WOT sticking ongoing engine problem (merged thread)

[Carathers Nova]

i was driving my car tonite and was coming home and the throttle stuck wide open, i was wandering if anyone else has had this problem and can give me some help on trying to find the problem.

thanks in advance,
chris

[DriveWFO]

i was driving my car tonite and was coming home and the throttle stuck wide open, i was wandering if anyone else has had this problem and can give me some help on trying to find the problem.

thanks in advance,
chris

Mine runs WFO all the time...it's not stuck though :D

[Nwayne]

Had that happen to me with my old 442. Turned out to be a weak spring that wasn't strong enough to pull the throttle back. Scared the crap out of me.:eek: I was on the 101 in LA at about 7 at night.

[mrtimstik]

If the carb linkage is not binding I would check the tension of the throttle return spring. I have 2 springs on mine, one smaller diameter inside a larger one and it's quite tight. I like a heavy pedal feel. Maybe that will be a starting point.

[Paul NY]

as has already been mentioned check the throttle linkage for binding, and the spring tension.....

If you have a throttle cable from the pedal to the carb linkage, check to see if it has any bends or kinks in it. If the plastic casing has a sharp bend in it it can make the internal cable bind.
I've experienced the WOT from a binding cable... not fun when you're not expecting/ prepared for it

[patman]

Is yours a cable linkage? When the cable starts to break, the individual strands fray and unwind, and can get hung up in the cable sheath. That's a warning...it'll break completely soon. BTDT...

[Pro-touring72]

I think you guys many be looking to deep. Ive had the floor mat wedge the pedal WOT

[sixtyII]

Had that happen to me with my old 442. Turned out to be a weak spring that wasn't strong enough to pull the throttle back. Scared the crap out of me.:eek: I was on the 101 in LA at about 7 at night.
Had the almost the same happen on a 86 442. My spring broke tho. Luckily I was on a back road. I got a fix it ticket from a hidden cop. Sucked for me.

[65 Post]

Yeah, check the carpet, but also check your linkage to see if it went over center and dropped down preventing it from returning. Not a good feeling. Dave

[new2novas]

had that happen to me too, frickin sucks man...turned out the linkage on the qjet was getting hung up

[1975ssnova]

If it is a linkage and not a cable check for a broken motor mount. NOTE : This can be deadly!!!!

[72GreenRally]

That is the reason I run a double return spring on my car. I'd rather have a stiffer throttle than one stuck WFO!!!

Randy (and filled shorts!!):eek:

[2doorpost]

My little 230 in my 68 used to hang wide open when pressed into action. The combo of the engine torque and weak throttle return spring scared the crap out of me the first time it happened. Didn't take long before I put a beafier spring on it.

[Nwayne]

Had the almost the same happen on a 86 442. My spring broke tho. Luckily I was on a back road. I got a fix it ticket from a hidden cop. Sucked for me.

That does suck.
Mine was a 69. Sold it like a dumba$$ about 4 years ago. Anyway, glad it came back before I nailed someone.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/64Deuce/442.jpg

[Pauls72]

If it is a linkage and not a cable check for a broken motor mount. NOTE : This can be deadly!!!!

Many years ago while in high school, I had that happen to me on my '69 SS. Going around the corner I punched it only to have the pedal disappear under my floor, the car starts hauling *****, the accelerator pedal and shifter linkage were unmovable. Real problem was there was some kids crossing the street 1/2 a block down who just froze when this Nova came around the corner lighting up the tires and charging towards them. Turned the ignition off and cleaned out my shorts. Both motor mounts were broken.

[68SSGrandpa]

Take a look at this throttle cable off mine.
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e200/Nova68SS/ThrottleCable.jpg

This is the part that goes from your firewall to the pedal.
Was in 1st gear std trans full throttle when it stuck, 540TQ on my SB.
Bounced off the rev limiter 6,600 till I could reach for the key.
I just hit the brakes as hard as I could as I reached for the key.
By the time I came to a complete stop, there were skid marks from the front tires, and massive black from the rear.
My wife said, why did you do that??? My heart was pounding in my neck, needless to say, I didn't answer her for a while.
I replaced my cable front to back with a Lokar, double spring of cource.

[Tommy]

I would check the Motor mounts too. I had A 65 C-10 that stuck wot one time. When the motor raised up off the frame it pulled the throttle open and then stuck that way. Very scary, only thing I could do was hit the switch. When I did it sounded like A thousand lbs fell on back onto the frame of that truck, I imagine the engine had raised several inched above the frame.:eek:

Tommy:)

[Nova_Guy]

The throttle plates can also hit the gasket and stick if you have recently pulled the carb off and it isn't lined up quit right. To check for a broken motor mount have some one sit in the car, put it in gear with the brakes on hard. Watch the engine from off to the side, when they give the car gas the engine will raise up.

