Throttle cable pulled through firewall

[Steve 00RT/10]

Yesterday, about 40 miles from home, The throttle cable pulled right though the firewall and the car was dead in it's tracks. I had noticed I didn't seem to be getting full throttle when I floored it earlier in the ride. It worked fine up until yesterday. 34,000 miles on car.

The cause of this event was the big rubber grommet which evidently deteriorated and pulled through the firewall. It appears this cable assembly is meant to be installed from the outside in. With limited tools, there was no way to pull it back out from it's new location inside the car. I came up with the idea of sticking a small screwdriver through the firewall hole up to it's large plastic shoulder, pushing the throttle cable outside plastic shoulder across the firewall hole and then taping the two together. This worked slick and got us home.

Has this happened to anyone else? Any idea what the throttle cable assembly runs $......... or if it's a stock item?

You might want to check the grommet on your cars where it runs through the firewall. It would seem that, from a design standpoint, the outside plastic shoulder should have been made slightly larger than the hole through the firewall. That way, even if the grommet failed over time, you would not lose the whole assembly through the hole and not be able to drive the car.

Steve

 

[TOOOFST]

Had it happen twice.Dealer covered,but I added a custom clamp to insure the fix.

 

[Steve-Indy]

Have seen it several times on frieds' Gen II's...I always have a spare cable at home. Usually, one can rig a fix on the road to stabilize cable to get home.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

I guess it's kind of good to know that this has happened to others. I've never heard of it before on any other vehicle. There must be a fair amount of pressure on the grommet for it to wear like that. I will take the clamp advice and rig something up when I get the new one. Thanks.

Steve

 

[Maverick The Electrician]

Happened to me 3 times, had TNT build a metal piece to secure it. Haven't had a problem in 3 years now.

 

[Doug Supercharged Vipers]

Happened to me

It seems to be most evident on cars that don't use heat shielding on the exhaust manifolds. The replacement cable is relatively inexpensive.

Doug

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Happened to me. Seems a shame to waste a perfectly good cable just because the rubber grommet wore out. I secured it with a metal piece clamped to it.

 

[Herman Buehrle]

Same problem, '99 coupe. Rube Goldberged with grommets and wire ties to get home. Local dealer wouldn't exchange under warranty, they said they had to do the work, and I wouldn't let them tow (their suggestion}. Roanoke Motors next dayed me a replacement under warranty.

 

[Hisserman]

Anyone have a sample of the best type of safety clamp to use (pics?)? Thanks.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

The cable is covered under my Max Care warranty--$0 deduct. Due in Wednesday. I'll save my back and have the dealer install it later this week.

As for a securing type clamp. I wonder if it would be possible to drill out a large thin Fender washer, or something similar, and install it underneath the grommet on the outside of the firewall. You would drill it so that the plastic shoulder could not pass through if the grommet failed. Another method would be to drill the proper diameter and then cut a slot in the side of the washer and slide it on underneath the grommet. Getting under the grommet would seem to be the key. If something like this would work, it would seem almost impossible for the grommet to fail.

When the cable comes in, I'm going to take a look at it and see if this might work. My grommet assembly is up behind my pedals now and I can't get a good look at it.


Steve

 

[viperrmike]

This happened to me at VOI7 the techs there fabricated a washer which slid on over the rubber gromet. Has been on since then. They said it would last as long as i wanted, and has. It came loose because of heat from headers. When i pulled in they said i was the 7-8 one they had seen that day.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

This washer fix seems like the way to go. Does anybody have a pic?

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Had the cable installed today under warranty. I brought the new cable home yesterday so I could have a look at it. I made a washer for it last night. The right place to put the washer is over the grommet and under the plastic shoulder as stated above. It's very simple to do. Only took a few minutes to make.

I took a few pictures. If someone wants to post them, I'll send them the pics later today. I'm not a picture poster.......yet

Steve

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Steve, email the pics to me please. [email protected]

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Chuck,

The pics are in the mail.

Thanks--Steve

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Thanks Steve. Will post them this weekend.

 

[RickV2K]

Happened to me twice. There's a round half dollar sized disk at the end of the cable. If you take that disk under then bring it up around the bracket attached to the pedal and lodge the disk in between the two bracket arms it'll work fine. Come to think of it....it's probably a better design than the original one. I'm begining to think that same person designed the brake fluid cap which i've heard some have actually saftey-wired back on.