The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Throttle Cable Needed?

The PO removed the knob on the throttle cable. Stupid question but is it recommended or needed for smooth operation? How does using a throttle linkage differ from using the gas pedal?

Was going to repurchase a new knob with cable if warranted.

Thanks so much.
Andy

I installed one for looks

Will probably never use it

throttle cable (aka poor mans cruise control) was used a lot on the farm to keep the flat bed rolling along while throwing hay bales up onto the truck. Though mine is fully functional, I rarely use it.

Or to set RPM's if using the PTO off the tranny. Only purpose I see it could serve now is a poor mans cruise control on flat straight roads!

I like the hand throttle for fast idle, for winter warm up. There are times when I like fast idle, but don't want choke. Plus, it entertains people that only have modern cars. I guess new cars don't have them?

bzt, I think you hit the nail on the head. That's about the best reason they could have left
the had throttle on the trucks. And as Chris mentioned, I've always though it was a throw
over from the days before they had carbs with fast idle cams and I'm sure it was used for
that.
I can only think that using it as a cruise control would be akin to lighting a match over the
filler neck to see how much gas is in your tank. Bad idea in my book!

I often hear people complain about the throttle cable not staying set when they pull it out.
My personal feeling is that the replacement return springs as opposed to the original
spring puts way to much tension on the linkage and that's what pulls the cable back in.
It’s been several years since I’ve had a W-1 on the bench but if I remember correctly the
accelerator pump spring holds the throttle open on them. Prior to 1950 the W-1 was used
by Chevy and the return spring tension required for the W-1 would have been greater than
for the post 1949 Rochester ‘B’. The vendors now sell a one-size-fits-all return spring and
I think it just puts to much tension on the linkage.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

We would set the throttle on grandpa's old 46 and "creep" out through the fields while riding the running board. Jump off, put a bushel of beans on the back, jump back on the running board and steer through the window to the next bushel basket.....
also used it when we wanted to put a belt on the rear wheel of some other vehicles to drive some machinery like the wood saw..... and in later years, while in high school, we'd set the throttle so we could run the Big Stick loader on the pulpwood truck which was a 1 1/2ton GMC.
The throttle cable had its purpose...."back then".

I did like it on cold mornings to let the trucks warn up. Those were the good ole days but somehow I'm glad they're gone! ....maybe I'm just tired, old and slow.