Date: Sat, 13 May 2006 23:22:43 -0400
Reply-To: robertmstewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: robertmstewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: Accelerator Cable - Broken?
In-Reply-To: <3E61A8A5-E890-4009-9EF0-DFA1872504E0@knology.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
Jim, Mike, Jeff, Doug, & Zoltan and everyone else...
Thanks for the info, when I was adjusting the idle I was pushing the
throttle forward and once in a while I revved it. When I was done, I shut
the engine off and lubricated the throttle area, the springs and I know what
did wrong.. I had the engine off and pushed the throttle cable forward all
the way and let it snap back, I did this a couple of times after I
lubricated everything there and that action must have made something come
off.
I will attempt to take a look at the pedal connection to the throttle cable
on Monday. I am baby sitting tomorrow 2 little girls, my niece's. One is 8
months, the other is 4yrs old. They will consume my time so it will not have
to wait till then.
I did check the engine bay area and did not see anything that looked
different from before I started to mess with it, so I am assuming that the
source of the issue is under the pedal, somewhere in the cable connector
under the pedal. The pedal is totally dead, no pressure at all.
If it is something in the engine bay I am not seeing it, or maybe am not
sure what I am suppose to be seeing. The entire throttle area and all the
connectors and linkages appear to be the same to me.
Looking for something that I am not sure what it looks like is like trying
to find a needle in a haystack without knowing what the needle looks like.
I looked in the Haynes Manual and Bentley to see the linkage under the pedal
and I could see how something there could come loose.
Jeff, you mentioned to "Check at the transmission where the throttle cable
connects. It attaches via a ball socket and I'll bet it popped off." Where
do I look for that? I noticed the throttle cable is angled there as it goes
back above the transmission, I assume I have to crawl under the van and see
it's disconnected?
I have never taken the spare out before, guess it's better that I do it in
the driveway then on the open road for the first time.
Any advice for a first timer who has to crawl under the van? Best ways? Eye
protection yes, anything else?
If I need to replace the cable how is the best done in your driveway? Or can
it be done? Do I need to jack the van up on both sides?
Thanks for every ones advice!
Rob
--
Rob
NYC/Long Beach, NY
88 Wolfsburg, Silver
on 5/13/06 8:55 PM, Zoltan at zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET wrote:
> I agree. I think, that the little bolt, that holds the end of the cable in
> place in that little cylinder that is fitting in that arm on the throttle
> valve, may have gotten lubricated now and slipped off because it was not
> tight enough before. Just thinking.
> Most probably you have no real problem just something got out of order.
> Zoltan
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jim Felder" <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2006 5:26 PM
> Subject: Re: Accelerator Cable - Broken?
>
>
> Robert,
>
> Be sure that something you lubricated hasn't slipped off or out of
> place. Just pull the hatch and look. It's possible that the cable
> broke, but it would be a huge coincidence that would have served you
> better by having a brick of gold fall from an airplane into a safe
> place in your back yard.
>
> Jim
on 5/13/06 8:26 PM, Jim Felder at felder@knology.net wrote:
_______________
Rob,
I kinda thought your van was an auto, but was too tired to search for
that info.
Your gas pedal ass'y is above the spare tire, and there is a plastic
black cover that protects it from the weather. No pedal usually means
that the cable that runs from the pedal ass'y to the auto tranny is
broken, or has come undone. The accelerator cable is prone to breakage,
and all the vendors sell them. The action from the tranny to the
throttle housing is a solid rod, bent just so to go through. If your
inspection shows a broken cable, it's not that bad of a job to change
yourself.
Doug in CT
_____________________
Troubleshooting from afar is certainly not easy. I would first check
the most obvious ... like checking to make sure the keeper is still on
the end of the throttle cable end where it attaches at the throttle
body. Then look under the accelerator pedal and make sure the rod is
snapped into the pedal where it will do its thing.
Mike
____________________
Robert,
Check at the transmission where the throttle cable connects. It attaches
via a ball socket and I'll bet it popped off.
Cheers,
Jeff
> Robert,
>
> Be sure that something you lubricated hasn't slipped off or out of
> place. Just pull the hatch and look. It's possible that the cable
> broke, but it would be a huge coincidence that would have served you
> better by having a brick of gold fall from an airplane into a safe
> place in your back yard.
>
> Jim
>
>
> On May 13, 2006, at 6:33 PM, robertmstewart wrote:
>
>> So I was messing around the idle on my 88 auto, some will remember
>> I posted
>> a question about idle issues the other day. Anyway, I was adjusting
>> the idle
>> and on the process when the engine was off I was lubricating the
>> accellerator cable and the entire mechanism, the springs etc , that
>> are
>> connected to throttle unit.
>>
>> It was running fine, it was accelerator when I pushed the cable,
>> then I went
>> to to start the van later in the day and I noticed that the pedal
>> had no
>> pressure!
>>
>> I assume that accidentally may have broken the cable, or where the
>> cable
>> connects under the pedal?
>>
>> Any ideas?
>>
>> I am no mechanic but I assume I am going to have to remove the
>> front spare
>> tire and see what¹s happened...
>>
>> I hope someone has an answer for me...
>>
>> Thanks in advance...
>>
>>
>> --
>> Rob
>> NYC/Long Beach, NY
>> 88 Wolfsburg, Silver
>>
>
