Stuck throttle cable

[TominMO]

My throttle cable stuck wide open yesterday, while driving. It was very exciting. :-) Luckily I was only a mile from home. Started the car in 2nd, let it accelerate to ~40mph, then shut the engine off, put it in neutral and coasted. Repeated that several times.

I have a spare good used cable, but was wondering if I could just try to rehabilitate this one--i.e. with some spray lube. WD-40 brand makes a silicon-based product that says it's for cables, but they also make a PTFE type which is what I thought of using; but that one doesn't mention cable lubing as a use.

Might as well hit the clutch cable while I'm at it.

Your thoughts?

[Team Lightning]

I'd check out the local motorcycle shop and see what they use/recommend.

[FestYboy]

I've always understood PTFE to be Teflon... Good for a new cable install, but poor for dissolving debris.... I would pull the cable assembly and hose it down with a solvent type lube while working it in The sleeve untill clear, then choke it full of lithium grease.

[ryanprins13]

I would try aerosol graphite lube. Thats the best for speedo cables so it should work on a throttle cable.
I had mine stick wide open once too, was interesting
It was cold in the winter and i downshifted to second and floored it to go through a yellow light. Pedal froze to the floor, lol.

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[TominMO]

I'd check out the local motorcycle shop and see what they use/recommend.

Went there, they were out of cable lube!

I've always understood PTFE to be Teflon... Good for a new cable install, but poor for dissolving debris.... I would pull the cable assembly and hose it down with a solvent type lube while working it in The sleeve untill clear, then choke it full of lithium grease.

Yep, PTFE = teflon. Solvent type lube as in regular WD40?

I would try aerosol graphite lube. Thats the best for speedo cables so it should work on a throttle cable.
I had mine stick wide open once too, was interesting
It was cold in the winter and i downshifted to second and floored it to go through a yellow light. Pedal froze to the floor, lol.

As in, "Hey, who put a turbo on my car when I wasn't looking?!" :-)

I think the motorcycle shop had the spray graphite.

[Team Lightning]

You could try a bicycle shop too.

[TominMO]

You could try a bicycle shop too.

Two of them near me, good idea.

[FestYboy]

Yes, solvent as I'd old school wd-40.

[TominMO]

Turns out my diagnosis was totally bogus. No cable sticking at all. I squirted some WD40 in there anyway, which made it seem even smoother, but it was OK before. I then started the car, with the throttle cable disconnected. It still revs to the moon!

Took off the hose to see the throttle body. It was not stuck in the open position, and it opened and closed properly when turning the piece the throttle cable connects to. All that seems normal.

Any other ideas come to mind? I feel it is some simple mechanical issue, but maybe it's a faulty TPS? BTW, the motor is a gen2 B6 SOHC, intake and long block.

[FestYboy]

Vacuum leak!!! Or more likely the IAC is stuck open. Take and block off the fresh air feed to the IAC and retest.

[TominMO]

IAC blocked off, no change; still revs to 5K. Very little possibility of a vac leak, this system is so simple. No CEL either.

[FestYboy]

5k means ALOT of air... There's a hole somewhere.

[TominMO]

5k means A LOT of air... There's a hole somewhere.

I'll check for a leak in the intake manifold itself from underneath, on Saturday.

Edit: just went out and did a kwik check of the few vac lines, and the two unused vac ports that were plugged off; also felt the underside of the intake mani for a hole. Nothing.

[bravekozak]

I thought this thread was about a "stock throttle cable".
Maybe time for some eyeglasses soon.
What's the Ford part number? BZ-9A758?

[TominMO]

I thought this thread was about a "stock throttle cable".
Maybe time for some eyeglasses soon.
What's the Ford part number?
BZ-9A758
I have no idea what all of the engineering suffixes stand for.

Stuck, not stock! :-)

Vacuum-wise, there are only two vac lines--one to the brake booster, and another one to my aftermarket fuel pressure regulator. And the IAC system going to the intake piping. That's it, unless I missed one.