Thought I Was In The Movie "SPEED"
2/10/05, 04:09 PM
#1
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Well a couple to a few times this past week I have accelerated pretty hard only to find out that once I let off the pedal, I can't stop accelerating! I'd press on the brake and it didn't help, as soon as I let off I was flying off again even faster. Did it today again had to take my foot and flick the gas pedal up to make my car slow down. Found out one major problem, my pedals were getting stuck on my clear plastic winter mats. Nice, huh? I know I sound like a blonde (cause I am) but I just want to warn you guys to be careful. LOL. I took that floormat and moved it the 
down. I thought my car was possessed.
down. I thought my car was possessed.
That could have had a lot worse ending . . . .
2/10/05, 04:37 PM
#4
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Glad you were not hurt!
My '81 F100 has done the same thing to me a couple of times. Same fix. The time that REALLY got me was when the transmission kick down link popped off the carb while at full throttle (merging on to interstate in 75 mph zone up hill...). It jammed the throttle at full! It got REAL exciting when I discovered I couldn't turn the key off with the tranny in drive!
Thankfully, with the 2.73 gears I have, the brakes are definitely stronger than the motor! I wasn't willing to find out that ignition switch was jammed and I couldn't turn it off in park either (it WAS a 24 year old switch!), so I had my passenger hold the brakes on HARD (and the parking break...) while I jumped out and yanked the coil. Holding the truck at full throttle full stall is VERY hard on the tranny and makes them get VERY hot VERY fast, but the tranny had some issues anyway, and the engine was in very good shape after I rebuilt up the 351W about 50k miles ago with a lot of nice parts on the inside...
When the engine died, there was smoke coming off the tranny coiling lines! Did I mention I had a 2100 stall converter in it??? That sure helped a lot (joke!! Once the kick down was fixed, I fired it up and hit the road again nice and slow to try to cool the tranny back down below the melting point and then went and changed the oil in the tranny (you have to love torque converter drain plugs, but 13 quart refills get OLD!)
I was ALMOST successful in saving the tranny. About two weeks later it dumped all it's oil out while coming home from work. After yanking the tranny, I found a nice tear in front seal. It was completely dry when I left work and was POURING out when I pulled over. It propably got brittle when it overheated and then it caught on the input shaft somehow.
The up side was I found two problems in my tranny while I had it out and it is shifting like new now. But run away vehicles stink! Oh, and about a month after than, the ignition lock in the column broke one morning going to work. That definitely explained the issues I had with shutting off my truck during the run away!
My '81 F100 has done the same thing to me a couple of times. Same fix. The time that REALLY got me was when the transmission kick down link popped off the carb while at full throttle (merging on to interstate in 75 mph zone up hill...). It jammed the throttle at full! It got REAL exciting when I discovered I couldn't turn the key off with the tranny in drive!
Thankfully, with the 2.73 gears I have, the brakes are definitely stronger than the motor! I wasn't willing to find out that ignition switch was jammed and I couldn't turn it off in park either (it WAS a 24 year old switch!), so I had my passenger hold the brakes on HARD (and the parking break...) while I jumped out and yanked the coil. Holding the truck at full throttle full stall is VERY hard on the tranny and makes them get VERY hot VERY fast, but the tranny had some issues anyway, and the engine was in very good shape after I rebuilt up the 351W about 50k miles ago with a lot of nice parts on the inside...
When the engine died, there was smoke coming off the tranny coiling lines! Did I mention I had a 2100 stall converter in it??? That sure helped a lot (joke!! Once the kick down was fixed, I fired it up and hit the road again nice and slow to try to cool the tranny back down below the melting point and then went and changed the oil in the tranny (you have to love torque converter drain plugs, but 13 quart refills get OLD!)
I was ALMOST successful in saving the tranny. About two weeks later it dumped all it's oil out while coming home from work. After yanking the tranny, I found a nice tear in front seal. It was completely dry when I left work and was POURING out when I pulled over. It propably got brittle when it overheated and then it caught on the input shaft somehow.
The up side was I found two problems in my tranny while I had it out and it is shifting like new now. But run away vehicles stink! Oh, and about a month after than, the ignition lock in the column broke one morning going to work. That definitely explained the issues I had with shutting off my truck during the run away!
2/10/05, 05:49 PM
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How freaking scary is that! Glad you figured out the problem and weren't hurt. I used to have an old 78 Ford pickup POS that would do that on cold days and I had to use my toe to pry up the accelerator, ah memories.
2/10/05, 06:11 PM
#8
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I had the same thing happen to me on my 2nd day of driving, luckily I was on a deserted state HWY and was able to get it unstuck. I cut out the upper right corner of the winter mat with a utilitiy knife so it won't happen again.
Glad you are OK.
Glad you are OK.
2/10/05, 06:18 PM
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Glad you were OK.
I put an '81 into a guardrail when my brakes failed getting off an interstate.
It didn't even occur to me until much later that I should have used that thing for braking in an emergency.
You know, the emergency brake
So I simply say: Neutral ? As opposed to holding with the brakes.
I put an '81 into a guardrail when my brakes failed getting off an interstate.
It didn't even occur to me until much later that I should have used that thing for braking in an emergency.
