Accelerator cables

[Randy in Maine]

The other day at the grocery store I saw a guy with a 68 pop top westy working on his engine in the parking lot. His accelerator cable had broken right at the end where it clamps into the barrel clamp. He was trying to shorten the cable to get some grip at teh barrel clamp just an inch shorter, but realized as soon as he started it that he was just making the engine run wide open. He decided to have it towed to his house, which was not far.

All I had was a 79 FI accelerator cable at home. I knew mine was different but I did not know just how long the various accelerator cables are supposed to be. Anyone know right off the top of their head how long the various accelerator cables are?

After I got home I realized I should have suggested that he just set the fast idle speed to about 1500-2000 RPM and using some careful shifting and driving he could have just limped it home.

[RIOMX]

He should have tried to pick up a throttle cable extender kit. That's what I had to do, since the cable my bus was using wasn't going to work after I swapped back to a Type 4 motor. We just cut the cable and shortened a bit, and used the kit.

There are different kinds, but above is an example.

[tubdub]

when that happened to me i just used a piece of a wire coat hanger with another barrel clamp to extend the cable

[hazetguy]

[fusername]

I have been running a custom throttle cable in my bus for a year or two now, and it carries its own spare by being too long. D loop and a key ring through the pivot on the pedal, and just clamped as normal in the engine bay. I just happened to have these on me when my cable snapped the first time and my replacement was stilll in the mail. I actually don't think it ever arrived. Murphy was listening when I ordered a clutch and throttle cable, just as spares, cutting the throttle cable 2 days later. 1/8 braided cable from ACE at .08 a foot.
_________________
[email protected]
Need something custom bent up? shoot me an email, maybe we can make it work!

FORSALE: Thrust cut T4 and 1.9 main bearings

[Randy in Maine]

Thank Jon!

I will make a note of the lenghts in my Bentley. Someday that will come up again.

I knew my spare would not work, but that is not even close.

[Wildthings]

I piece of solid 8-10 gauge copper wire and a couple of tiny Crosby style cable clamps will make a fine extension/repair piece and can be had at most any hardware store.

[Amskeptic]

[train99]

Empi sells a longer universal cable that you cut down to size. Goes all the way to the rear bumper. I have one under the seat in my bus. I know it will be long enough. The cable has two types of connectors on it so you cut off the connector that doesn't match the one on your bus and start threading it in.

About $10.00

I don't know how well the adapter on the carb end will hold up, but I don't have a choice because the stock 3458 cable was too short for the weber progressive, and I didn't know what length to order. I needed 3.5 inches longer than the stock '75 cable.
_________________
Wanted - Seat Bottoms with good springs for 69 bug. Don't care about upholstery. Local to Mesa AZ only.

[TheShane]

[chabanais]

Mine snapped on Thanksgiving Day. Had it towed to the shop and they fixed it the next day. Looks like it snapped about 2 feet behind the engine. Bummer.
_________________
"I spud therefore I yam."

[foxtail1]

My heater cable broke, but was lucky it was far enough ahead of where it cam out of the tube. I found a electric wire slicer the right size that would just fit over the wire. Cleaned the ends of both wires and worked some JB Weld in the splicer poked in the wire and crimped the splicer. That has been almost 2 years and still working. I did the same thing to my throttle cable till I had enough time to replace it.

One of the things I did was to cut the plastic back to the medal tube.
_________________
As they say, "You never know until you ask the question."

64 bug
64 bus
59 ghia
71 bus