HELP! Sticking accelerator pedal | FerrariChat

HELP! Sticking accelerator pedal

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by M.James, Feb 29, 2004.

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  1. M.James

    M.James F1 Rookie

    Jun 6, 2003
    2,721
    Worcester, MA
    Full Name:
    Michael.C.James
    #1 M.James, Feb 29, 2004
    My '84 308 QV accelerator has been getting more and more sticky these past couple of times I've gone out for a drive. Now, it's getting dangerous. From a dead stop, I can barely move the pedal with my foot. Once I get it free, it moves, but not well. I have to practically stand on it to get it to move, but occasionally, it moves quickly like a normal pedal and goes to the floor. Stop-and-go traffic is a holy nightmare, as I'm either stalling the car, or giving it too much acceleration and cooking the clutch. I'm starting to fear for people in front of me, as I could over-accelerate into the back of someone's car.

    It has to be something with the pedal mechanism/linkage, because once I'm underway the car will accelerate well. There's not much of carpeting, and I have no floor mats to get in the way, so it can't be interference that I can tell. Any thoughts as to what I can look at first?
     
  2. pnorman

    pnorman Rookie

    Dec 30, 2003
    47
    #2 pnorman, Feb 29, 2004
    Look in the engine compartment where the cable comes through the firewall. see if it's frayed or binding on something...Patrick
     
  3. 308GTS

    308GTS Formula 3

    Dec 27, 2001
    2,223
    TN
    #3 308GTS, Feb 29, 2004
    It is best to replace it. I have an 85' that had a jumpy throttle cable. It would stick in strange areas and jump so to speak. I went through everything.
    Cleaned throttle body/throttle plate
    Lubed throttle linkage
    Lubed cable up by the pedal/pedal joint too.
    Checked for kinks in the cable found none and lubed it when it was coming out of its protective sheath.

    It didn't help at all. I bought a new cable and it works great. It feels like it is elect. throttle control without a cable it is so smooth.
    What I found was some corrosion in the cable sheath itself and from heat the sheath was fairly inflexible. For $50 a new cable is worth it. It isn't hard to replace either. Pull it out from the engine side. Also it helps to tie a string around the old one when removing it.
     
  4. M.James

    M.James F1 Rookie

    Jun 6, 2003
    2,721
    Worcester, MA
    Full Name:
    Michael.C.James
    #4 M.James, Feb 29, 2004
    Just on a lark, I looked at the cable as it comes out from under the manifold assembly....yikes! Its frayed, and down to the last few strands of metal before it detatches from the throttle linkage entirely. Well, at least I found it....how much work is it to run a new one through the car? Is this a special item that's hard to find, or will any cable do?
     
  5. Diablo

    Diablo Formula Junior

    Jan 6, 2004
    443
    In front of the comp
    #5 Diablo, Feb 29, 2004

    Get the original one for the car. DO NOT TRY AND SAVE MONEY WITH THIS!!!

    If you use the wrong cable, you might be in court telling the judge why your car's throttle was sticking and caused an accident....

    heck, i would pay the dealer to install it to take the liability away from yourself..
     
  6. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
    35,532
    Victory Circle
    Full Name:
    HUBBSTER
    #6 WILLIAM H, Mar 1, 2004
    I had my throttle stick on my 308 & I fixed it by squirting some WD40 on the pedal linkage. I'm glad you found that cable before it went bye bye
     
  7. M.James

    M.James F1 Rookie

    Jun 6, 2003
    2,721
    Worcester, MA
    Full Name:
    Michael.C.James
    #7 M.James, Mar 1, 2004
    I'm thinking that if the cable breaks, the car just dies from throttle cutoff - anyone have this happen? My local mechanic tells me that he's never had Throttle Control cable issues with any of the 308s he's worked on, so I'm thinking that something is binding on the cable as its routed through the firewall on its way to the accelerator pedal, and I'm manually fraying the cable with excessive pedal pressure.
     
  8. Uberpower

    Uberpower Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 6, 2004
    1,048
    #8 Uberpower, Mar 1, 2004

    My accelerator sticks! Honest officer, I would NEVER do 120 in a school zone!
     
  9. Mike Florio

    Mike Florio Formula Junior

    Jun 19, 2003
    592
    NW Rural Nevada
    Full Name:
    Mike Florio
    #9 Mike Florio, Mar 1, 2004
    I had one bust on me years ago, right at the same spot you found yours frayed. I was out in the boonies, but not far from home, so I turned the idle up to 2500 RPM and got home through some deft gear selection and clutch work. I wouldn't want to repeat the experience.

    They are pretty easy to replace, but make sure you get the exact one for your car. An unnamed dealer sold me the wrong one, and I had to return it and force the parts guy to look up the correct one.

    While you are at it, check the clutch cable where it goes over a roller just before it goes into the tube under the body. If it slips off the roller it will quickly wear and break.

    I now carry replacements for both in my spare tire well.
     
  10. sindo308qv

    sindo308qv F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    3,575
    miami.fl.
    Full Name:
    sindo
    #10 sindo308qv, Mar 1, 2004
    Happened to me once,did'nt snap, just got loose somehow, just coasted into a parking lot. Sometimes too, and I know it's stupid, but the floor mat can works it's way up and cause the throttle to seem to stick/high revs.
     

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