How to Remove Throttle Cable '72 BBody?

[Dibbons]

I have been squeezing the plastic tabs from under the dash, but now I see some kind of metal wire wrapped around the inside of the clip that is preventing its removal. Hard to see what is going on there. Can any forum member relate to this dilemma? Thank you.

 

[Aron Gleason]

Should be a clip you pry up and then your cable will be able to come out.

 

[T2R9]

The metal is there as a safety to keep the cable from popping out of the firewall. Straighten it out parallel with the tabs and slide it down and out. Now you can squeeze the tabs and push it out.

 

[Dibbons]

The metal is there as a safety to keep the cable from popping out of the firewall. Straighten it out parallel with the tabs and slide it down and out.

Thanks. Now I know something else needs removal. Still a little fuzzy how to bend it, straighten it, remove it, but I'll figure it out now. Nothing like light seen at the end of the tunnel!

 

[T2R9]

It is normally bent kinda like a Z, just straighten it out so it slides out.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I think never have seen what you guys are talking about LOL

 

[71Beeper]

Here's a close-up of the tabs you need to push in.

 

[moparmarks]

Yup, need to straighten out the little metal retainer.

 

[Dibbons]

Yup, need to straighten out the little metal retainer.

I guess what we are all waiting for is a photo of the little metal retainer (I'll provide onw if/when I ever get it removed).

 

[T2R9]

The manual shows both sides bent up but most I have seen has been one side up and the other down.

 

[Vaanth]

I have been squeezing the plastic tabs from under the dash, but now I see some kind of metal wire wrapped around the inside of the clip that is preventing its removal. Hard to see what is going on there. Can any forum member relate to this dilemma? Thank you.

As advised, before squeezing the tabs to release the throttle cable attachment, remove the metal retainer which is a secondary safety hold for the cable. The metal retainer, bent and in the tabs, is shown in the following image:

Straighten one side of the metal piece and slide out of the plastic tabs.

The tabs on the throttle cable are shown in the following image:

Removed and straightened, the metal retainer looks like the following image:

After installing the throttle cable with the tabs engaged in the firewall hole, slide the metal retainer in either side as shown in the following image and bend the ends:

Bend the tabs to appear as shown in the following image:

The bend direction is not critical. Bend enough to hold the retainer in place.

If an original retainer is not available, it can be made from a similar piece of metal or wire that will work in its place.

 

[Dibbons]

The manual shows both sides bent up but most I have seen has been one side up and the other down.

Thanks for the diagram (never saw that before). Thats what mine appears to be, up and down somehow.

 

[T2R9]

Thanks for the diagram (never saw that before). Thats what mine appears to be, up and down somehow.

That is from the factory service manual.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Damn! Dunno why I had in mind the speedo cable LOL

 

[71Beeper]

I've just been edumacated.....

I had no idea that tab is required.
When I bought my cable, there was no tab that came with it.
I'll be making one.

 

[Dibbons]

Update: Removed the metal "clip" retaining the factory 1972 318 two-barrel throttle BBody throttle cable, squeezed the two plastic tabs, and the cable was extracted. In doing so, I broke the clip while bending/straightening it out with needle nose pliers into two or three pieces (recovered two pieces for sure: see photo #1).

I measured and compared the two cables (original and the aftermarket four-barrel cables) and found the factory cable measured about 22 1/2 inches and the new cable about 21 1/2 inches which is fine because is more of a straight shot with the Thermoquad linkage (see photo #2).

I did find the round rubber gasket to be many times thicker than original, either that or the original just shrank after 53 years or is missing altogether (see photo #3). The original also has a little black plastic "support" tube on the accelerator side of the cable that the replacement does not have (see photo #3 and #4 where the pen is pointing).

I'm thinking perhaps I can replace the "clip" with an appropriate size/caliber cotter pin.