throttle cable tube trouble

[lotus_65]

My throttle cable broke at the carb linkage so it needed to be replaced. No big deal, right?

Unfortunately the white plastic sleeve is also broken, but at the firewall and WILL NOT BUDGE. Won't pull, won't push.

I can (barely) get a needle nose on it, but it seems bound up inside the tube somewhere.

I also dis-assembled the interior to get at the tunnel from the shifter, but there's no obvious advantage there. I ALMOST bought a sawzall to cut another access panel there, but came off that ledge... for now.

What a PITA.

Anyone?
paul

[John Rogers]

There is a very small access plate just to the right of the accelerator pedal on top of the tunnel that can let you get into the area where the cables attach at the front. It is much easier if you also pull the pedal board and then you can see in from the left side of the tunnel at the front also. The way I work on the front is to use a bunch of pillows on the right side seat and floor area and lay on my belly and have a light shinning in the front and things can be dissassembled easily.

[lotus_65]

yep, i had to do that to unhook the cable. thanks!
the problem, in case i didn't explain it is the white plastic sleeve is lodged in the tube from the firewall to the pedal assembly, so i need more than basic help.

[toolboy62]

years ago I had to replace the throttle cable on my '71; it was also broken at the engine end. Unfortunately it broke because the inside of the tube was rusty. I ended up putting a railroad tie across the garage door opening in my parents' house, having my dad sit inside the car and hold the car with the brakes, and pulled the cable out with a come-along! almost pulled the car back but it eventually came. I welded two pieces of all thread together and chucked them up in a cordless drill and ran that back and forth through the tube a couple times to knock the rust out so that I could insert the new cable. Good times.


nate

[lotus_65]

well that sounds like what i'm up against.
Any idea how far, if at all the sheath extends past the tube (towards the pedal assembly) in the tunnel?

After sleeping on it, here are the things I plan on doing:

First, I'll try adding a washer to the pedal assembly end of the cable that is slightly smaller than the I.D. of the tube and try to pull the assembly towards the back. If I can get a little sheath to emerge I can get a vice grip on it and start twisting/working it out.
I might add some heat to the tunnel in hopes of expanding the steel tube and loosening it's grip on the sheath.

If that doesn't work, I'll roughen the cable or add some type of barbs to it and reinsert it from the firewall hoping to find grip when I pull it back out.

If all else fails I'll use the cable as a reamer on my drill and grind the sheath from the inside. I don't want to do this, it'll be a stinking mess and I'll have no assurances that I get the whole sheath out, but it's all I can think of.

Thanks, toolboy62.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Some pics of the inside of the center tunnel:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/914_center_tunnel/911_center_tunnel.htm

--DD