Throttle cable hell!!

[veltror]

I had my throttle cable break, and although I have taken it out there seems to be some blockage in the cable guide tube, as luck has it, it is smack bang in the middle of the car, since I cannot even get a stiff wire thru there must be some large "thing" in the tube somewhere, please could I have some ideas or alternativly where should I cut the tunnel!

Roman from London,

[JP Noonan]

Try a stiffer wire, maybe a 1/8" dia steel rod. Pound it into the tube from the engine side, make sure the rod is long enough so if it gets jammed you can get "Vise-grips" on it to pull it out.

More than likely you have some of the old plastic sheathing from the throttle cable stuck in the tube. Or the way the tube rests on the floor of the car it could be rusted. Removing the shifter can give more clearance but be sure to mark how the shifter is attached to the rod or you will have trouble shifting when you bolt it back together. There are splines on the shifter rod that match up to the shifter. Use a dental mirror to look into the tube from the shifter hole, maybe the plastic will be poking out and you can pull it out from there. BTW if the tube is rusted the cable would probably have rust on it too.

hope that helps

Cheers.

About cutting the tunnel. There are PLASTIC FUEL LINES running through the tunnel, also the BRAKE LINES are in there too. So be very careful.

[This message has been edited by JP Noonan (edited 04-30-2000).]

[veltror]

I have pounded a metal rod and nada, the throttle tube fortunately is on the opposite side to the brake pipe and fule hoses i cannot understand why this has happened as i have changed cables before it started to stick in the 20 miles or so before i chnage dit but i really think it is something large in the tube,

[Germain]

Im confused, how did you pound a metal rod through, yet maintain a blockage?

To answer your question, I would probably go through the shifter opening if I could, but that would be very very last resort.

[veltror]

Well i could not get a metal rod thru the conduit after 9hrs the only solution was to cut the conduit in the tunnel and splice in a new one, must be something big in the conduit probably a weld or somehting after last years floorpan change.

[Conrad W Peden]

Try using a 'Snake' type setup. Attach(weld) a self tapping screw of appropriate diameter to the end of a small rod, say .125, .1875, .25, whatever fits. Then put that in a hand drill and ream away.

Don't forget to grind off the head of the screw to make it small enough to get in the tube.

Conrad W Peden
72 L20E in rusto. + 1 dent
73 L20E in resto. soon to be raced-o http://members.rennlist.com/a914lover



[This message has been edited by Conrad W Peden (edited 05-11-2000).]