Accelerator lever

[Hugo Karasawa]

Should this lever be straight ?
The one I have is a little bit twisted.

Accel lever 01.jpg (149.34 KiB) Viewed 1175 times

P1070093.JPG (130.73 KiB) Viewed 1175 times

[WilliamVaughan]

I believe they start out straight and get bent when the accelerator pedal is depressed by a massive foot with the carburetors at full open.

Use a couple adjustable wrenches, cinched up tight, to twist as desired.

I guess that is why the rubber isolator in the pull rod back at the transmission gives up when it gets old.

[Martin Benade]

Also the often-missing tall bolt that holds the pedal board and provides a pedal stop should prevent this bending. It needs to be adjusted properly.

[Geoff Fleming]

This is one of those parts that should be removed, inspected, greased and re-installed. The pivot is most often found to be dried out and can cause incomplete movement of the throttle...sometimes almost binding it. It is out of sight and therefore out of mind.
This pendulum assembly is held against the side of the tunnel wall by four 10mm bolts. Just undo the nuts and it can be removed for inspection/ correction.

[Jim Liberty]

Yes it should be straight. I just today installed one in my '56, with the choke/idle fitment. Talk about a pain in the neck. Still bleeding hours later.

[Harlan Halsey]

You got that right! Especially the wire coupler way down there. I also just finished restoring the one in my '56. Still, I really like the hand throttle and wish my SC had one.

[Brian R Adams]

This is one of those parts that should be removed, inspected, greased and re-installed. The pivot is most often found to be dried out and can cause incomplete movement of the throttle...sometimes almost binding it. It is out of sight and therefore out of mind.
This pendulum assembly is held against the side of the tunnel wall by four 10mm bolts. Just undo the nuts and it can be removed for inspection/ correction.

Topic resurrection:

The two ball studs on mine have worked loose on the long lever. Stoddard sells a new lever with the studs, but I wonder what the chances are the studs could be re-tightened on the lever by a spot weld or a blacksmith's hammer and anvil? Probably worth a try before plunking down the dosh for a new one. Also, there are ball studs available with threaded shafts. Not looking forward to extricating mine from the tunnel wall, I don't do well under the dash.

Brian

[Tim Berardelli]

Or a drop of self wicking Loctite.

[Brian R Adams]

Or a drop of self wicking Loctite.

Do you mean applied to the existing loose swaged-on studs? (I would of course apply Loctite to any replacement threaded studs.)
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[Tim Berardelli]

Brian,

Yep.

Tim B.

[Brian R Adams]

Brian,

Yep.

Ok, I'll kick that around. That must dry as strong as epoxy. Which particular Locktite product number? There's so many now.
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[Tim Berardelli]

290

[Brian R Adams]

290

Loctite 290 is described as "medium strength". Is that going to stabilize a riveted ball stud that has worked loose?

PS Ok, now it seems 290 comes in both medium and high strength. Confusing.

PPS <sigh> Ok, the data sheet says strength "medium to high" for the one product 290. So ... it's probably "high" if the gaps are small enough.
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[Vic Skirmants]

If the studs are real loose, I wouldn't use Loctite to fill the gaps.

[Brian R Adams]

Thanks, Vic. I tried to squeeze that out of someone, to no avail.

There are threaded ball studs, singly and in "repair kits", available. I see the term "8mm ball stud" mostly, but curiously also one item from Stoddard with "7.5mm ball" in its description. So is there really more than one size on a 356, or are we victims of poor communication? (I'd call customer support, but I'd be on the phone a half hour waiting for someone to ask the one guy who actually knows anything. It's hard to find good help these days.)
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