What's wrong with my linkage?

Fred S

Fred S

Senior Member
My car came like this. I have a V shaped throttle rod, located under the starter rod. Facing the firewall, the steering column was also rotated slightly to the left.

I bought a 6" throttle rod, installed it, and rotated the steering column to the center. Then the left end of the throttle rod hit the block at about half throttle. And I discovered someone removed a chunk of the distributor rod, and with the column centered, the distributor rod is too short for full retard. Since I can't retard the distributor fully, I put the V shaped throttle rod back in, and rotated the steering column back to the left, like it was.

So I also need a full length distributor rod, but I can't figure out what is wrong with the linkage, causing a normal straight throttle rod to hit the engine with the column centered.
 

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Back of motor too high?Accelerator linkage bent down? My linkage is even with the top of block( bottom of head)
 

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Do I see Float-A-Motor mounts lurking in there? Maybe the engine height is not correct and is throwing everything off.
 
Sometimes you jist got doodle around & "maybe" cut & weld the rods, to get them "exact"! Rod lengths seem to vary a lot.
Bill Torch
 
Flathead said:
Do I see Float-A-Motor mounts lurking in there? Maybe the engine height is not correct and is throwing everything off.
Click to expand...

I don't have Float-A-Motor mounts. But it looks like Chuck's throttle arm is more behind the engine. Mine sticks out more beside it. The arm feels very hard and doesn't seem like it would want to bend.
 
I have a photo of mine from the front when I was trying to get the head loose. This angle shows how things should line up at least on an old original (worn out) one. It may be something to do with the body and/or the steering column angle, maybe one of the long upper braces is lowering the column? Does the hood line up correctly?
 

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This linkage can be devilish.
I have messed with many.
On a couple setups I have had to cut the pivoting arm on the accel bracket and scab in a short length of steel. When ground and painted no one can tell.
You shouldn't have to do that tho.
I have often wondered if there was a production change along the line concerning the length of that pivoting arm. I have seen at least 2 diff. lengths. Maybe Pluck would know about this?
 
This might be out of left field, could the pivoting arm on the throttle assembly have been turned the wrong way when attached to the back of the block?
 
accelerator linkage doesn't look right? Should not have to cut and weld!Bent??The rod should be over the starter rod not underneath.
 

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I had to bend the long arm on the throttle assembly to get mine to clear. I assumed someone bent it putting the motor in years ago.
Both of my rods are straight.
 
I would check the ball connector arms on the bottom of the spark advance/throttle rods. They may have been switched when last installed. That would cause them to be in an incorrect position. It would also cause you to have an improper length of travel in the distributor body slot, i.e., the advance arm on the distributer upper plate will not touch the distributor body slot when in the fully retarded position. You can rotate the steering column to make compensate for it if you have a 30-31 A.
 
Fullraceflathead said:
I had to bend the long arm on the throttle assembly to get mine to clear. I assumed someone bent it putting the motor in years ago.
Both of my rods are straight.
Click to expand...

The arm on my throttle/accelerator bracket was also bent way down...but now with it straightened the control rod clears by about 3/8"....it used to route under the starter rod....bent just like Fred S...

It goes to show that if you wait long enough you will find your answer here!
 

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I looked at the car (1930) we have in the shop, exact same bend only it goes over the starter rod. I didn't take time to see why had other stuff to work on. So you are not the only one.
 
Thanks for so many replies with good ideas. I think the arm that pivots is angled downward.

1955cj5 or Fullraceflathead or anyone else, how do you bend it? I'm not sure, but it looks like a cast piece that would snap if I try to bend it up.
 
Well, I just took a crescent wrench and fit it on the arm lengthwise as best I could, and gently persuaded it up until it was straight....

There are different versions...mine had a long flat section that looked pretty sturdy...

I expect the "right way" would be to remove it and heat it a little.....
 
Fred S said:
Thanks for so many replies with good ideas. I think the arm that pivots is angled downward.

1955cj5 or Fullraceflathead or anyone else, how do you bend it? I'm not sure, but it looks like a cast piece that would snap if I try to bend it up.
Click to expand...

I bent mine in a vice.
 
Most of these thin forged pieces can be bent back to shape without breaking. The long arm for the carb linkage is often bent, and they are easily bent back to the correct shape.
 
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