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Date:         Sat, 3 Oct 2009 13:17:24 -0700
Reply-To:     Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Gas pedal push rod comes unseated
Comments: To: miguel pacheco <mundopacheco@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <c280e73b0910031252x2b0e4a59oe4ed42e6d0042aa2@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed

Oh, okay, that's the push rod that I referenced as shown on Bentleys 20.31 in my OP. It had somehow pulled out of the plastic horns/groove on the underside of the gas pedal. The 90-degree portion on the right side of the Van Cafe photo is the bit that snaps into the pedal. And you've had trouble with the other end, which goes into a hole on the part called the Relay Lever in Bentleys.

My van is at 80,000 miles so I would not expect the teat/barb at the lower end of the push rod to be as worn away as yours. And when the upper end is pushed into its home on the underside of the pedal it snaps in quite firmly. I can't see any way that frozen water in the linkage could separate the two, since the pedal isn't trying very hard to pull upward away from the push rod.

But -- now here's an odd thought -- maybe some liquid water on the bottom of my stability boot froze to the pedal and when I lifted my foot to apply brakes when going through a roundabout, I pulled that pedal right off the push rod. My foot had been on the pedal for about a minute prior to hitting the roundabout.

-- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) Bend, OR KG6RCR

On 10/3/2009 12:52 PM miguel pacheco wrote:

> Michael, here is the link to the VanCafe's picture : > > http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_794_1397/accelerator_pedal_linkage___linkage_rod.html > On the picture, you can barely tell, all the way on the left, how it > should be shaped............ > Miguel > > > > On Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 1:48 PM, miguel pacheco <mundopacheco@gmail.com> wrote: >> Michael, I'm not anywhere near my Bentley, but I can look later. As I >> recall, the vertical link that drops from above, has one 90 degree >> bend at it's lower end (I realize it has another on the other end, but >> this is what is actually visible, beneath floorboard.) It should have >> that barb, almost at its end. Without it, you should be able to reach >> up there and without too much resistance, pull it right out of the >> linkage. I'm going by fuzzy memory here, but I think I'm close >> enough....... >> Miguel >> >> >> >> On Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 1:38 PM, Rocket J Squirrel >> <camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote: >>> Hi Miguel, >>> >>> My accelerator linkage is usually a bit sticky when I first press on it, >>> I've been thinking about getting some bits refreshed. >>> >>> That "teat/barb" thing that you had trouble with -- does it appear on page >>> 20.31 in Bentley's so I can see what you're referring to? >>> >>> -- >>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott >>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") >>> 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) >>> Bend, OR >>> KG6RCR >>> >>> >>> >>> On 10/3/2009 12:28 PM miguel pacheco wrote: >>> >>>> Michael, maybe you had the classic freezing of a tiny bit of water >>>> within the accelerator cable conduit. This usually happens the first >>>> time you push the pedal and I realize you had already driven some >>>> distance, but I'm just saying. >>>> Your linkage may be worn and needs replaced. I did 350K miles on my >>>> first Syncro.....at 300K, the little teat/barb that keeps it all >>>> together, under there, wore away enough that it would not stay >>>> together any longer. At that time I had a parts van and was able to do >>>> a quick swap. I just discussed this with a fellow Vanagonaut, and he >>>> mentioned that he purchased all these bits, new, from VanCafe, though >>>> I have not substantiated it yet. If it is available, new, I would do >>>> it. This is one of those things that will make your life miserable, >>>> I'm sure you know. >>>> >>>> Miguel >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 1:09 PM, Rocket J Squirrel >>>> <camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> On 10/3/2009 11:32 AM Stephen Grisanti wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Same thing happened to me about a year ago on the city's six-lane main >>>>>> drag. [...] Â Never felt anything suspicious leading up to it and never >>>>>> found a reason for the pushrod to have come loose and it hasn't happened >>>>>> again. Â Various Vanagon parts just letting us know they're there, I >>>>>> reckon. >>>>> Yeah, that's probably as good an explanation as we can expect. >>>>> >>>>> Because I checked out Karl's suggestion. The rivets have not come loose >>>>> at >>>>> the front of the pedal, the thing has no side-to-side wiggleability. And >>>>> I >>>>> cannot think of any way that the smooth flat plastic bottom of this >>>>> stability boot, the sole of which is a rectangle with rounded corners, >>>>> about 5'' wide and 13'' long, could have glommed onto the pedal and >>>>> lifted >>>>> it off the pushrod. >>>>> >>>>> Antigravity or something. >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott >>>>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") >>>>> 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) >>>>> Bend, OR >>>>> KG6RCR >>>>> >


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