Accelerator/Throttle Cable

[Nige]

Anyone else replaced the accelerator/throttle cable?

Mine had stretched and had no adjustment left on it and I just happened to have a spare in the loft for such an eventuality, an easy Saturday afternoon job, I thought!

The old cable came out, no problem, bit of brute force to get the pedal end through the hole in the bulk head with the associated rubber grommit but it came out easily enough. New cable went in easily enough (usual access issues in places and lacerated hands as a result but that's normal). Problem is getting the grommitt back into the bulkhead, access is very difficult either from under the bonnet or from inside the car. The bulkhead is a thick panel and the grommit is thick , quite hard and basically a b***ard to refit as you can't get any real purchase on it.

I've searched the forum without success for any tips and also have been unable to find any reference in the manuals, but will keep looking.

I think the answer is a 2 part grommit in a hardplastic (preferably) or metal that allows insertion from either side and has a threaded male part and female part, inserted from the engine bay side and tightened up from within the car, that would make life really easy.

[Candles]

I've done the job but it was a couple of years ago. I can't remember it being a major problem though...... Maybe I got a softer grommet?

[paulwatkins]

Nige,
In electrical building services there is an item called a stuffing gland. Essentially it is for flex (circular) cable entry into an enclosure.

It has a male thread that you insert into the enclosure and secure using a lock nut on the other side. You then insert the cable, and tighten the gland. This compresses a rubber grommet around the cable forming a good seal.

You can get these in plastic or brass - they insert into a 20mm hole.

They may be suitable, i'm not sure.

Or you could just apply some glue to the grommet and stick it in place.

[Nige]

I've done the job but it was a couple of years ago. I can't remember it being a major problem though...... Maybe I got a softer grommet?

Maybe, but after another go today I still can't get the bl**dy grommit to go through the hole in the bulkhead, if I could get better access it would probably be possible but from inside the engine bay it's very tight and from inside the footwell it's a bit better but still not good enough.

Paul that sounds exactly the sort of thing that would do what I want, I'll see what I can find. My other option is to cut the grommit so the small diameter centre portion can be easily put in the hole from the engine bay side and then glued.

[Doug]

only easy tips I can think of is to warm the gromit (leave in sun or carefully in boiling water) and spray the hole area with WD40 and then have a stuffing contest . . .

[Nige]

Liberal lubrication has been tried, I used a silicone spray (which will make the glueing option challenging).

[GeoffSmith]

Nige, what is the hole diameter & depth and cable diameter?

[Sy V]

Don't like it when I can't help:

http://auto.frost.co.uk/search?w=grommets

Any good?

[Nige]

Nige, what is the hole diameter & depth and cable diameter?

I'll need to go and measure it when I get home to answer that. Cable is about 2mm diameter, in it's outer sleeve overall diameter is 5-6mm. Hole in the bulkhead is 15-20mm in diameter and the panel is 5-6mm thick.

Don't like it when I can't help:

http://auto.frost.co.uk/search?w=grommets

Any good?

Thanks, but not really whats needed the grommit is very deep, about 25mm thick in total with at least 10mm protruding through the bulkhead into the engine bay and the same inside the car and a 5mm rebate in the middle to fit the bulkhead panel.

Pictures would help here I think, I'll see what I can do this evening.

[Doug]

well then just spray some of that expanding foam (insulation stuff) around it and be done

[dapinky]

I sort off agree with the shoulder butcher here!

I was going to recomend filling the hole up with silicone sealant (in layers, to allow it to cure) - especially as you have got silicone spray in there already.

[GeoffSmith]

Give me the dimensions if you want to do it properly Nige.

[dapinky]

Thanks Geoff !

I'll get you back, don't worry

[Nige]

Unfortunately it will have to be done properly as the grommit does more than just seal the hole in the bulkhead. It is also how the pedal end of the cable sleeve (outer) is secured as there is an additional sleeve with a stop on the cable end that locates in the hole in the grommit. The actual cable passes through the grommit and has the nylon clip that fastens onto the accelerator pedal attached to it, thus preventing easy removal of the grommit from the cable.

Drawing and dimensions to follow Geoff.

I'm hoping to avoid the Bodgit & Scarper approach .

[GeoffSmith]

Check out Farnell. I'm putting an order in soon so if there is anything that looks suitable, I'll get some and send them on to you.

[Nige]

Geoff, thanks the PG 9 looks as though it could do the job, if as I think they are a 2 part fastening that screw together. It needs to be fairly solid material though as otherwise it will put give into the accelerator cable, if these are a soft rubber it might not work so well. However, it has to be worth a try.

Dimensioned drawing attached, with sketch alongside of the sort of solution I have in mind, insert male threaded portion through bulkhead hole from engine bay, fasten female part from inside car, probably use silicone sealant to make watertight and to stop the thread working loose.

[Doug]

is there a way to email Hethel and ask if there is/was a special tool they used to pop these in place? just a thought.

[Nige]

Good thought Doug, I suspect they were fitted as the car was being built when access was not a problem, and a bit of percussion persuasion could be brought to bear.

[Paul.P]

Nige, was speaking to GST today, so asked Gerald if there was an easy way to get this grommit in, & he confirmed there wasn't, said they usually put a bit of lubricant around the whole in bulkhead, & then you have to feel the grommit in, sorry can't be of anymore help !

[GeoffSmith]

What about these?