Well, my friends are shaking their heads at me again.
The throttle body on my F250 had been sticking. The bushings were worn, and the butterflies were scraping on the bore.
Since its an '89, you don't find new ones, but I was able to order a rebuilt. Nice shiny thing, with the springs from Hell.
Truck runs good, but my leg aches from holding the pedal down. Figured I would make some adjustments later.
I had noticed that the throttle cable was feeling a little rough, and the stronger spring was not helping.
I ordered a new one just in case.
In case anyone is interested, this is what I ordered.
http://shop.broncograveyard.com/Throttle-Cable-8-Cyl-302351W-85-89-BR-PU/productinfo/30792A/
It came in, I tossed it in the toolbox to put on when I had a spare minute.
Plus, the heater had not performed right during the winter, and I had adjusted the blend door to try to get more heat.
Now that summer had arrived, I had moved the adjustment back, planning on replacing the heater core this summer since it was stopped up.
In the process of doing that, I bumped the actuator for the vents and the stupid brittle plastic mount broke. I tied it to full dash vents since it was summer and I wanted the AC.
Bought a new actuator, but had not put it on yet.
Last Saturday, I was helping plant some food plots in a friend's lease. I had stayed behind to get the second tractor going, then took off to catch up with the others.
Driving through the woods, I hit a bump and the air quit coming out the dash vents.
No problem, I killed the AC, rolled down the windows and figured I would tie it back up when I got where I was going.
About a 1/4 mile farther on, I started smelling antifreeze. Figured I had waited too long on the heater core. Temp was OK, so if decided to go ahead and meet up with the rest and bypass the heater there.
I punched the gas pedal, and in the words of Earl in "Wolf Creek Pass", "it just went right to the floor and stayed there. Sorta like stepping on a plum."
The engine just idled back down.
I popped the hood. Throttle cable was still on the throttle body, antifreeze was dripping out of the heater shroud.
I checked under the dash. Throttle cable had broken right at the pedal.
One of my friends rode up on the other tractor. I showed him that the throttle cable had broken. He offered me a ride on the tractor hood, but I told him I would limp in somehow.
He headed on to the planting area.
I cut the heater hose, looped it back and bypassed the core. Pulled the cable out of the sleeve, intending to tie a cord to it and pull the throttle by hand.
Then I remembered I had a new assembly.
Two hex head bolts held it on the firewall, the ends just snapped on. 10 minutes work with my pocket vice grips, and I was back in business. I even reached under the dash and opened the dash vents back up.
I drove up, saw them working on the other tractor. Went to help, Baitfish2 asked if I got my piece of junk fixed.
I made it look like I was concentrating on the tractor problem, and just sort of offhand remarked that it was nothing but a broken throttle cable. Not hard to fix.
He asked if I had had enough slack to tie it back together or what. Without looking up, I just distractedly said, no, I just put on a new one.........
Sure enough, it got quiet around me. Baitfish1 said, what do you mean you put on a new one? Where did you get a new throttle cable in the woods?
I said that I got it out of my tool box and installed it. Baitfish2 said, what do you mean you got it out of your toolbox? You mean you had a spare??
I acted a little irritated, and said, of course I had a spare. Its a wear item. I figure most folks carry one if they go off road much.
BF2's voice was rising like it does when I get him excited. He said Nobody carries a spare throttle cable!!
I went over to the truck, handed him the broken assembly, popped the hood and let him see the new one.
I just shook my head, and told them that none of them would make it in the K5 forum.
Heck, those guys carry spare axles!!
I went back and found the problem with the tractor while they stared at me.
I swear, if I ever get a star drive figured out, those guys are gonna miss me........
The throttle body on my F250 had been sticking. The bushings were worn, and the butterflies were scraping on the bore.
Since its an '89, you don't find new ones, but I was able to order a rebuilt. Nice shiny thing, with the springs from Hell.
Truck runs good, but my leg aches from holding the pedal down. Figured I would make some adjustments later.
I had noticed that the throttle cable was feeling a little rough, and the stronger spring was not helping.
I ordered a new one just in case.
In case anyone is interested, this is what I ordered.
http://shop.broncograveyard.com/Throttle-Cable-8-Cyl-302351W-85-89-BR-PU/productinfo/30792A/
It came in, I tossed it in the toolbox to put on when I had a spare minute.
Plus, the heater had not performed right during the winter, and I had adjusted the blend door to try to get more heat.
Now that summer had arrived, I had moved the adjustment back, planning on replacing the heater core this summer since it was stopped up.
In the process of doing that, I bumped the actuator for the vents and the stupid brittle plastic mount broke. I tied it to full dash vents since it was summer and I wanted the AC.
Bought a new actuator, but had not put it on yet.
Last Saturday, I was helping plant some food plots in a friend's lease. I had stayed behind to get the second tractor going, then took off to catch up with the others.
Driving through the woods, I hit a bump and the air quit coming out the dash vents.
No problem, I killed the AC, rolled down the windows and figured I would tie it back up when I got where I was going.
About a 1/4 mile farther on, I started smelling antifreeze. Figured I had waited too long on the heater core. Temp was OK, so if decided to go ahead and meet up with the rest and bypass the heater there.
I punched the gas pedal, and in the words of Earl in "Wolf Creek Pass", "it just went right to the floor and stayed there. Sorta like stepping on a plum."
The engine just idled back down.
I popped the hood. Throttle cable was still on the throttle body, antifreeze was dripping out of the heater shroud.
I checked under the dash. Throttle cable had broken right at the pedal.
One of my friends rode up on the other tractor. I showed him that the throttle cable had broken. He offered me a ride on the tractor hood, but I told him I would limp in somehow.
He headed on to the planting area.
I cut the heater hose, looped it back and bypassed the core. Pulled the cable out of the sleeve, intending to tie a cord to it and pull the throttle by hand.
Then I remembered I had a new assembly.
Two hex head bolts held it on the firewall, the ends just snapped on. 10 minutes work with my pocket vice grips, and I was back in business. I even reached under the dash and opened the dash vents back up.
I drove up, saw them working on the other tractor. Went to help, Baitfish2 asked if I got my piece of junk fixed.
I made it look like I was concentrating on the tractor problem, and just sort of offhand remarked that it was nothing but a broken throttle cable. Not hard to fix.
He asked if I had had enough slack to tie it back together or what. Without looking up, I just distractedly said, no, I just put on a new one.........
Sure enough, it got quiet around me. Baitfish1 said, what do you mean you put on a new one? Where did you get a new throttle cable in the woods?
I said that I got it out of my tool box and installed it. Baitfish2 said, what do you mean you got it out of your toolbox? You mean you had a spare??
I acted a little irritated, and said, of course I had a spare. Its a wear item. I figure most folks carry one if they go off road much.
BF2's voice was rising like it does when I get him excited. He said Nobody carries a spare throttle cable!!
I went over to the truck, handed him the broken assembly, popped the hood and let him see the new one.
I just shook my head, and told them that none of them would make it in the K5 forum.
Heck, those guys carry spare axles!!
I went back and found the problem with the tractor while they stared at me.
I swear, if I ever get a star drive figured out, those guys are gonna miss me........
