

It may have just been some moisture and it froze up for a second.

AFJuvat

you know, i never thought about that. viscosity! i will check it in the daytime. thanks.

As above, check entire throttle cable for any restrictions, binding, etc.

Also known is for the small spring on the throttle body to come off / break. If you look on the LHS were the linkage opens the throttle it's quite easy to see.

The results could be scary - from experience.

Regards, Tom

It may have just been some moisture and it froze up for a second.

Very, very unlikely. I'm a native Californian and have lived in Alaska 25 years.

I like the possibility AFJuvat offered, humorous, but it has to be something else. While freezing is cold that alone isn't enough.

Good luck with your search for answers though.

Grease /gunk on throttle linkage that works fine warm...but gets gummy cold.

Clean up and use dri-lube on the joints...perhaps ....

Wil

Dude, Steve McQueen is haunting your car, trying to get you to put your FOOT DOWN!

The only way to excise him is to go to the track.

the cruise cable often comes out of it's upper bracket and hangs up the throttle. a couple of criss crossed zip ties keep it in place.

Yes as JW said it could be the cruise cable. Mine hung up a couple of times and it would hold the revs up around 4k. I had to cut the cable to the cruise or at least I thought so at the time.

Anyway the cruise never worked and since the cable was cut it never hung up again.