acceleration issues
- Birdibus
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Inland SoCal
- Status: Offline
acceleration issues
This is on the 71 bus. A couple days ago I began experiencing a racing engine. I was thinking the choke was stuck, but eventually we figured out the accelerator pedal was sticking. I ran some errands and used my toe to lift the pedal at stops. On the way home though I seemed to lose acceleration. I could put my foot to the floor yet experience almost no revving, a non reaction from the carb.
Is this a sign of a cable about to break? Was the frayed wire sticking in the tube, and now has stretched too far?
The other worrisome possibility is compression loss, but that would not explain the sticky accelerator pedal.
Is this a sign of a cable about to break? Was the frayed wire sticking in the tube, and now has stretched too far?
The other worrisome possibility is compression loss, but that would not explain the sticky accelerator pedal.
71 bus, 74 westy
- sped372
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Waunakee, WI
- Status: Offline
Re: acceleration issues
Pull the splash pan down and get a friend. Work the throttle while observing the mechanism underneath up front and then also back in the engine compartment. It should be fairly obvious where the trouble is.
1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX
- RSorak 71Westy
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Memphis, TN
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Re: acceleration issues
I bet the throttle started sticking because the cable was fraying and is now strecthed thus no throttle action. You need a cable.
Take care,
Rick
Stock 1600 w/dual Solex 34's and header. mildly ported heads and EMPI elephant's feet. SVDA W/pertronix. 73 Thing has been sold. BTW I am a pro wrench have been fixing cars for living for over 30 yrs.
Rick
Stock 1600 w/dual Solex 34's and header. mildly ported heads and EMPI elephant's feet. SVDA W/pertronix. 73 Thing has been sold. BTW I am a pro wrench have been fixing cars for living for over 30 yrs.
- Birdibus
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Inland SoCal
- Status: Offline
Re: acceleration issues
Yes, thanks for confirming my feeling about it.RSorak 71Westy wrote:I bet the throttle started sticking because the cable was fraying and is now strecthed thus no throttle action. You need a cable.
71 bus, 74 westy
- Birdibus
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Inland SoCal
- Status: Offline
Re: acceleration issues
The issue turned out to be with the throttle pedal linkage, not the cable. The pedal was tipped over to the right. I took it to a mechanic who fabricated a repair. They said some things were bent and some were broken. Sorry, but I could not learn specifics.
No one seemed to think the frayed cable idea was plausible.
No one seemed to think the frayed cable idea was plausible.
71 bus, 74 westy
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- Getting Hooked!
- Location: Seattle
- Status: Offline
Re: acceleration issues
The accelerator cable is a solid wire, it frayeth not, neither will it "stretch".
Neglected and/or abused cables sometimes just snap.
Neglected and/or abused cables sometimes just snap.
- Westy78
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Stumptown OR
- Status: Offline
Re: acceleration issues
kreemoweet wrote:The accelerator cable is a solid wire, it frayeth not, neither will it "stretch".
Neglected and/or abused cables sometimes just snap.
What kind of accelerator cable are you using? Never seen a solid wire. They are cables and will fray and stretch and break. Same as the clutch cable but larger gauge.
Chorizo, it's what's for breakfast.
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
Re: acceleration issues
Early buses had a single wire, like your average lawn mower. Worked quite well but demanded a straighter shot than stranded cables can live with.Westy78 wrote:kreemoweet wrote:The accelerator cable is a solid wire, it frayeth not, neither will it "stretch".
Neglected and/or abused cables sometimes just snap.
What kind of accelerator cable are you using? Never seen a solid wire. They are cables and will fray and stretch and break. Same as the clutch cable but larger gauge.
Birdibus, I have a fix for accelerator pedal links. They wallow out the hole in the pedal and jam around the corner and it gets all nasty after that. My fix uses a big flat washer ground down on one side to fit against the underside of the pedal. This washer prevents the link from going in too far then trying to go around the bend and jamming up. I put another flat washer on the other side of the hole to keep the link from slopping around.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
- Westy78
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Stumptown OR
- Status: Offline
Re: acceleration issues
Ahh well there you go. That's my learned thing for the day. How early are we talking here? Bay Windows or Splitties? My experience with pre '68 is nil.Amskeptic wrote:Early buses had a single wire, like your average lawn mower. Worked quite well but demanded a straighter shot than stranded cables can live with.Westy78 wrote:kreemoweet wrote:The accelerator cable is a solid wire, it frayeth not, neither will it "stretch".
Neglected and/or abused cables sometimes just snap.
What kind of accelerator cable are you using? Never seen a solid wire. They are cables and will fray and stretch and break. Same as the clutch cable but larger gauge.
Colin
Chorizo, it's what's for breakfast.
- RSorak 71Westy
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Memphis, TN
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Re: acceleration issues
My 71 has a multi strand cable.
Take care,
Rick
Stock 1600 w/dual Solex 34's and header. mildly ported heads and EMPI elephant's feet. SVDA W/pertronix. 73 Thing has been sold. BTW I am a pro wrench have been fixing cars for living for over 30 yrs.
Rick
Stock 1600 w/dual Solex 34's and header. mildly ported heads and EMPI elephant's feet. SVDA W/pertronix. 73 Thing has been sold. BTW I am a pro wrench have been fixing cars for living for over 30 yrs.
- Birdibus
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Inland SoCal
- Status: Offline
Re: acceleration issues
I've been through the frayed and stretched cable scenario before. I didn't just make it up. It happened before. The cable seemed to be sticking, then it broke. It's the explanation my mechanic told me. It might have been the clutch though, I forget. Too many years gone by.
71 bus, 74 westy