Hi all, I guess I was the one who started this thread with the sticky
throttle. All I did was remove the spare tire and look straight up and found
the black housing for the lever mechanism. Then I sprayed a teflon lubricant
(other lubricants would suffice too I guess) on to the metal moving parts
and presto it smoothed out my problem. But in my situation this is only an
isolated case. Other vanagons could have a dried up cable or the throttle
body sticking or what ever.

Bye for now..

Ken Madsen
87GL
----- Original Message -----
From: Malcolm Stebbins <Malcolm.Stebbins@MSVU.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, September 06, 1999 12:11 PM
Subject: Re: Sticking Accelerator cable

> I'd suggest some WD-40 on all moving parts (also on any pins that go into
> housings) - THEN some lubrication on the same parts.  When I replaced my
> accelerator cable, I put liquid graphite down the WHOLE cable assembly
> sleeve and on the cable prior to inserting in the sleeve - don't use oil
in the
> sleeve as it might gum up - especially in winter (see my story below).
>
> When yours stuck,  could you find it it was in back or middle or front.
When
> I replaced my accelerator cable, I inspected the WHOLE length of the cable
> housing and found that every place that it went through a metal opening
(on
> its way to the rear/front of the van), it had some re-enforcing protective
outer
> rubber housing and in some places it had slipped off (out of) the metal
hole.
> You might check yours as the cable might have worn through the housing
> and be rubbing on the metal and maybe even shredded some filaments of the
> wire.
>
> Any help???   good luck,
>
> My stuck accelerator story:  VERY cold Canadian winter morning,  81 air
> cooled, I was going up a long hill - peddle to the metal - and at the top
of the
> hill as I let my foot off the accelerator, but still had FULL
throttle!!!!!  I too
> thought of turning the engine off - but it was a "VERY cold Canadian
winter
> morning" and I did not want to be stuck by the side of the road.  SO! I
> alternated turning the key "on' and 'off' -- full throttle!!!!!!  then off
and coast ----
> the full throttle!!! then coast -- I did this till I arrived at an exit
with a nearby
> petrol station.
>
> As I coasted to a stop, I turned on the auxiliary heater and in about 5
> minutes I heard a "pop" and the accelerator was back.
>
> What had happened was that the rubber gasket into which the cable went on
> the 81 had pulled out and water had entered the sleeve and frozen.  A
> thorough cleaning and lub, did the trick.  And I sold the van, but it is
still up
> and running around town.
>
>   Malcolm S
>
>
>
> Elkavitch, wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> >         After seeing no responses to the sticking accelerator cable
> > question, I want to try again. I have the same problem as described in
the
> > earlier post - the gas pedal will go to the floor and not come up. This
> > happens to us on the way to Canada this July. My suggestion at first -do
> > as I did. My wife woke me up from a breakfast induced sleep and told the
> > gas pedal was stuck. I reached over and just turned the engine off!
Being
> > very careful to not lock the steering wheel! I then "un stuck" the
cable,
> > obviously after carefully pulling over, the boot being torn also and
went
> > on. Happened again on the way home - same cure. Any ideas why?
> >         TIA
> >         Mike
> >         86 Westy syncro