[Dan_Lebherz]

What you guys described with the broken motoer mounts is why GM had that retrofit kit in '66-69 to be installed on the small block Camaros and Novas. It is the cable linkup that attaches to the exhaust manifold bolts and then to the front suspension mounting Point. they had a lot of people breaking engine mounts back then and rather than replace all the engine mounts, then installed the cheap kit as part of the recall.

[Sheetsinater]

I have had a 73 Firebird and a 76 ElCamino both do that and it turned out to be the throttle cable and there was no bends in the cable housing just cable start to frey and would bind up in the housing. Guess it was just fatigue on the cable. That was my experience and yes it does scare you bad enough to change your shorts sometimes when not expecting it.

Howard :chev:

[68SSGrandpa]

68 Nova was I believe was last year that the hard rod linkage was used.

In the picture below, you can see what i have done to hold my SB. If you attach these to an aluminium head, which most people do, you can literally rip a chunk out of the head, if you have a mount break. That is why we mounted low. If you have PS, I don't think you could fab this the same.
Many solutions to keeping the motor solid, this one works for me. Its a Fard 5.0 motor torque arm made by Competition engineering that I have adapted to fit my Nova.
If it was mounted high on the head, as the motor torques to the left ( in the picture) the chunk of alum head could bust out . If you take a close look, the pivot point is below the crank centerline. So, the bottom of the motor, if a mount broke would try to kick right, but is held solid by the torque arm. Simply geometry based on centerline of the motor pivot point, you can hold it from the top, or like I have from the bottom.
This also allows me room one day for one of those neat procharger units :D The air, altenator are all on the other side with a March low mount serpentine set-up.
Plan ahead, who, me?
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e200/Nova68SS/IMG_1134.jpg

[NovatoriusRex]

Aren't all of the modern/aftermarket motor mounts the interlock type these days? If so, breaking a motor mount and jamming the throttle linkage wide open is a rarity, no?

Unless you're using a reproduction rubber motor mount without an interlock, wouldn't that type of hold-down be overkill? :confused:

[Pauls72]

They used hard linkage in '69 too.
The mounts on my '69 broke in '72 before there was a recall.

Even with an interlocking motot mount you can get an inch or so of movement.
http://www.partsamerica.com/product_images/img/lak/24084.jpg

I wouldn't have believed it, but you can still get ones with out the interlock. This is an $8 one from one of the discount parts chains. I'm sure there are a number of people who would but the cheaper noninterlocking, just on price alone.
http://www.partsamerica.com/product_images/img/anh/2142.jpg

[Bigd70ss]

Mine did the same thing, stomped on the pedal a few times with no luck then just shut the key off in gear. Turned out to be weak return spring, now I have a double return spring.

[68SSGrandpa]

Once you start getting upward of 500TQ in any motor, I would not trust any motor mount, other than solid.

The TQ arm that I have installed is adjustable, and I leave about 1/16 to 1/8" free play in it for normal street everyday driving. This slop eliminates anoying engine vibrations that a solid mount can produce.

[Nova_Guy]

I built a small bracket the bolts to the front of the engine on the old front mounts. It has a chain wrapped around the frame to stop the engine from moving it the mount breaks. It was a requirement at I-57 Raceway for street class, even if the car was a tube chassis car.

[1975ssnova]

I have polyurathane mounts in all my cars they are strong,absorb the vibes and have a positive lock built in them.I dont think the engine would move a 1/4 inch if the poly broke.I think i got them from P.S.T.

[Carathers Nova]

while driving my car the engine decided to run wide open, fun fun. i have been trying to figure out what happened to it and am just not finding anything. i have checked the linkage and springs and they appear fine, its an edelbrock carb, has anyone else had a similiar problem? what other things can i be checking out on the engine.

i have posted this question before but couldnt find it and gave up so i am reposting it, sorry.

chris

[GrandmaGold]

Did you check your motor mounts? Last year, the rubber mounts in my car ripped and magically did the same thing you're describing. FYI, solid mounts work wonders. Ahaha.

[Paul Wright]

i have posted this question before but couldnt find it and gave up so i am reposting it, sorry.

chris

a Search on your user name "find all posts" found it.
I merged the threads together so everyone can refresh their memory.


Like candidates are:
worn throttle cable
Misadjusted linkage goes over center
broken motor mounts
Throttle blades sticking in bore
Return Springs and or bracket improperly installed.