VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 '34 Accelerator Sticking, Need Advice!

Now that I finally have an accelerator pedal installed I notice, when depressed then released, the idle does not drop back down. Looking at the linkage and pictures of other cars, I think everything, including the two springs, is hooked up correctly. With the engine off, the rear spring seems to pull the linkage back to idle position OK.

It is difficult to see the whole linkage, due to it's location, so I am having a problem understanding what the two springs do differently than each other. If someone could reply with a simple explanation, hopefully that would help me diagnose the problem.

Thanks for any replies!

"Two separate retracting springs are provided. The lighter of these is attached to the stamped lever close to the throttle. The lightness of this spring facilitates the sensitive movement of the hand control buttonm and limits the pressure against the throttle stop. The heavier spring operates to return the starterator control.
The throttle rod to the carburetor lever is connected to the stamped lever and is actuated by either the hand control or the starterator".
Source: Chevrolet Service News, Jan '34/Dec '35, page 20.

You might also check the accelerator rod where it runs through the floor board. When I replace the grommet with the brass sleeve I had to ream the brass to allow the rod to slide easily.

Hi
One more thing to check is the rod coming up in-between the manifold and the head near where it attaches to your carburetor. Mine had been bent and it was interfering with the manifold, I just had to tweak it a bit and now it works fine.

For a sticking accelerator I would go to Toyota. They are experienced with this problem.

Thanks for the replies so far. I think the linkage is free but am wondering if it may be binding at the floorboard hole as suggested. I only have a hole in the plywood. Could you explain further about the grommet or, better yet, email me a picture at "youngfalcon@earthlink.net"

When I get a chance, I am going to start it up and try it again with the accelerator pedal removed. If the problem goes away that will tell me I have the pedal positioned incorrectly which is causing it to bind.

My thoughts exactly!

The '35 Master uses a rubber grommet that is riveted to the floor board. In the middle of it is a brass sleeve that the accelerator rod goes through. I may have incorrectly assumed the '34 had a similar arrangement. In any case, the obvious thing to do is to look for any areas where the linkage may be binding, rubbing or hung up on, then adjust and lube as needed. Over time the return springs can rust and weaken so perhaps a trip to the local hardware store to get replacements is a good idea.

I have ruled out the rod getting hung up where it goes through the floorboard as there is plenty of room in the 1" hole. The carb was professionally rebuilt by a VCCA member so I'm fairly certain it is not the problem. So that leaves the linkage and/or the springs.

I have not fired it up to look the linkage movement over while running (been busy with the new interior) but when I push the rod (at the floorboard) in with my hand it pushes right back - which kind of confuses me. If it is pushing back that well I would think that would cause the rpm's to come back to idle when running? Am I missing something here?

What would you recommend I lube the linkage with? Also, would the back spring that is attached to the throttle and choke linkage be causing this problem or am I only concerned with the front spring that is attached to the accelerator rod?

Thanks for any replies. It seems the simple things are the biggest challenge for me to figure out!

Due to the lack of the guide I would think the 1" hole allows the rod to get hung-up on "things" that it should not be contacting.

That's a possibility I hadn't thought of. When I can get some time and the help of my wife to push the pedal while the car is running and I am looking at the linkage I will look for that problem.

This may be too obvious, but have you adjusted the idle stop screw?

Ray,

I think everything at the carb is OK but I am not going to rule anything out. I just need to get down in the shop, start it up and, with my wife inside giving it the gas, look at everything. Seems like we can't get the time to do so.

Just wondering, does it only do it with the engine running? I assume that it has a starterator, if so could it be something to do with that system?

Its a Standard so no Starterator.

Oops, I didn't catch that!

A starter generator you mean?

No....a "starterator".

The Starterator was found on 1933-1937 Master - Master Deluxe cars. There was no starter button. You just stepped down on the accelerator pedal to start the engine. It was controled by vacuum. As soon as the engine was running and supplying vacuum the starter linkage was pulled away from the linkage by a vacuum control that looked like an old vacuum advance. It work well when it was "working well".

Oh ok. Didnt know that. I thought "starterator" (what the hell is that!?) *Grin* NOW I KNOW. Simular to how gas golf cars work.

Must have been an acward situation when the whole vacuume thing didnt work that day. Never had the privlage of seeing one of those... or driving one.

Hey Gene,

This is a good topic since I started the 34 master for the first time in a couple of years yesterday. Anyway I was having the same problem, the idle was way to high and had to pull the rod through the floor board to slow the engine down. Anyway when I was looking at it I notice that the linkage would stop about an 1/8 of an inch higher then it should to fully close the butterfly. So I was thinking, remember a few years ago when I was looking for that thick gasket that goes under the carburetor? I think that might solve my problem, so could this be the same on the standard for Youngfalcon?

Depends what size insulator he has under the carburetor.
If the floor gromet/rod guide is mussing it will allow the rod to flop around and hang-up on what ever it comes in contact with. Also the little bell crank on the side of the engine should be inspected.
Without the grome you will also get a lot of engine noise and odors inside the cabin.

I THINK I have found my problem but still need advice. There was a problem with the rear spring where it is hooked to the linkage. It shares the same hole as the throttle cable.

I am wondering if they should be using the same hole?! I do not see another place to hook them up. But there was a binding problem which was keeping the accelerator linkage from going all the way back to idle. I repositioned the way the spring is hooked and that seems to have eliminated the "catch" it had. I will test further with the engine running tomorrow.

I would appreciate some feedback on how you think the throttle cable and the return spring are attached to the linkage. I may be missing something and have them hooked up wrong.

Thanks ahead for any replies!

This should help. The back spring going into a flat metal part which swings from the carb rod.

Problem solved. With a new spring from the local hardware store hooked in the proper location, everything works fine. So took it for it's first ride in probably 45-50 years or more. See my other post about the experience