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Gas pedal stuck wide open

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 12:07 pm
by T.Hanson
With the engine off, mash the gas pedal to the floor simulating a getaway situation.

Suggesting the test because when I did it the pedal did some kind of over top dead center trick. Where the top of the pedal has an extension tab for the lever to connect through, kinked funny and held the throttle wide open.

Shut the key off no problem, but on the road, in traffic, it could be exciting.

Interesting indeed.

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 4:51 pm
by Rusty Shackleford
I've had the bushings at the pivot point under the brake booster fall out and allow things to get in a bind holding the throttle open.

Not a fun thing.

Re: Gas pedal stuck wide open

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:48 pm
by JoshInAtlanta
T.Hanson wrote:Shut the key off no problem, but on the road, in traffic, it could be exciting.
You've got no idea... this happened to me in my B35-powered Euro E28... not a pretty sight! Ended up cutting the ignition and coasting into a parking lot... WD-40 saved the day!

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:01 am
by pmaronoff
A mechanic had tightened the hose clamp attaching the bellows to the throttle body at a 45 deg angle in such a way as to allow the throttle linkage pivot to slip past it during acceleration but would block it from closing leaving the throttle open. I pick up the car at 5pm (Los Angeles rush hour) pull out of the lot and mash down on the accelerator to see how well the car runs. Car drives great. Accelerates smoothly, nice pick up. Red light ahead, time to stop. Foot off accelerator pedal, the car is still going 50 mph heading right for line of stopped cars. Moved auto trans to neutral, tach is at redline. Turn off ignition and coast into handy parking lot four blocks from mechanic shop. Mechanic rode his bicycle over and fixed problem. That is how our car got the name "Christine", from the Stephen King novel.
Paul