She tried to kill me, twice!

[NickM450]

Just got back from a very, ummm, shall we say, 'interesting' day. My car has been back home for a week or so and just about up and running properly

I had a day with the mapper to iron out a few issues as well as sorting the quite diabolical fuel consumption. Out on the road, the mapping going well he asks me to give it full throttle, I happily obliged Problem was, when I took my foot of the throttle it stayed down, firlmy buried in the carpet

I'm quite surprised how calm I managed to stay, I side though I was truly cacking myself. No matter what I did she kept going at wide open throttle, I tried the brakes, stamping on accelerator pedal. I chucked it into neutral but the noise of the engine soon made me put it back into 5th until I heard the mapper saying "kill it, kill it" - Turned the key, nose of the car dipped and thankfully we slowed down

We poodled back to the workshop and found what we thought was the offending part. The bit that holds the throttle cable on was, we thought, fouling on something. I quick pass with the grinder and we thought it was solved, no. Same hill, same situation and it stuck again

This time I quickly turned the ignition of and we cruised to the side of the road. Looks like another bit of fault finding, oh well, onwards and upwards.

Any ideas folks? Nothing obvious is fouling the throttle, we can't replicate the sticking throttle when at a standstill and it never happened during the dyno runs

Now that I'm back home I have realised how scared I actually was when it was going on, I need a drink

Edited by NickM450 on Saturday 13th December 20:40

[Skyedriver]

The carpet to the right of the accelerator has come loose there's a draught pulling it out and trapping the pedal....
Ask me how I know.......
Scary isn't it?

[sapper]

Sounds like a very lucky escape, twice.
My bonnet release cable was sticking and I couldn't fix it. In the end I tried changing the cable. Turns out it had a snapped thread inside the outer sleeve. Totally out of site but was causing it to catch.
The throttle and bonnet release cable are similar construction, so if it is split somewhere that could explain why the pedal sticks.

[Pupp]

Not removed a return spring to lighten the action by any chance?

[NickM450]

Skyedriver said:

The carpet to the right of the accelerator has come loose there's a draught pulling it out and trapping the pedal....
Ask me how I know.......
Scary isn't it?

You've probably cracked it, as soon as we pulled over the throttle returned to normal. I'll have a looksy in the morning
It is indeed very, very scary if it's not happened to you before.

sapper said:

Sounds like a very lucky escape, twice.
My bonnet release cable was sticking and I couldn't fix it. In the end I tried changing the cable. Turns out it had a snapped thread inside the outer sleeve. Totally out of site but was causing it to catch.
The throttle and bonnet release cable are similar construction, so if it is split somewhere that could explain why the pedal sticks.

I had the same issue with my bonnet cable. I'll be replacing my throttle cable, been told to try a motorbike cable with the in built solid corner if you see what I mean.

Pupp said:

Not removed a return spring to lighten the action by any chance?

'fraid not. I ran a single return spring since I bought the car with no issues. I currently run the ACT carbon fiber twin plenum.

Edited by NickM450 on Saturday 13th December 21:54

[peaktorque]

It could be the throttle cable breaking down within the sheath, a couple of split strands can cause the cable to jam within.

This happen on my stty Wedge, it was quite embarrassing being sat at some traffic lights in a lop sided, ugly pig of a car, with the roof off - in the cold, with the throttle stuck at 4500RPM

Edited by peaktorque on Saturday 13th December 22:28

[RichB]

Can't add to the suggestions to replace the throttle cable anyway and add a failsafe spring.

I've had this happen to me in an MGCGT and my immediate reaction was to kill the ignition BUT if you do this in a modern car i) the steering lock engages so you quickly need to turn the key back on and then ii) you will have no servo so be ready to push the brake pedal hard!

[Dodsy]

I had this when the throttle cable was broken up inside the sheath. It all looked fine but chose the moment I pulled out of a side road turning left with a bootful of throttle to stick on. I think I managed 3 x 360's before I killed the engine. Lucky I ended up with the back end in a hedge, no ditch or street furniture to hit.

[NickM450]

Had a quick peek around the car today. Still unable to find anything visably wrong and the carpet is stuck down. The accelerator pedal does seem a bit close to the carpet so maybe some adjustment there as well as a new throttle cable will solve it.

Must remember not to give her a bootfull until it's sorted. Just a pain we can't replicate it at a standstill with the engine not running.

[Oldred_V8S]

NickM450 said:

Had a quick peek around the car today. Still unable to find anything visably wrong and the carpet is stuck down. The accelerator pedal does seem a bit close to the carpet so maybe some adjustment there as well as a new throttle cable will solve it.

Must remember not to give her a bootfull drive her until it's sorted. Just a pain we can't replicate it at a standstill with the engine not running.

There fixed that for you.

I would not be taking the car anywhere until this was fixed. The last thing you want is an accident and someone finding out you were driving it with a known fault.

[RichB]

Oldred_V8S said:

NickM450 said:

Had a quick peek around the car today. Still unable to find anything visably wrong and the carpet is stuck down. The accelerator pedal does seem a bit close to the carpet so maybe some adjustment there as well as a new throttle cable will solve it.

Must remember not to give her a bootfull drive her until it's sorted. Just a pain we can't replicate it at a standstill with the engine not running.

I would not be taking the car anywhere until this was fixed. The last thing you want is an accident and someone finding out you were driving it with a known fault.

I agree, I wouldn't dream of using a car known to have faulty with the throttle cable/accelerator pedal until it was fixed.

[NickM450]

My bad

I agree, it is indeed to much to risk. I have spoken to Tim at ACT today and he recommended the updated linkage that he sells with the new plenums.

I'll probably end up with that and the other associated bits.

[Oldred_V8S]

NickM450 said:

My bad

I agree, it is indeed to much to risk. I have spoken to Tim at ACT today and he recommended the updated linkage that he sells with the new plenums.

I'll probably end up with that and the other associated bits.

Sensible man.

Last year I saw a guy take a chance on a sticking motorcycle throttle cable. Just over an hour later he smashed his right hip to pieces on the back of a Bentley.