My pedal on my Cutlass stuck almost at full throttle yesterday. . My question is what are the possible causes? I am thinking it is a frayed cable. The pedal assembly and linkages on the throttle body are free and in good shape.


Thanks,
Ted

 

I would disconnect from carb, the see if the carb linkage gets hung up. If no, then do the same with the cable and see if it hangs up. Finally, is the pedal assembly tight and does it work with nothing connected to it?

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I am heading to the shop this AM and will do what you have suggested and post what I find ....

 

The cable is probably dry or frayed.

 

That cable is really short and the plastic tube it routes through in the engine bay has tons of room to move in. Ted, I'd bet it's something binding on the right side linkages. When was the last time the carb was serviced? That Ontario moisture could be the problem. Send it out here to dry and cold Alberta. WOT huh? You were obviously having some fun.

Does this car have Cruise? Just a thought, my 72 did that once and it turned out to be the CC linkage to the carb. Hope you find the problem quickly.

 

My money is on a bad cable. The cable is made up of a braid of strands of stainless wire. The bends in the cable cause the wire to abrade the inner sheath over time. Once that happens, the wires start to wear. Once one of them breaks, the end sticks in the sheath. I've had this happen on two different GMs (one Olds, one Chevy). Verify by disconnecting the cable at the carb and see if you can move the cable. I suspect you will need to replace the cable.

 

Disconnected throttle and the linkage moves freely....carb linkages are good( Edlebrock) and the pedal assembly is good. Everything moved freely. I replaced the rubber grommet at the accelerator linkage at the carb.
I noticed the tac wire moving when the pedal was half depressed, so I re-routed it thru a hole in the firewall by the fuse panel and to the tac on the steering column. Took it out and tromped it and everything is smooth?
Is it possible for the sheath to get caught?

 

My view, is it happening once is too many. The cables are inexpensive, I would just change it.

 

I have seen the cable welded and melted because the body ground was not connected, and the body power and/or starter current [some of it] was grounding thru the throttle cable.

 

I had a shifter cable on a G-body which was frayed. Sometimes easy to move, other times real difficult. I agree, if there's a chance your cable is frayed, replace it.

One more thought: check your carb's linkage to make sure that when it's at WOT it's not "over center." By this, I mean make sure the throttle return spring is clearly pulling in the right direction, closing the throttle. It is possible to bend or modify the linkages such that the spring would actually hold the throttle open, or at least not pull it closed like it should.

 

x2