engine revving - wouldn't stop...help for troubleshooting

rainypotato · Post by **rainypotato** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:11 pm

I wasn't in the vehicle, but the description is as follows:

When parking in our gravel driveway, approaching the shop, the van continued to rev as she was braking, trying to park. The brakes worked enough to prevent a collision, however, the rear tires dug deep into the gravel. She shut off the engine and put it in park.

Next day,

I do a visual inspection of the parts and cables, looking for something that might have moved and jammed and created a problem. Nothing apparent.

I hop in, start the van, depress accelerator pedal and notice it feels different (less taught). A large amount of black smoke plumes from the exhaust pipe (where it is now rotted away from the muffler). I turned it off and started googling.

Now, am open and eager to hear any wisdom a reader on this helper forum may bestow. Please do. I have the night to absorb information, then will put to task in the morning.

I am hoping that I may get instruction on what to look at near the pedal itself, should it be that simple. I fear the worst with the plume of black smoke being a part of the problem.

Recent activity on the van has included a transmission swap, and coolant flush/radiator hoses replaced.

I bumbled perhaps, in a frenzy the van was needed, so I half a$$ed put the driver's seat and stuff back on, bolted a little hear and their (a humble confession, but worried that ma have introduced an odd behaviour...unlikely I know). Then she ran the van for the day, without event until parking.

Anything specific I should ask her about the experience?

Thanks for reading/responding

Jen

(and, you know, I am very remote...with a sparsely stocked Napa nearby...but I just recently acquired a parts van...as well, the mechanic shops here are not worth visiting - but I do deal with a genius backyard wrencher then lives 130km from my place...when I can)

Firesong · Post by **Firesong** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:36 pm

Check the throttle cable. Maybe something came loose or jammed. You can see where it attaches on the top of the ip.

rainypotato · Post by **rainypotato** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:41 pm

yeah, I did, it seems to move back and forth just fine

Firesong · Post by **Firesong** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:59 pm

I would think the smoke would just be unburnt fuel from a pressed down accelerator. I guess I would then check the pedal. See if the rugs have shifted or how the connection is with the pedal and cable.

rainypotato · Post by **rainypotato** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:00 pm

Update:

the revving died down, she realized she was stuck and not parked properly so put it into reverse, but was stuck (tires buried)...so she put it in park and turned it off.

I feel better about the black smoke with the last post, thanks. I did do a quick check on the pedal. Nothing cramming around it. I did notice that it felt different however, so I hope to find a diagram of the pedal and stuff.

rainypotato · Post by **rainypotato** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 1:03 pm

Still looking at this rig

Noticed that the kickdown doesn't pull itself back in, when thottle cable extended, it comes out...cable released, it (kickdown) remains pulled out.

Should i spray it with something?

rainypotato · Post by **rainypotato** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 1:41 pm

Ugh

Looking at where the kickdown cable enters the transmission, there is a crack on the rubber type thing that enters the tranny. Not so when looking at the kickdown cable from the old tranny on my lawn.

Anyone know how i can figure out how to replace this? Urgent? Not sure it's the slurce of the problem (accounts for the odd behaviour of accelerator pedal tho), but seems to be a new problem.

Thanks?

Post by **nxski** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 2:25 pm

Have you checked the throttle control if you have it? Sometimes the accelerator cable can get caught where it attaches in the engine bay too.

rainypotato · Post by **rainypotato** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 5:22 pm

Hmmm... throttle control? Don't know which one that is. Nothing appears to be obstructing. I wonder if the kickdown cable being a mess is the culprit?

rainypotato · Post by **rainypotato** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 5:48 pm

Picture of wheels dug in, the accelerator wouldn't stop...and a recent shot of top end

rainypotato · Post by **rainypotato** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 5:52 pm

Pictures heere

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainypotato

rainypotato · Post by **rainypotato** » Thu Apr 04, 2013 7:14 pm

small photo

Post by **Growlerbearnz** » Sat Apr 06, 2013 11:10 pm

Have you tried sitting in the drivers seat while the engine cover is up, pressing the accelerator pedal and slowly releasing it, while watching the injection pump? It sounds like your cable is hanging for some reason, if you release the accelerator pedal carefully you should be able to see what's causing it to hang.

There are two return springs just inboard of that yellow plastic linkage, but even if one had broken the other should be enough to close the throttle.

Could it be that, since your kickdown cable isn't retracting, the cable or metal part got snagged or jammed somehow? You should be able to disconnect it from the injection pump (from memory there's a split pin that holds the pivot pin in) and tie it up away from the injection pump as a temporary fix.

bionic · Post by **bionic** » Sun Apr 07, 2013 7:57 am

..everytime I've had the pedal go slack on me it was because I forgot I had the throttle lock (twist knob) still pulled out from cold starting

rainypotato · Post by **rainypotato** » Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:07 pm

it was the kickdown cable jammed up...our driveway is right off a hill...so...it's fixed now

Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club