Powerhouse Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 I just thought I'd share this with you folks. The other day I was driving home from work and my gas pedal didn't come back up when I lifted my foot...the accelerator spring had broke at the front end. Luckilly I was only about 1 mile from home. I got home and the spring was still there but resting on top of the starter. I bent the thing at one end to fit back on and drove to work the next day. I work at a wheel manufacturing company so we have lots of neet stuff in the back. I wnet through a box of springs and found the closest match...it was looser though...but it fit. I put it in and AMAZINGLY my car can achieve higher speeds in gear...runs smoother...and NOW I can get my OD to engage in second gear! Which really make it drive nicely. I don't know what that spring did...but it was a MIRACLE! Quote
randroid Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 Powerhouse, You say the spring was looser; does that mean it's longer, has less strength, easier to pick-up in a bar, or a combination of the above? Got a picture or Mfr's part number? If it makes your car run faster will ... I won't go there, but I am interested in hearing more about it. I'm happy with the spring I've got but evidently you were happy with your old one, too, and I'm always up for suggestions. -Randy Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 Back in the day unscrupulous repair shops (while charging for a full tune up) would replace the accelerator spring with one of less resistance. The results are exactly as you described. Quote
RobertKB Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 As Don said, you just got a cheap tune-up. Glad to hear your thirty-nine is runnin' fine. Hey, I'm an old car poet, don't ya knowit. Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 I am just amazed that a fella that will be 100 this year is still driving, much less working:D He will most likley retire August 14th this year. Quote
aero3113 Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 Are you guys for real? Just changing the spring will do this? We are talking about the spring that goes to the gas pedal to the linkage on top of the head? Quote
Tom Skinner Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 I cannot remember the Manufacturer but I actualy bought one Friday by happenstance. I had some time off from the office and took a ride into town to browse in Little Hardware. Its a #50 Spring. From Acme Spring Company or some such name. If you go to an old Mom and Pop Hardware store they will have an old Metal Spring Board with about 100 Springs Wired to it through small holes in the Board. The Metal "Board/Panel" is Green and about 3'-0" Square. Its not Acme but some other simple short name. They have been around forever (American Company). I bought one in 1982 fir my first Chrysler Royal and had'nt been in that store since, I sold that car in 1984. I went back into (Little Hardware) on Mint Street Charlotte, NC Friday to buy a spring for my new 1948 Chrysler Royal I bought in 2007 and the same guy (Dan) still works there, his hair is grey and turning loose now. He sold me another #50 Spring for $3.69. I believe I paid about $2.50 for that spring 27 years ago - not a bad deal at all. It was very satisfying to see the Little Hardware Family still thriving in business 27 years later. Tom Skinner Quote
claybill Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 ok ok ok ok ok but why does it behave differntly, and make things run better? cant figure that part out. bill Quote
Frank Elder Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 The weaker spring makes your foot feed feel differently when you accel., and does not snap the throttle back as fast making your engine sound more powerful as you have eased up on the petal, but not on the throttle. no power gain, just an illusion of more power. Quote
Powerhouse Posted January 11, 2009 Author Report Posted January 11, 2009 well..I get at least 10 miles per hour more speed in all gears now according to my tachometer. I am able to get my OD to engage in 2nd gear now as well. It is my guess that the stock spring (or spring that was on the car when i bought it) was toooooo tight. I was able to get full open butterfly on the carb throat though...but i think it closed way to quickly when accelerator pedal was let up on. I'm NO expert, just my idea anyway on why it works better now. The length of the spring is now 5.5, the old is now 4.75...i don't know what the old one was before it broke. The new spring is about 1 mm thick...the old was just under 2mm thick. I don't have a digital caliper at home so those are guesstimates using an antique. photo of spring comparison... Quote
Powerhouse Posted January 11, 2009 Author Report Posted January 11, 2009 Powerhouse,You say the spring was looser; does that mean it's longer, has less strength, easier to pick-up in a bar, or a combination of the above? Got a picture or Mfr's part number? If it makes your car run faster will ... I won't go there, but I am interested in hearing more about it. I'm happy with the spring I've got but evidently you were happy with your old one, too, and I'm always up for suggestions. -Randy easier to pick up in a bar... hahaha...maybe since it is lighter in weight. It's not as strong a spring. Quote
Powerhouse Posted January 11, 2009 Author Report Posted January 11, 2009 I am just amazed that a fella that will be 100 this year is still driving, much less working:D and my wife is ONLY 28!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 Yep.....lighter weight spring. Apparently lets certain things operate better without the greater tension. You want the spring to offer enough oomph so the accelerator pedal is not weak.....so you will have the feel of where you are with it. I put a different spring on the Plymouth a couple weeks ago....it was not quite as heavy as the one before. I had to tighten it up just a bit so the gas pedal wasn't too soft. Quote
Tom Skinner Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 Powerhouse, That is the #50 Spring, and I shorten mine from the other end (It looks purteyer that way). Hardware Stores carry them as well as O'Reily's, Car Quest, Etc. Tom Quote
aero3113 Posted January 11, 2009 Report Posted January 11, 2009 Its the spring behind my oil filter in the pic, right? Quote
Powerhouse Posted January 12, 2009 Author Report Posted January 12, 2009 yep...it's behind the filter... Quote
randroid Posted January 12, 2009 Report Posted January 12, 2009 aero3113, Whee dogies, you've got a pretty engine compartment! I think when I break-down my front clip for painting it may end up looking a lot like yours. -Randy Quote
aero3113 Posted January 12, 2009 Report Posted January 12, 2009 Thanks, this pic is when I first finished under the hood, I have since added a new battery hold down (you can see it is too big) and cleaned the carb. Quote
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