Accelerator rod seal questions for 1956 Thunderbird

[zuburg]

Mac's parts show two seals for the accelerator rod. One is rubber and the other one is cork. The Tbird I acquired has the rubber seal over the rod on the engine bay side. It just hangs on the accelerator rod, so does not stay against the firewall. Should it be adhered to the firewall with some kind of adhesive? I think I read somewhere that the cork seal is used inside the car to reduce heat coming from the engine compartment. Is that correct? Should it also be adhered to the floor using an adhesive? The attached picture shows the two seals.

Thanks

 

[dmsfrr]

I haven't faced this problem yet but eventually will. In several areas my firewall reminds me of swiss cheese. I suspect a good place to put that seal would be under the carpet padding, which would help hold it in place.
Gluing it to the floor to keep out water could be a good idea as well.

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[paul2748]

The seal should be placed on the inside of the firewall and under the carpet.

Never seen on the outside of the firewall. Looks like they just have two different materials for the same thing. The rubber one will probably last longer, the cork one on my 56 didn't last long.

If you can reference the part no's maybe that will tell if they go in different spots. The cork one is the one CASCO shows, no reference on the other number. Perhaps it's mis-labled and not for a TBird

 

[Daves55Sedan]

Yes the seal goes in between the inside of the floor riser panel and your floor covering material (jute, carpet or rubber mat, etc).
I strongly suggest that you DO NOT glue that square seal to the floor. Your actuator rod has a little bit of curvature to it and I believe that the seal actually moves up and down depending upon how much the gas pedal is depressed. Glueing it down will cause the little hole to eventually become a long slotted hole and might even cause problems with the gas pedal sticking as it gets hung up on the tattered seal.
The factory did not glue the seal down, so I did not glue it down either.
If you are concerned about water splashing up into that round hole thru the floor riser, try cutting out a piece of roofing felt maybe 2 inches diameter and poke a hole thru the middle of it, then install it on the outside of the floor riser panel. Just let it float free on that actuator rod. Check for obstructions and ease of operation after it is assembled and make sure that the felt paper is far enough away from the exhaust header.

 

[Daves55Sedan]

If it was me, I wouldn't buy the cork seal either. I would just get the black seal. I still have my original gas pedal rod seal and I don't think it is rubber unless it was petrified by age and all those decades of heat from the engine. Whatever it is, my original seal is as hard as a rock. Anyway the new ones they sell are rubber and there's nothing wrong with that. the rubber seal does not effect the way the gas pedal operates.

 

[zuburg]

Thanks to all. The attached photo shows why I had the question. It has the rubber seal just floating on the rod on the engine side. It didn't look to me like it was doing anything. Before I pulled the engine, I had some trouble with the accelerator sticking, but thought it might have been due to the linkage. I will try to sort it out after I install the new engine.

 

[dmsfrr]

Probably a contributing factor to the floor rusting out under the pedals. Previously repaired from the top side and covered underneath with a second layer, of a barely attached patch.
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[zuburg]

Do you mean water makes its way through the rather large hole that the accelerator rod comes through, and collects under the carpet?

 

[dmsfrr]

Do you mean water makes its way through the rather large hole that the accelerator rod comes through, and collects under the carpet?

And probably stays damp for days or even longer, until it finally dries out.
It depends on how much water gets in, from wherever it can. Note the water drip marks.
This firewall also has several small extra holes that didn't have something in them. The steering column seal wasn't installed correctly either.
For about 6 to 10 inches around the base of the gas pedal the floor is a collection of previous patches.
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[Daves55Sedan]

I doubt much water gets in thru the hole if the gas pedal rod seal is installed on the inside of the floor riser panel under the mat. My '55 sedan has been leaking thru the windshield for over 25 years because I did not properly seal the glass in the rubber channel. Every time it rains water drips down on the floor and seeks the lowest point. I have the front seat and floor mat removed as we speak, exposing the rust damage to the new floor panel I put in back in 1992. The jute backing under the floor mat is completely soaked and it holds the water like a sponge for a long time. Ever get into your car and notice a musty, old-car smell. That's that stale rusty water under your mat eating away the floor.

 

[paul2748]

I googled the BA-9738-S number and it comes up as 1952-56 passenger car on a couple of different sites so I think the TBird designation is incorrect. Even Mac's site shows it for a 1952-56 full size Ford, no mention for a TBird.

I think these were used more for heat blocking than water blocking and it should "float" to match the movement of the rod.

If it would work on a TBird, I would use the rubber one before I would use the cork one.

 

[zuburg]

I took a queue from Daves55Sedan, and used some roofing felt. Instead of just poking a hole, I cut slits in a star pattern around the hole to allow more free movement of the rod (see photo). But since it still sticks to the rod and won't return close to the firewall, I think it needs to be glued to the firewall. I think the star slits would provide enough movement.

 

[paul2748]

I repeat - no piece like this was put on the TBirds on the engine side of the firewall. I think your looking for trouble if you do this

I took a queue from Daves55Sedan, and used some roofing felt. Instead of just poking a hole, I cut slits in a star pattern around the hole to allow more free movement of the rod (see photo). But since it still sticks to the rod and won't return close to the firewall, I think it needs to be glued to the firewall. I think the star slits would provide enough movement.

 

[zuburg]

Thanks, that's clear enough for me. This all got started because the Tbird I acquired had the rubber one on the shaft looking like it was not doing anything but getting in the way. I will just remove it and make sure there is one under the carpet.

Thanks for setting me straight.