hi, my throttle cable broke yesterday (earlier post) but I've managed to get the car working with the aid of some strong wire anchored to the carb lever threaded through the bonnet into my driver window, how illegal is that to operate i only want to get the car back ( 4 miles) out of a no go area, will the old bill want a word or am I risking points if I proceed?
Tweaked subject line to clarify discussion point - PU
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Dont do it that way.
fix the cable up under the bonnet so its doing a constant 2000 revs. As it only 4 miles, get it back by using clutch and gears.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Quite right. Probably get done for "not being in proper control" or "Due care" - bound to draw attention to yourself !
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I was once the passenger in a Mk1 escort. When the throttle cable broke a stray length of baler twine found by the side of the road was threaded out through the wheel arch and I stuck my arm out the window and pulled to the instruction of the driver.
Two miles down the road we found a small electrical shop and used a section of choc block to join the old cable back together.
I see no reason your method won't work and if plod asks its a disability mod cause of cramps in your right foot. ;-)
--
I read often, only post occasionally
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I agree with TVM, rig it to run at 2000 rpm and use the clutch and gears. Did a similar thing a few years ago except as it was an older car I just used the choke to raise the engine speed.
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go with TVMs advice.
i did that a few yrs ago. set at 1500rpm and you can use all gears and has good control.
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This happened to me years ago when I had an Alfa Romeo Giulietta.
The accelerator cable snapped so I attached a piece of string to the carb lever, through the bonnet or grille somehow, and in through the driver's side window (which I kept slightly open).
It worked pretty well though was obviously a bit awkward and distracting.
I didn't get stopped by the Police; maybe because they didn't see me.
The only downside was with my family, who I was visiting at the time. The story of my 'Heath-Robinson' modification got passed round the family and was improved with re-telling. By the time it got back to me, it had changed to say that I was operating the brakes via a piece of string!
The car was rubbish in lots of other ways: if it got wet I had to put an 240V electric fan heater on the engine for a few hours in the garage to dry it out and ensure it was going to start the next day. Also spare parts were extremely expensive; it cost me most of a month's wages to get a new clutch: high-performance car charges for a low-performance car.
I think it had a close-ratio gear box. Wot woz that all about?
The only positive memory I have is that it had a 'cut-off boot' look about it, ahead of its time and later adopted by late 80s Rovers and others. Oh yeah, and it hand a nice brown shiny gear stick knob with an Alfa Romeo motif in the centre of it.
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If you want to live slightly dangerously then disconnect the smaller tube from under the air box (going to the carb) , adjust the choke to about 1/2 to 3/4 and it should tick over at around 2000-3000 rpm.
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Mike Farrow
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Ha, who's going to catch you? I haven't seen any Temporary Throttle Cable Cameras.
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as long as you weren't a ' mennace to others' what could they do you for? 'course you could have abandonded it and been done for obstruction or had it nicked like that 405 on here recently - 10/10 from me.
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it had changed to say I was operating the brakes via a piece of string!
We once did a temporary string repair when the windscreen wipers broke on my Dads Rover 800.
It was about 11pm on a Sunday night, throwing it down with rain, coming home from my aunties, IIRC a plastic joint connecting the wiper linkage to the motor broke.
So we tied string on to each wiper arm. Dad drove home steadily, I sat in the front pulling one piece of string, my brother was in the offside rear seat pulling the other.
It worked well when we got a good rhythm going, but we kept erupting into fits of laughter, we were getting soaked as we had to have the windows slightly open.
;o)
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Saw this done with an old Mini with sliding windows.
Ran string from LH wiper, across car, and back to RH wiper.
Only one passenger needed!
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Not legal, but you did the right thing!
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i managed to get the car back safely using the "string method" after a couple of minutes my right foot stopped trying , and once i had got the correct amount of "string" wrapped round my fingers it was almost like driving with paddle control on the steering wheel , i wouldnt recommend it tho, but after all i needed to recue the car from a fate worse than death where it was stranded
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