Please help! My gas pedal just stuck wide open

[MAubrecht]

My wife was driving my '66 Cuda home from a car show and the gas pedal stuck wide open. I was driving my Harley in front of her and she couldn't get the car stopped and I finally pulled alongside and told her to turn the engine off. We got it stopped w/o incident but the engine was smoking and now we can't start it without it revving at max. I played w/ the linkage but not sure where to start so we can get it unstuck. Please help ASAP.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Fstforward]

If it were me, I'd take out those Toyota Camry floormats your wife put in the car......8)

I'd disconnect the throttle linkage from the carb first, see which part is stuck, then work backwards to the pedal, checking each piece in turn, until you find the binding/stuck part.





ff

 

[684mulas]

Broken (drivers side) motor mount?

 

[cudadriver]

Did the throttle plate come loose. I know the screws are normally staked so they can't come out but, worth a look.

 

[green1]

Un-hook and check the linkage cable;Mine went out at 3 years old, new.

 

[clifftt]

Just a thought but I've heard that a bad ground could cause current to find an alternative ground, and sometimes it goes thru the throttle cable! Seen this happen many times on early Datsun B210's, 310's and F10s.

 

[MAubrecht]

I just located the problem. Broken spring on throttle linkage. Scared the heck out of my wife. I'm a bit concerned now as it blue some blue smoke before it was turned off. Thanks for all the comments.

 

[phogroian]

That happened to my wife when the choke lever came loose and got tangled up in the linkage. Battling an over-revving engine is hard on the cooling system and automatic transmission. Check the transmission fluid to see if it is low/burned, and the coolant level, and see if the radiator boiled over/ruptured.

 

[63dartman]

Another testament for dual springs on the accelerator linkage. Glad no one was hurt.

 

[pishta]

I lost the air cleaner stud right down the secondaries of an AFB. It was a long one so it just lodged them open. It was on an old no air cleaner solid lifter 312 Ford Fairlane. It wasnt enough to overwhelm the brakes but it was a little spooky, I just turned the motor off and coasted to a stop. About midnight on a wide CA highway so no gawkers. Ditto on the dual throttle springs, especially on a Carter.