My accelerator pedal is very hard to push down anyone else had/has this problem? If so what did you do to solve the problem? 72 cutlass.

 

Make sure the accelerator cable isn't binding between the carb and pedal. If the cable isn't kinked then make sure the carburetor throttle moves freely. You might just have a throttle return spring that's too big on the carb.

 

Most likely cause is the throttle cable going bad. Disconnect the cable at the carb. If it is still hard to move, get a new cable. This can cause your throttle to stick open.

 

Are there extra springs attached to the throttle linkage?

 

No it’s not.

 

I took out the tennis ball that was stuck underneath.

 

Qjet? Accelerator pump problem.

 

Disconnect the throttle cable from the carb and see if its the carb or the cable.

 

just figured it out it has two springs on it for whatever reason and I unhooked one of them and it works just fine.

 

Figured it out thanks guys.

 

Federal law demands double throttle return springs. Unless your springs are unusually stiff, that's not the problem.

Frayed throttle cable, or seizing throttle-body bushings would be the most likely, but any worn or dry pivot point in the linkage could be part of the stiffness. As said, sometimes a swollen or "flipped" accelerator pump cup can bind in the pump bore.

 

Really, do you happen to have a link?

 

Nope. Read about it years and years ago. I'm sure it's a safety regulation--having a redundant spring in case one would fatigue and break.

But it's no coincidence that if you search for "throttle spring" on the Summit site, virtually every product is a dual-spring system.

https://www.summitracing.com/search?...ottle%20spring

 

There are still other single spring kits out there. I've never heard of a federal law, these cars did not come with dual springs or extra springs for that matter.

 

Here we go. Motor Vehicle Safety Standard #124. Here's a link to a proposed update of the standard.

https://www.federalregister.gov/docu...ontrol-systems

The standard is being updated due to modern vehicles not necessary having a mechanical throttle needing "springs" to return to an idle position. For example, an electric vehicle wouldn't have a throttle at all. Many large vehicles use a compressed-air powered throttle system. Anyway, "two sources of energy" would refer to two throttle springs in a throttle system like our cars have.

Given that the original poster is discussing a 1972 vehicle, his car is required to have two springs.

 

What does this have to do with the OP's 1972 vehicle?

 

Well I’m not violating any federal law. Both of them are still there..

 

It's all pretty funny 'til the "Spring Squad" shows up at your door!

 

It's all there in posts 1 and 9, although there's some good advice in between, and after those posts.

The OP thinks he's solved a problem by removing a second throttle return spring, and he hasn't. He's just covered-up the symptoms of some other problem.

The car is SUPPOSED to have two springs, Two springs doesn't make the throttle stiff. They ALL had two springs by law starting in '72. So, aside from assuring that he's got the proper two springs, he needs to be looking somewhere else for the source of the throttle-motion problem.

As I've said before--any pivot in the linkage, a frayed throttle cable, worn throttle body bushing or throttle shaft, and, I suppose, stiff, hardened grease in a TH400 kickdown switch could be potential causes. Some are more-likely than others.

Thanks for being obstinate and making me look up the Federal regulation. Until I saw the regulation, I thought the dual-springs were required in '68, perhaps before.

 

That was my thought. Some replacement springs are stiffer than the originals and it gets worse when two of them are used.

 

 

I second the frayed cable. Before I got my first Cutlass at 16, I drove the fambly Ford station wagon. Once I took it to the grocery store, about 3 miles and six controlled intersections away. Before I got to the store I realized the engine was running FAST and I was not on the accelerator. I tapped the pedal a couple times, thinking "the choke is stuck, and I'll bump it loose." You guessed it, the engine revved higher. Being the mostly dumb 16 YO driver, I drove the thing back home where I told my dad about it. This was in fall of '78 - no cell phones. Dad came out to check it out and we found the accelerator cable massively frayed where it went through the firewall. The grommet was still serviceable and doing it's job.