Help! My throttle cable shrunk!

[Dark Horse]

While I was working on the carbs my throttle cable must have shrunk.

Well, not really. But I am having trouble with something that acts that way.

I have the carbs back in and the motor starts and runs smooth. When I attach the throttle cable to the throttle lever ( in the center of the carbs) it holds the butterfly’s open way above idle (about 5 krpm’s). I can’t stretch any more length out of the cable.

When removing the carbs I only slackened the cable enough to remove it from the throttle lever. I did not change any of the screw adjustments during cleaning.

With the idle speed adjustment set the same as before cleaning and the throttle cable attached, I lack about 1/8 inch of the arm on the throttle lever from touching the idle speed adjusting screw (It touched before cleaning.).

If I detach the throttle cable and let the throttle lever rest on the idle speed adjusting screw it idles just great.

This has been driving me nuts all day as I’ve tried to figure out how my cable lacks that 1/8 inch of length.

Any ideas? My thinker is sore. The sun is still shinning. It’s been nice and warm today. Maybe I need a ride.

Bob

[xssiveone]

Bob, make sure the outer sheath of the cable is fully seated in the bracket on top of the carbs. Also, make sure that it is still fully seated at the throttle end. Did you remove the cable completely, or just dissconect it? If you removed it, check the routhing. It doesn't make sense, but sometimes the way you route it will cause this.

Brian

[Dark Horse]

Originally posted by xssiveone
Bob, make sure the outer sheath of the cable is fully seated in the bracket on top of the carbs. Also, make sure that it is still fully seated at the throttle end. Did you remove the cable completely, or just dissconect it? If you removed it, check the routhing. It doesn't make sense, but sometimes the way you route it will cause this.

Brian

Hey Brian!

You know, I've not removed the cover on the throttle control yet. I'll go check that and see if it's lost its seating position. I only disconnected the cable. No re-routing was necessary for this job.

Thanks for the ideas!

Bob

[skids]

Also, the metal on the end of the sheath (cap with a hole) may have slipped off and is making the effective length longer. This of course makes the relative length of the cable shorter...

Originally posted by Dark Horse


Hey Brian!

You know, I've not removed the cover on the throttle control yet. I'll go check that and see if it's lost its seating position. I only disconnected the cable. No re-routing was necessary for this job.

Thanks for the ideas!

Bob

[Dark Horse]

Originally posted by skids
Also, the metal on the end of the sheath (cap with a hole) may have slipped off and is making the effective length longer. This of course makes the relative length of the cable shorter...

Throttle cable is in excellent condition. Thanks Sid! It seats in position in its holder above the throttle lever just like it did before the cleaning.

It's almost like my carbs are sitting 1/8 inch lower than they originally were.

And Brian, the cable has not slipped from position in the throttle control grip. Thanks again for the tip.

This is making me nuts! It's like I've installed my carbs onto a different bike!

This is the last thing I need to do to be able to put the gas tank and seat back on and take it for a test ride.

AARRRGGGGGGG!!!!

Easy Big Fella! Deep breaths! Deep breaths!

[motoman]

If all else fails Bob...............jump on that 85 Venturer and watch the mirrors till the house dissapears............then keep going for an hour or so...............gives you a whole new perpective after returning. Did so today with yard work.............bout 3pm jumped on the 81 Venturer, rode west till I saw exit for 191 South to Moab, turned around and back home, works very well, forgot all about havin' to finish up fertilizing lawn tomorrow. Cable thing is kinda strange, specially if you just rotated throttle shaft to pop cable end out of holder. Let me know what the mal-function is.

[GNEPIG]

.. check to see if one of your intake manifold clamps are not positioned in the way. could be causing the arm to not point straight up[the little pivoting peice that the end of your cable hooks to on the carbs]
.. or the cable holder that is mounted to the top of your carbs is mounted wrong.. the black helper hook that is mounted to the back of the valve cover can also play tricks on you too
.. hope this helps

[motoman]

Both of what GNEPIG said has happened to me..........if it can, it will.

[Parr8hed]

I have had this same problem when I went through my carbs. I took them off and put them back on with the same results. I eventually just turned them down at the handle bar grip. I had a little screw up there where I could add a little lenght to the cable. works fine now. Did not have to play with the idle at all.

[Dark Horse]

No adjustment left. It is as long as I can get it. Still lacks 1/8 inch. Thanks for the suggestion anyway.

Bob

[Ken Talbot]

Hmm. It worked okay before but now it doesn't. Something must have slipped somewehre, and you just haven't been able to find it yet. You might have to humor us and take the throttle assembly apart on the handlebar, put it all back together, and see if that changes anything. As you notes at the start, there is no way the cable could have actually shrunk that much.

[Erik the Red]

just a thought...

This may seem elementary, but I'll throw this out anyhow. Have you double-checked to make sure that the carbs are fully seated in the intake boots? That could be the cause of a missing 1/8th inch....

[Dennyz]

Did you remove the cable house braket that bolts to the top of the carbs (like to remove the slides)? If so, make sure it is on right. It might possible need to be bent down a bit.

If your cable has a brass button on the carb end, that allows the cable to slide through, make sure the cable end is seated in the brass button.

[Dark Horse]

Originally posted by Ken Talbot
Hmm. It worked okay before but now it doesn't. Something must have slipped somewehre, and you just haven't been able to find it yet. You might have to humor us and take the throttle assembly apart on the handlebar, put it all back together, and see if that changes anything. As you notes at the start, there is no way the cable could have actually shrunk that much.

I did check that the cable was seated properly in the handlebar assembly. But I didn't remove or dismantle anything there. I'll try that and see what happens. Might be a couple of days before I can get to it. Thanks Ken!

[Dark Horse]

Re: just a thought...

Originally posted by Erik the Red
This may seem elementary, but I'll throw this out anyhow. Have you double-checked to make sure that the carbs are fully seated in the intake boots? That could be the cause of a missing 1/8th inch....

Erik, I've considered this also. I might just pop the carbs out again and see if I can get them to fit closer. They look to be seated properly though. Thanks for your idea.