Snapped throttle cable now car barely idles.

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Justin Angle

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So this is a bit of rookie question. But I was out in my duster and went to get on the gas pretty good and the throttle cable snapped then immediately the car would barely stay idling. I hooked up a phone charging cord to the carb and got it home but still the car barely idles and almost sounds like its about to die when I'm not on the gas. The obvious culprit would be slight tension on the throttle cable the whole time but it always had a little slack in the end. Any other thoughts? I turn the idle up and it seems fine now but I just thought it was odd.
 
I don't know what else it could be, except "magic" LOL
 
Perhaps the throttle plates snapping shut caused the butterfly's to scrap some crud from where they ride and allow for more travel
 
The carb slammed shut without the resistance of the peddle connected when the throttle cable snapped and closed it up a little.

Now did the idle screw get slammed shorter? Or did the venturi valves bend shut a little? You'll never know but it won't hurt nothing.

Must be one hell of a throttle spring. LOL
 
It's because it was always held open from cable not being adjusted correctly in the first place.
 
Check to make sure that your engine is properly grounded... I put one directly to the engine block in the front, and another one in the rear of the block to the firewall minimum...

If you don't have enough ground on the engine, it will ground through the throttle cable and lock up/break the cable...
 
Check to make sure that your engine is properly grounded... I put one directly to the engine block in the front, and another one in the rear of the block to the firewall minimum...

If you don't have enough ground on the engine, it will ground through the throttle cable and lock up/break the cable...
Yup this is true. I've seen that happen before. I was cranking over a Dart and seen the cable arc then burn in two.
 
On my car 800 AVS could not idle it down un cable adapter that bolder about 900rpm. found the problem. The throttle cable adapter that bolts to the lever arm was fouling on the nut on the inside.I mover the cable to the next higher hole and no more fouling.
 
You over-revved it and pumped the lifters up. Get it running and fast idle her at 1200 rpms for 5 minutes, then it should be fine, unless you bent a valve. In which case you want to do a compression test, to prove it..
That's my guess,lol.
 
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