Accelerator woes?

[cavmad]

Just recently have noticed a very `flat` feel when accelerating. Definately running on all four (or seems to be) but it feels lethargic though sometimes it feels like it`s found it`s power again and goes alright.
Anyhow, coming back to it this afternoon after an impromptu trip I noticed it revving quite hight until I booted the throttle and it stopped. This stopped me from making a journey to see one of our members this afternoon
However this behaviour continued all the way home, now when you depress the accelerator it doesn`t feel right somehow, like it`s not really doing much and it`s also sticking still.
Any ideas? Praying it`s not the broken pedal syndrome and it`s just the accelerator cable which is u/s or needs greasing or something.

[ken newbold]

It could be the old broken pedal box syndrome or air getting in the fuel.

[cavmad]

Thanks Ken, noticed the cable looks a little frayed (engine end) and revving it under the bonnet produces no problems, it revs and sounds fine but it`s still a pain to drive. Foot flat down it`s not really shifting and the accelerator still keeps sticking.
Assuming the worse (pedals) is it a big job and how long is likely to last in current condition? Don`t want to drive it if it`s not safe

[Kitch]

Only thing I can think of is that you didn't realise you were driving a diesel powered BX.

[ken newbold]

Is the pedal over to the right, more than it should be?

If so you'll probably find a crack in the pedal box running vertical near the accelerator.

I've seen these welded in situ as a temporary repair.

[cavmad]

It does look like it might not be in the correct position but I`ve never looked before to compare it. Sounds like the next thing is that it`ll break off completely and leave me stranded somewhere if i don`t get it sorted?
Big job to change from a known good one?
Artic, expect a phone call mate!

[ken newbold]

Not much of a job really, if you have a good one.

Even easier on an auto

[jeremy]

If it is the pedal/mount the pedal will feel slack and you can push from side to side.

Had this on my TD when I bought it and in fact couldn't get it over 30 MPH on the test drive. As it was cheap I still bought it expecting some thing seriopus to be the problem - but found that if I pushed the pedal to the left it worked fine!

I mended it by simply bolting a section of 1 inch angle steel under a couple of bolts securing the pedal box to the floor and putting the bolt forming the pedal pivot through it. In total I drilled 3 holes I think, none in the car itself - and its still there nearly 7 years later.

In fact I collected the car on a Monday and did the job on Wednesday night - not even having examined the car rpoperly in daylight - and was anxious not to drill the floor as I didn't know the pipe routings etc then and didn't want to risk hitting something. Most difficult part was getting the carpet up to get at the pedal box. B&Q sell 1 in angle steel.

[cavmad]

Thanks Jeremy, do you think there may be a chance of an illustration or picture for the layman like me?
It sounds do-able even in my incapable hands but a diagram/picture/illustration would be wonderful if it`s not too much trouble.

[Vanny]

if you plan to take the box out completely (4 bolts and siconnect the two cables) then you'll want to think about getting replacement bolts first, for some reason Citroen went through a period of using cheese headed bolts, and if you can get them out you probably wont get them back in!

however i do like jeremys idea of tucking a piece of angle round the back, Sounds like a minimum effort, maximum success repair!



As a note, when the 19rd gained a flappy box mount, i had it repaired then a few weeks later the accelerator pedal its self snapped clean off! Not good!

[cavmad]

Gone completely now. Car is revving it`s knackers off and no amount of jiggling with the pedal makes any difference

[Vanny]

open the bonnet and have a wiggle of the throttle linkage!


When you turn the engine off, does it stop the second you back the key off or does it run on for a second or two?


Get into the drivers foot well and have a look at the piece of metal that the pedals are attached to, at the accelerator end there is a bend in the metal and the flat piece comes out and away from the bulkhead. The corner here is where the pedal box will fail!

You might of course have the infamous Ford Explorer syndrome and perhaps the accelerator pedal is getting stuck within the carpet? (Ford claimed this was hte reason that the Explorer's cruise control would crash and stick the accelerator down, obviously being a ford it had nothing to do with the carpet, probably jsut like this)

[Barnsley BXer]

Could it be something as daft as a knackered cable

[cavmad]

I don`t think there`s a problem at the engine end , linkage seems ok (checked last night when it started playing up) and the pedal is definately very loose.
Ignition cuts off engine immediately, unsure of the `Ford Explorer` problem (Iveco Dailys also do this too) but will check. Revving it from under the bonnet this morning all was fine but wouldn`t work properly when using the pedal.

[jeremy]

I rather think if the pedal is the problem the throttle will be shut. Other problems can be the cable-pedal connection which breaks its little plastic 'wings' and falls out of the pedal - and the throttle shuts.

Why not remove the cable from the pump entirely and see if the engine idles properly.