When the throttle cable is freezing up and sticking with the throttle
substantially open, do not try to adjust it immediately by reaching down
and pulling up in the accelerator pedal.  This pushes the cable and will
bend it in the area where it attaches to the pedal linkage if the frozen
area is substantial.

Cut the van off and go to the engine compartment.  Pull the the throttle
linkage back to the idle position.  Then go push down on the
accelerator.  Repeat until it no longer sticks.  An assistant will make
this go faster.  You will finally break down the ice binding the cable.

In one sense this doesn't solve the problem as the opening still exists
and will let more water in, etc., but it will allow you to drive the van.

I broke the cable on my Syncro last winter, in all likelihood from
pulling on the pedal to fix this problem a number of different times.
It broke at the front end of the cable in the box where the connection
to the pedal linkage is found.

When I found the cable on my 85 stuck when I went to start the van for
the first time mid-morning last week during our winter storm with slush
on the roads and streets, I started to pull on the pedal and had the
insight to fix it as described above.   My SO came out after I had done
the push / pull routine twice and with her help and about 4-6 other push
/ pulls, it started working fine and hasn't frozen up again even though
it has been very cold.  I will try to get it under it soon to see if I
can find the open point, but at least now I know how to temporarily keep
it working right and not break the cable.

I realize this might not work as well farther north, but mine has stayed
free through some very cold weather.

Sam

--
Sam Walters
Baltimore, MD

89 Syncro GL
85 Westy Weekender
84 Vanagon, original owner, soon to be retired, just too many problems

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