anybody have this issue with the repro 4bbl (TH350) throttle cables? My Parts Place cable looks to be about 2" or so too long and the bend created between the mounting blocks is causing the cable to bind at the petal.


Cable keeps getting hung up and I can't accelerate smoothly from a stop.

are these repro cables longer than the factory cable?


Thinking I may need to start looking at an adjustable piece if aftermarket stuff won't work well.

 

Here's a Parts Place repro cable.....455 and 350 4 bbl are the same.

Measure yours, ACCURATELY, from the same spots I did and post the result here so others will be able to read this thread later and get useful info.

Mine is right at 12-1/2"s when you measure the length of ONLY the round cable casing....see pic so you'll be able to measure from the same spots.

My cable is the same length as originals I have.

If you don't get an accurate measurement on yours then this info is useless.

Also - what setup (ie what parts) are you using at the carb linkage attachment end of the cable?

And - post a pic showing your throttle cable bracket mounted on the back of the carb.

 

Is the carb bracket correct? A picture would be helpful. That looks slightly long, but it shouldn't be bad enough to cause a good cable any problems.

But, in my experience (*), the repop cables are horrible. They bind and will eventually break. Mine tended to break where the sheath connected to the retainer. Thankfully I noticed the throttle felt rougher before it got jammed open.
I posted a thread about which Lockar kit works with our linkage, but you have to get creative since the ball on the throttle end is a little small, and the retainers are round instead of the square locking tabs

(*) I've had at least three repop cables. I know from Fusick and Inline Tube, maybe also parts place.

 

The bracket is a correct 4bbl repop piece - I checked my cable out a little more and determined it appears to be an Inline Tube part, not Parts place like I had thought - it has the small eyelet hole for carb throttle arm, not the oversize hole of the Parts Place cable.


It fits onto the throttle arm post without difficulty but I suspect that could be more of the problem with the binding than the cable length - there's no bushing or sleeve mounted onto the arm with the cable head (and not having been an Olds guy before, I didn't even realize they were required parts).


So rather than pulling my cable off the car to reaffirm what is probably the correct length, I'm just starting over with fresh (and hopefully correct) parts.


Ordered a new Motor City repro cable assembly, identical to the Parts Place cable, but which also comes with the bushing, sleeve and lock clip all for $24.95 shipped.


Will try these first to see if binding problem can be solved - if not, I'll revisit the Lokar or similar options which may exist.

 

I was wondering the same thing.....if you instead had the cable type that Inline and Fusick sell with the incorrect small hole tab on the carb end.

To me, that style carb end is more likely the cause of the "cable binding" complaints you hear often regarding repro cables. No sleeve, no bushing.....just a small hole in the metal tab end that slips onto the carb linkage. There's a reason the factory did it differently.

 

OK so new throttle cable is in and seems to work properly with no binding. It is essentially the same cable as my prior repro but for the throttle arm link hole being larger (i.e. non-bushed) - the prior Inline cable actually has a pressed-in metal reducer which I presume is supposed to act as the bushing contact on the throttle arm (but it binds against the shaft) - the actual outside diameter of the old cable end is the same size as the new cable.


the new cable came with a correctly sized grommet and bushing sleeve, as well as a new locking clip - all for $24.99 shipped - hopefully over the long run problem solved.


here's the ebay link:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/162006882668?rmvSB=true

 

I know this is 3 years old, but I just stumbled across this thread and I'm curious if the new throttle solved the binding issue. I'm having the same problem with my repop cable.

 

Greg - read his last posting....he said the newer repro cable solved the problem.

Which repro cable do you have?? The "old/incorrect" style with the small tab on the carb end OR the more exact/correct style with the large loop on the carb end?

 

Yeah I read that. I'll clarify that I'm wondering if the new cable has held up over the years. I've bought many parts that at first seemed great, only to fail prematurely months or years later.

 

Good question.....I see your point and concern since it is a reproduction piece. I will say that the wound cable (inside the sheathing) appears to be the same diameter as originals, the crimped-on loop at the carb end and the crimped-on stop at the gas pedal end appear to be well crimped...and the "snap-in" tabs that hold the cable to the carb cable bracket on one end and go into the square firewall hole at the other seem to be of good construction.

One slight difference is the diameter of the black cable casing/sheathing....it's slightly smaller on the repro cables vs. the originals.