Sticky accelerator

[John Langton]

It has only just started to happen but when I come up to a junction and I go into neutral or hold down the clutch the revs stay at about 2500rpm. Very embarresing ANyone any ideas what it is?

Thanks for any help

John

 

[Ian B Walker]

Sounds very much like your accelerator cable is sticking. I may be wrong though.

 

[Dieselman]

What car? Is it cable throttle or electronic?

 

[John Langton]

Hi Car is an L reg C180. Sorry

John

 

[nickmann]

They both have cables - the difference on the electronic throttle is that the cable stops on the NS bulkhead.

I'd suggest you have someone operate the pedal whilst you watch the end of the cable (be it on the throttle body or on the bulkhead), and you'll see if it is returning taut. If it is taut then it could be the throttle body, if its slack then possibly the cable. My pedal gets a bit "clicky" in the lever above the pedal, sometimes, although it never sticks, so could be worth checking there as well.

 

[Dieselman]

My pedal gets a bit "clicky" in the lever above the pedal, sometimes, although it never sticks, so could be worth checking there as well.

You can adjust the ferrule to stop that happening.

 

[John Langton]

The ferrule? And how do you do that?

John

 

[nickmann]

You can adjust the ferrule to stop that happening.

Do tell. It's one of those tiny little things that annoys me out of all proportion.

 

[Dieselman]

Where the cable passes through the bulkhead, on the inside near the accellerator pedal, there is a nylon adjuster. It doesn't adjust the cable, it adjusts the stop position on the return. The ferrule catches on the side of the cable guide. Adjust it until it doesn't

I can't remember the exact detail but it will be there.

Mine used to return then about two seconds later, with a very small click on the pedal would go clunk. It really got to me so eventually I had a look.

 

[nickmann]

You BEAUTY!! Have a rep.

Done. It's not very easy to get to. In fact it's on a par with the rearmost 4 plugs on the v6. In fact if you know a gynacologist then get them to do it. I cheated and didn't disconnect the parking brake cable. Maybe it would have been easier if I had done that?

Basically its a case of undo the fasteners holding the panel above the pedals, not forgetting the ones behind the bonnet release and the parking brake.
Then locate the top of the throttle pedal.
Then just twiddle on the twiddler until it stops clicking.

Here's a pic. It took about 6 attempts just to get the shot.

 

[Dieselman]

So simple yet soooooooooow satisfying.