You know, the emergency brake
So I simply say: Neutral ? As opposed to holding with the brakes.
2/10/05, 08:00 PM
#10
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I had that happen to me in my 90GT once. Thought I would light em up for my friends, got to haulin' down the road to about 80 as fast as it would get there, then let up, but she just kept on going. There was a 4 way intersection with lights coming up with a bunch of traffic about 1/2 mile down the road, so I had enough time to think it through. I actually thought about jamming on the clutch and just letting it blow, luckily I tried 3 times to slam my foot on the gas pedal and it finally let go. Whew...
The culprit? Floor mat was bunched up under the pedal and it got caught. My Expedition is missing the hook that keeps the floor mat in place, and I swear, everyday I get in it I look for where the floor mat is and move it back if it's up too far.
Glad to hear you made it out ok!
Sean
The culprit? Floor mat was bunched up under the pedal and it got caught. My Expedition is missing the hook that keeps the floor mat in place, and I swear, everyday I get in it I look for where the floor mat is and move it back if it's up too far.
Glad to hear you made it out ok!
Sean
2/10/05, 08:39 PM
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It sure got my attention fast. The root cause was the E-clip that holds the kick down linkage on the carb broke, so the link could come off. It did. And jammed itself between the carb and carb linkage nice and tight. About a dozen hard pumps on the petal did nothing to release it (unlike the few times when the floor mat got in the way!).
2/10/05, 10:29 PM
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I know that car be scary as all get out. I had a case of "floor mat cruise control" in my 383 Plymouth Fury (can you say "momentum"?). Once again, the guardian angel was with me and I saw what it was and pulled the mat back. Now removing that huge bench seat from my nether regions was a different story.
Also high on the scary stuff list is having a steering column coupler break while doing donuts. :shock:
Also high on the scary stuff list is having a steering column coupler break while doing donuts. :shock:
2/11/05, 01:09 PM
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I have had that happen a few times over the years. Without even thinking I turn the key off and regain my composure!! It sure does scare the crap out of you!!
2/12/05, 06:51 AM
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Never had the "floor mat cruise" engaged while I've been driving...but this sad story happened to some people I know:
This lady was at our local middle school, picking up her child out back. The pickup area is oval shaped, with the school at one of the "flat" ends. She rounded a curve at the moment something broke in her motor, causing the throttle to go WIDE OPEN... in a parking lot of all things. She jumped forward as if she slammed on the gas, RAN OVER my 8th grade math teacher, and continued forward until striking the school itself. The brick wall caused her motor to blow, she excaped uninjured. Unfortunately for my math teacher, she did get hurt pretty bad. Spent a week or more in the hospital, but he is OK now!
This lady was at our local middle school, picking up her child out back. The pickup area is oval shaped, with the school at one of the "flat" ends. She rounded a curve at the moment something broke in her motor, causing the throttle to go WIDE OPEN... in a parking lot of all things. She jumped forward as if she slammed on the gas, RAN OVER my 8th grade math teacher, and continued forward until striking the school itself. The brick wall caused her motor to blow, she excaped uninjured. Unfortunately for my math teacher, she did get hurt pretty bad. Spent a week or more in the hospital, but he is OK now!
2/12/05, 08:01 AM
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I've always thought there should be a fuel cut off switch easily accessible to the driver on cars (like there is on a bike) for sitautions like these.
BTW--what is a winter mat? I live in California (j/k
) .
BTW--what is a winter mat? I live in California (j/k
) .
2/12/05, 08:47 AM
#18
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Originally posted by RRRoamer@February 10, 2005, 5:40 PM
Oh, and about a month after than, the ignition lock in the column broke one morning going to work. That definitely explained the issues I had with shutting off my truck during the run away!
Oh, and about a month after than, the ignition lock in the column broke one morning going to work. That definitely explained the issues I had with shutting off my truck during the run away!
Started right up...but when I got to the mechanic's and turned it off, the chrome part fell off in my hand.
Back to the original topic...anybody see the thread on a Subaru forum where some kid's WRX throttle stuck in a residential neighbourhood, and he plowed through a garage? They tore him apart.
2/12/05, 08:55 AM
#19
After all these years,
My C/T still sucks!
My C/T still sucks!
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ahhhh stuck throttles.
I thank a stuck throttle for allowing Eleanor to come home........Thats how the bronco got totaled, enabling me to get the mustang....
I thank a stuck throttle for allowing Eleanor to come home........Thats how the bronco got totaled, enabling me to get the mustang....
2/12/05, 06:42 PM
#20
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Hahaha, I really am enjoying these stories! (Too bad for that math teacher, but sick as it is, I got a good laugh) I'm glad I'm not the only one whom this has happened to. It really is scary with a 300hp engine. I was like OH! Sh......! *panicing* BOOM Overdrive!!!! Nooo! As I'm quickly approaching this car ahead of me. I'd would have hated to see the way that ended. Talk about a heart attack. The funny thing is, as I was laying on my brakes...It only helped to slow me down a little and as I let off the brake to get the gas pedal up I did a small burnout. And thanks for the phrase "Floormat Cruise Control" I was cracking up, cause that's just the word for it. The fuel shutoff switch idea is a good one, I don't know why they don't put those in cars? It would be a good safety feature, I think.