Throttle Cable replacement

[Tanz]

While I'm messing about with the wiper motor and the instrument cluster is out, I thought I would give myself a real challenge and change the throttle cable. I have an SJ one sitting spare in the boot. However, just trying to see where the cable connects to the pedal is a challenge let alone disconnect/re-connect a new one. Have had a look at Alan's thread
http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtop ... ilit=cable This at least shows it is possible!!
I did see one car, (think it was Angus's), where a neat square hole had been cut by the previous owner, under the bonnet above the pedal box and was covered by the black vinyl that covers that part of the car. No one could tell it was there. I don't want to start cutting chunks out the car but it does sound very tempting. Would make anything pedal box related easier.

[amarshall]

Yup - mine has the hole, but it's more for visibility of the job than making access to it easier.

IIRC, the trick is to insert the ball from the side (with the cable at 90 degrees to where it needs to be) and get someone to gently pull the cable back into the engine bay as you hold the end in place. It can be done by touch, eventually.

[bash]

Had to do this on my rover v8 build, the links below and about half way down the page.
http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtop ... 7&start=90

Bash

[v8 fou]

Me too. Drilled a small hole to check the position, then cut a 2" hole. Cable changed in 2 minutes. Made a blanking plate, held on with riv nuts and sealed with silicon. It's the only way......

[Hawaiis0]

Whilst on throttle cables, anyone had any issues with items from the usual suppliers?

Is the fit as the book?

Any originals around?

[KevW]

Last week the throttle cable on my SE snapped at the carb end. Fortunately the small metal barrel which holds the carb onto the linkage fell straight down onto the manifold rather than being lost on the road as the car was moving. The barrels are 15 quid new!

I bought a new cable from SJ and opted to fit it by cutting a hole above the pedal attachment point as Bash and others have done. viewtopic.php?f=33&t=12355 I used my Dremel for the cutting. The new hole made the fitting easy although like Tanz I found the new cable ended in a cylinder shape rather than the sphere of the OE cable. I gave the cylinder a tickle with my Dremel to make it a little more like the sphere of the original and this allowed it to fit into the clevis pin hole. It needs to be fitted at a 90 degree angle to the pin with pliers and then allowed to straighten up once inside the clevis pin.

Having fitted the new cable I now realise I should have replaced it a long time ago. I'm pretty sure the cable that broke was the one that came with the car from the factory and it had obviously become stiff with age. The new cable has given the engine a much lighter, sharper throttle reponse to the extent that it feels like it has an extra 20 HP. and yes, the old cable did give me full throttle at the carbs, it's just that it was apparently much stiffer.

[Pete Boole]

I remember the outer section of the original cables being particularly stiff by modern standards. Good one Kev.

Pete