what are the odds after a road trip?

mikeonthebike

Just got back from a 300+ mile round trip to Santa Cruz from Sacramento in my 72 super. Tuned up car, changed oil and made sure everything was up to par before we went. Carried the usual tools and extra parts also. Got there and back without a hitch. Ran great. Got home about midnite friday and the next day I go out to start the car and the accelerator breaks right there in my driveway. So I pull out my spare and less than an hour later I'm good to go. Not that road side repairs are all that bad (but they do suck) but the wife has a tendency to over react in situations like that. That all but made for a perfect vacation. I think the bug gods were watching out for us this time. Looking forward to next year.

Tazzilla · Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 3:51 pm Post subject:

That was good luck for sure

gt1953 · Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 4:31 pm Post subject:

Could not have happened in a better place. Same happened to me a while back.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

Tim Donahoe · Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 5:43 pm Post subject:

We just got back from Bugorama in Sacramento. Total miles, to and from Redding, 363.

I used 1/3 quart of oil, but that was all. But now my gas gauge reads 3/4 full with a full tank, when it used to read 7/8 full with a full tank.

But other than that, we averaged 65 mph all the way down and back in temps in the high 90's (101 degrees through Red Bluff), and the bug didn't let me down.

I carried a spare accelerator cable, but wondered how I would get under the car to install it while on the side of the road. Luckily, I didn't need it.

It was nice to know that the car could take us for a mid-range road trip and not let us down. But next time, I'll wait until the weather cools down a bit before going so far. Rolling Eyes

Tim

mikeonthebike · Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 6:23 pm Post subject:

I carry a bottle jack and a jack stand in case I need to crawl under the car. Doesn't take up any considerable amount of space. Tool bag takes more and weighs more. I averaged about 60 mph. I have dual webers and it makes a noticeable difference in the gas mileage.

Cusser · Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 8:00 pm Post subject:

I did a clutch cable in 1979 in a mortuary parking lot in Santa Ana, CA. Luckily, I had just gotten off the freeway, and had a spare cable and wingnut in my trunk.
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

mikeonthebike · Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 8:05 pm Post subject:

Got a spare one of those too even though mine is less than a year old.

mikeonthebike · Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 8:10 pm Post subject:

Had an accelerator cable break on me once a couple of miles from the house. I just turned up the idle up and turned on the flashers. Shut the engine off at the stop lights. Was able to get to third gear at a high idle. No problem.

Tim Donahoe · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 12:14 pm Post subject:

Well, as it turned out, I lied in my previous post on this thread. Sort of.

Today, I went to the gas station, then on to the grocery store--an eleven-mile round trip. About a mile away from home, the gas pedal suddenly went to the floor. Luckily I was not stopped at the light (which I had just stopped at a few moments before--about two hundred feet behind me), so I coasted to a place that was well off the side of the road. The accelerator cable had snapped cleanly, right where it enters the "S" end at the accelerator pedal arm.

We had just gotten back from the 363 mile trip to Sacramento, two days before, and I had not driven the bug since; but I had taken all my road emergency extras out of the car and put them on the garage floor. Shouldn't have done that ....

So I walk the mile home, get the emergency stuff, get in the PT Cruiser and go to ACE hardware. I bought a small container of 14-16 gauge electrical connections--the kind with the eye at the end. Then I drove the short distance to the bug.

I cleaned the end of the accelerator cable with a rag and installed the electrical connection near the cable's end. Then I had some wire in my emergency bag, so I theaded a piece through the accelerator arm hole, and the other end through the eye of the electrical connection. Everything looked good, so I started the car.

Crap! Pedal goes to the floor: the eye fell off. So I did the unthinkable and tried the same thing again--only squeezing the crap out of the connection. Same result, of course Embarassed

.

On the third attempt, I first installed the electrical connection--only I didn't crimp it, yet. I just scootched it along the cable a bit. Then I had needle-nose pliers and went about bending the end of the accelerator cable to put a nice "U-turn" bend in it. I scootched the connection to the bend and crimped the connection. Then I wired up the accelerator arm to it--and it held.

I babied the pedal home, leaving the PT behind for later when the wife gets home.

After I walk the dogs, I'll go out into the comfort of my garage and install a new accelerator cable. Maybe turn on a fan to keep me cool, and turn on Florence and the Machine, just to keep me in a good mood.

I consider myself just as lucky as the OP. This could have happened a few miles back when we were on the hot freeway ride, coming back from Sacramento.

The story was a bit long, but those cables seem to break right there at the "S" end, it seems, and if you have at least an inch of exposed cable left like I did--a little electrical wiring connection (with the eye end) and a bit of wire will get you home to do the job on a concrete floor--as opposed to uneven dirt and rocks.

Tim

68IHscout · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 12:31 pm Post subject:

I know that good feeling , mine also broke in my driveway , nice and convenient. .

Cusser · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 12:31 pm Post subject:

Sorry for the fuzzy photo, but it is important to route the "S" of the cable the correct way (shown) to prevent/minimize beakage over time. And the lever arm part must be straight for this way to work, so may need to bend the arm back into position.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

Tim Donahoe · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 1:31 pm Post subject:

Cusser, the PO had inserted the "S" end from the left side, but I caught the mistake and re-routed it to the correct side--going into the accelerator arm from the right side. But that was a good year ago.

I'm thinking the way he had it twisted, going in from the left, the cable must have weakened from the angle--but not enough to worry me at the time.

I should have inspected it better.

I'm feeling lazy today and it's getting hot already. I may wait until tomorrow to fix it.

Tim


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