Broke down on the side of the road

[grdprx]

Went out for a cruise after work yesterday, super excited I finally got my floor fixed.  The Lokar throttle cable busted!        

Took all my savings for a Firm Feel steering box to pay the tow bill.....  Sucked hard core.

[adauto]

depressing...... 

[Charger-Bodie]

For future reference. I've had this happen before. I always just turn the idle up and drive home slowly.

[b5blue]

Aw CRAP!   Tell us more? How is it setup under the hood?  

[XH29N0G]

It stinks and reminds me I need to buy a spare just in case.

For future reference. I've had this happen before. I always just turn the idle up and drive home slowly.

I did the same thing when it happened to me.  It was an exciting ride though, because I couldn't get it going too fast and had stoplights and hills to deal with.  Don't know what the other people thought.

[RallyeMike]

Awww..... shi..  .  .......Bummer!

You should be carrying baling wire and duct tape in the trunk    ....and if you're really going to be a Boss, it should be camo-print duct tape!

[grdprx]

For future reference. I've had this happen before. I always just turn the idle up and drive home slowly.

That'd be useful for the future. How do you turn up the idle?
I'm going to be buying a spare for the trunk.

[BLK 68 R/T]

At least it didn't happen when you were on this trip but still sucks either way. Hope you get it fixed soon.

[grdprx]

At least it didn't happen when you were on this trip but still sucks either way. Hope you get it fixed soon.

That is exactly what I told my buddy!!!   Could have been a hell of a lot worse.

Aw CRAP!  Tell us more? How is it setup under the hood? 

Nothing special, through the firewall and up to the edelbrock carb per the instructions. 
I put the pedal down to the floor quite often, but who doesn't??

[tan top]

 awww noo , bummer !! not good 

For future reference. I've had this happen before. I always just turn the idle up and drive home slowly.

      X2

[Ghoste]

Ouch, sounds like it wasn't a cheap tow either.

[skip68]

That does suck.   At least you didn't have to leave it sitting on the side of the road for hours alone.   Like others have said bump the idle up so it will do at least 10-15 mph and cruise home or to parts store.   

[grdprx]

How do you bump up the idle, turn the carb adjusters?  I haven't messed with the carb much.

[XH29N0G]

There is a curb idle speed screw that can be turned in to speed up the idle and out to lower it.  The problem with using it to get back is you set it at something like 1800 rpm and that barely gets you moving.  When you stop, the engine wants to rev at that RPM too.  I have a manual transmission so I can put the clutch in to stop, but it is not fun to have it running like that.  When I came back, I was about 2 miles from home and needed to catch a plane so there was no time to do anything else.  Maybe the others set it to another speed and had it work better.

[Kern Dog]

You should always carry a few basic tools.

[HANDM]

AAA

[bakerhillpins]

AAA

Or join a car club and make some friends that have a truck and a trailer and are willing to tow someone!  I'd do it in a heartbeat for anyone I knew.

[70-500-SE-EXPORT]

That sucks. My lokar cable broke at the same spot luckily I was pulling out of my driveway when it happened. What a POS cable it was only a year old. I went and bought a OEM repro cable after that.

[grdprx]

That sucks. My lokar cable broke at the same spot luckily I was pulling out of my driveway when it happened. What a POS cable it was only a year old. I went and bought a OEM repro cable after that.

Mine is a year and a half old, less than 800 miles I'd imagine.  I'm contacting Lokar about the 'limited lifetime warranty'...

[RIDELIKEHELL]

Brutal..I just bought a spare OEM at Mancini when I was in Detroit

[bakerhillpins]

That sucks. My lokar cable broke at the same spot luckily I was pulling out of my driveway when it happened. What a POS cable it was only a year old. I went and bought a OEM repro cable after that.

Mine is a year and a half old, less than 800 miles I'd imagine.  I'm contacting Lokar about the 'limited lifetime warranty'...

I would be shocked if they did anything more than gave you a new cable. And if it was me it would simply go into the recycle bin because I wouldn't ever use their stuff again. Heck with a 2nd report of the same failure on a new cable I will be avoiding them regardless.

[myk]

Like you said man, it could've been much worse.  Another good thing is that a lot of us have learned that the Lokar option may not be the best one.  I'm going to pick up a spare OEM cable as well.

BTW, how do you install the cable-just pass it through the firewall?

[hemigeno]

Years ago I had a 383/727 in a '68 Charger that had self-inflicted carburetor issues (played around with the Eddy's carb idle adjustment screws too much and broke off the tips of the screws in the seat  ).  The engine would only stay running if I kicked the idle adjustment up to about 2,100-2,200rpm or so.  That temporary solution worked fine while I was saving up for a new carb, until one day when I dropped it in gear to move the car around in my driveway.  Wham.  There went the sprag inside the auto transmission, which junked the case.  Had to save up for a 727 case/rebuild AND a carb.   

Just sounding a note of caution, but I'd much rather chance it than be stranded on the road.  Glad you made it home OK grdprx - it could indeed have been much worse!

[PlainfieldCharger]

  Breaking down because of anything really sucks...I always carry a small box of simple tools extra ballast, voltage reg, duct tape, 1 gallon antifreeze, good thing its got a trunk... When the cable failed, what did it look like? Was it a lack of lubrication? Lead stop pull off?

[grdprx]

Yes, the lead broke off, I haven't taken it apart yet, need a replacement.  The cable passes through the fire wall in the casing and a mounted bracket. 

In hind sight, I was in shock that it busted.  I didn't realize I still has my tools in the trunk from the trip a few weeks back.   It is what it is, all I'm out is some money. 

[PlainfieldCharger]

Please post a pic of the cable failure...I would like to see that.. Sometimes its best to just call the truck or friend with the trailer and move forward another day. I seen some people make roadside repairs on cars that cost them more the original cost of towing and repair...

[Cncguy]

You need to make sure your pedal is hitting the floor at full throttle. Most just check to see if it's full throttle, and don't bother checking to see if the pedal is bottomed out.

[grdprx]

Here are a few pics of the failure.

[b5blue]

That's a pisser! 

[PlainfieldCharger]

thanks for posting the pics...suck city..

[freddyd02]

That's a bummer! Glad you made it home ok.

A little off topic but;

When i was in my early 20s about 10 years ago i worked at a car dealership and a guy pulled up in a stock un-restored orange 70 Charger. We got to talking and told him i had a 69, first thing out of his mouth was "Don't paint it orange". I of course asked why and he said his car broke down while he was driving down the freeway one time and luckily it was right by a freeway off ramp so he managed to roll off the road and into a gas station. He called a tow truck and was just waiting in his car when a bunch of punk kids (they were black) came up and started spitting on his car, he got out and confronted them and they started attacking him. He managed to run to the trunk where he had a bat and scared them away.

He never found out why they did it but you gotta figure it was a orange charger that resembled the General Lee and they resented that.

My whole point is we are vulnerable when we are in these old cars and were stranded on the side of the road, someone could attack you and steal your precious ride. I always carry a bat in the trunk now just incase. Should always be able to defend yourself.

[grdprx]

I hear you.  It crossed my mind a couple times.  I did have 4 people stop over the course of an hour to check and see if I needed help.  Good karma coming back to me, for those that I've helped on the side of the road.

[HeavyFuel]

You know what they say about bringing the wrong thing to a gunfight....

[472 R/T SE]

I've used rope...with a manual in a '70 Camaro 30 years ago.