Warning: Check your throttle linkage

[Series3Scott]

Drove the Alpine today to work, but had a very scary moment coming back from my lunch break. While approaching a red light, with a semi truck stopped just ahead of me, the revs suddenly leaped up and car lurched forward at an alarming rate! I quickly realized I had a stuck throttle and put it in neutral in time to slam on the brakes. Blipped the throttle, felt something break, then had no throttle at all. OK, easy one here, my linkage just broke. I have one of the original Ian Spencer Weber throttle linkage kits and found the breaking point - the cotter pin had broken where the link coming out of the firewall meets up with the rod that connects to the carb. Hmmmm, how to connect them and limp back to work?

Well this is why you never throw anything away (or don't clean out your center console). While digging through the center console I found another cotter pin, suitable for this application, installed it, and was back on my way.

However, I left my stomach back there somewhere when it dropped to my toes, so I don't want this to happen again. Got any ideas? Bigger cotter pin? Drill the hole larger to accept a proper nut and bolt?

If you haven't in a while, go out and check your linkage just for peace of mind. I'm driving home tonight with a pocket full of paper clips just in case!

 

[mikephillips]

You might try a small flat washer between the cotter pin and the hole in the horizontal arm, would keep a bit of distance and keep them from rubbing against each other. waer is the only thing I could see causing it to break.

 

[Nickodell]

Thanks for the heads-up, and great that you acted quickly. However ...

Q: why didn't you cut the ignition or put it in top gear and use your brakes to stall the engine? If the throttle hadn't closed when you blipped it in neutral, you might be picking pieces of engine up from surrounding counties by now.

 

[Chuck Ingram]

You might try a small flat washer between the cotter pin and the hole in the horizontal arm, would keep a bit of distance and keep them from rubbing against each other. waer is the only thing I could see causing it to break.

I thought that the washer was a standard thing.It seems that in my memory bank there was always the washer before the cotter pin.

Scott.
I'm surprised you did not have that washer.I do know about the central consol having stuff one would think keeping it would be stupid. It came to my rescue also.Heater hose was leaking at the clamp.Fortunately I had of all things a steak knife.A few minutes and I was on my way again

 

[Tullamore]

Heater hose was leaking at the clamp.Fortunately I had of all things a steak knife.A few minutes and I was on my way again

Wait how do you fix a leaking hose with a steak knife??

 

[Series3Scott]

Thanks for the heads-up, and great that you acted quickly. However ...

Q: why didn't you cut the ignition or put it in top gear and use your brakes to stall the engine? If the throttle hadn't closed when you blipped it in neutral, you might be picking pieces of engine up from surrounding counties by now.

Because my brain had not quite got to that point yet. Realize that what I described happened in about 2.3 seconds (though it felt like everything slowed way down for that moment). I doubt I would have thought about putting it in top gear, but within another 1.6 seconds I probably would have cut the ignition. "Luckily" it unstuck by breaking, and it was an easy fix.

I looked in the parts list and the washer is shown, so shame on me for not having that - it will be rectified tonight with a washer and sturdier cotter pin.

 

[Chuck Ingram]

Wait how do you fix a leaking hose with a steak knife??

Tullamore
I do hope to unconfuse you
I removed the clamp.Using the steak knife I cut and shortened the hose about 1 and 1/2 inches.Put it back and tightened the clamp.
Not exactly rocket science but if it works it works.

 

[twospeed]

Well it looks like what ever you did, worked,Your here to tell us about it.