Stuck throttle tonight on freeway!!

rodneym · #1 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 12:11 AM

I got the carb running perfect in the Shelby. I was beaming, giving my wife looks, like, "aren't I something?" We were cruising along the freeway, minding our own business. Then, some a-hole in a BMW is right on my tail. I mean, I can't see his headlights

He changes lanes which is about to merge with mine. I step on it, to put a damper on his plans. Well, the pedal 'gives' to the floor, and she's revving fast. I pull her out of gear and turn off the engine off real quick (lucky for the rev limiter). It was definitely a pucker moment but I kept my cool, doing what I mentally prepared for countless times. I coasted to the shoulder under a street light and popped the hood. The metal piece that wraps like a 'U' around the throttle linkage rod had slipped and settled on the rear side of the linkage. Kind of hard to explain. Nothing a couple turns of a wrench couldn't fix but damn. Got back on the road, continuing with my "aren't I something?" glances.

This actually happened in the Kirkham too, except that it slipped so that I had 'no' throttle. I'm usually a bit of a gorilla with fasteners but these have gotten by me.

At any rate, double check your throttle linkage!!

Buford427 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 02:03 AM

"At any rate, double check your throttle linkage!!"
I can't stress this procedure enough!!!!!
Same happend to me. Had my car only 3 days and was out "having fun" when I popped a 1, 2, 3 show and then the throttle stuck wide open.
Took about .25 seconds to try the ole foot under throttle peddle to only realize that with cable linkage that was not going to work.
Turn key, shift to neultral, coast down street, pull over and check skin color. White as a gost and shaking to beat all.
Upon inspection found that the Fast Idle Bracket that had been left hanging loose on the carb body had swung up and jammed the mains when I hit third gear.
Pulled out a screw driver and relived the carb of a useless part.
Now during all this I got my first and second Snake Bite and was able to reply to a gentlemans comment of "nice car" with a "yeah, it's electric" as I coasted down the street.
The previous owner had wired open the manual choke rendering the fast idle adjustment bracket non operational.

rodneym · #3 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 08:34 AM

I like the electric comment.
It was strange going 70 with no sound at all.

66gtk · #4 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 09:34 AM

Glad you are all safe. Is your wife done riding in this car with you now? Good reminder to be "prepared" for this moment and similar moments.

patrickt · #5 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodneym

The metal piece that wraps like a 'U' around the throttle linkage rod had slipped and settled on the rear side of the linkage. Kind of hard to explain.

I don't understand. Here's a pic of my linkage, which I know is a little different than yours. Is that little 'U' piece visible here? If not, would it be in the upper left corner, right corner, lower left or lower right??

REAL 1 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 10:05 AM

Glad your OK. I always do an under the hood check and linkage before every outing.

rodneym · #7 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 10:09 AM

Are you kidding? She wants to go every day!

rodneym · #8 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 10:22 AM

Pat,
Lower right corner. The horizontal linkage connects to the vertical rod via a 'U'. At least that's how it is on both cars. The 'U' has a nut and bolt. If it's not tight enough, it can slip on the rod. When I say 'U', I mean it wraps around the rod.
I'd post a pic but we're leaving for vacation. I'll do it in a week if anyone is still interested. LOL.

Brooklyn-427 · #9 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 03:18 PM

Rodneym im sure if your linkage held open them twin paxtons would light them rears up quite nicely....

Dimis · #10 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 04:12 PM

Mate! Glad you were well rehearsed in your bail out procedure, and that you all are ok.
That could have gotten pretty ugly pretty quickly.

mickmate · #11 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 05:46 PM

Rodney glad that you handled that well. The throttle linkage needs to be adjusted to be resting on the gas pedal floor stop at full throttle. If the linkage or stop aren't adjusted to each other it will try to turn the arms on the shaft. That will give a wrong position of the arms and loosen them on the cross shaft.

patrickt · #12 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodneym

Pat,
Lower right corner. The horizontal linkage connects to the vertical rod via a 'U'. At least that's how it is on both cars. The 'U' has a nut and bolt. If it's not tight enough, it can slip on the rod. When I say 'U', I mean it wraps around the rod.
I'd post a pic but we're leaving for vacation. I'll do it in a week if anyone is still interested. LOL.

Please do. Here's a diagram of the ERA throttle linkage, FWIW: ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND LINKAGE

mickmate · #13 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 07:13 PM

ERA uses blades welded to the cross shaft, we use pinch bolts to secure them to the shaft.

patrickt · #14 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickmate

ERA uses blades welded to the cross shaft, we use pinch bolts to secure them to the shaft.

Would a quick tack weld not eliminate the problem on the KMS and CSX cars?

cobrakiwi · #15 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 08:11 PM

Rodney
That must have been a big moment, glad all ended well.
Just about every car that comes into my shop has not had the pedal stop installed, or set up correct.
I machine up a alloy stop that works great, here is the last csx4000 car that was in for some upgrades, it did not have the pedal stop at all.

razerwire · #16 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 08:44 PM

Have pedal stop like cobrakiwi on csx car and works well to stop from putting pressure on throttle bodys. I had a problem with key switch being loose just slightly and I let it go a couple of outings (dumb) and sure enough the bearing on the outside of footbox broke apart, interesting to say the least. To much power in these cars (660 hp) to let anything go, if you look real close you could see black around bearing showing problem which was one problem, but key switch I knew about and when throttle stuck it would have been no big deal to shut off key except it just would spin, had to hold outside of switch and turn key to shut off. Wake up call with no damage is good thing and keeps you on your toes.

rodneym · #17 (**permalink**) 08-03-2015, 11:42 PM

Well, I'm all settled in Yosemite. What a beautiful place.

Clarifications:

Brooklyn-427 - It happened in my Shelby Street (Shelby 468FE), not the twin Paxton Kirkham. That wouldn't have ended well!

Pat - What I called a U is really a J piece. And it doesn't wrap around the rod. It folds with a nut and bolt, pinching the rod.

Evan - it will become a regular part of maintenance.

Mickmate - now you tell me!!! That's the first thing when I get back!

PS: I see I missed some excitement on another thread. Jeez. I leave for a few hours ....

patrickt · #18 (**permalink**) 08-04-2015, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodneym

Pat - What I called a U is really a J piece. And it doesn't wrap around the rod. It folds with a nut and bolt, pinching the rod....

If this is the piece we're talking about, and it's held on with a J-bracket and pinching nut, then I'd get it aligned just right and weld the damn thing. It's not like your ever going to change it. That's just not a good way to have it attached, IMO.... Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know... that's how they did it on the original cars... but give me a nice weld any day of the week for something like that.

The last thing I need is a stuck WOT -- I have doubts whether I could think fast enough to react before I was dancing with the angels....

patrickt · #19 (**permalink**) 08-04-2015, 11:11 AM

... and likewise on the footbox end of the rod.

mickmate · #20 (**permalink**) 08-04-2015, 08:37 PM

If you're missing the stop let me know and I'll send you one. It's just a 5/16" bolt with a washer brazed to the head and yes that's original spec. You can see it in two views here.
Gas Pedal [427 CCX Contemporary] - $250.00 : Acton Custom Enterprises, Custom Metal for Cobras
Check also you have a return spring on the carb and another one on the pedal.