Hand Throttle

[old rat 49]

What was the whole idea behind the hand throttle cable ? It's not like the car has a pto and it makes a bad cruise control. Any real reason to keep it on the car ?

[busycoupe]

My car has a manual choke. When choked the carb has a fast idle position, however, I find that I need to push in the choke knob soon after starting so that the engine will run smoothly, but it still needs a fast idle. That is where the hand throttle comes in. I can keep it on fast idle until the engine warms up without having it on choke. Perhaps it is possible to adjust the choke and carb fast idle setting so that I don't need the hand throttle but I am used to using it as is, and it works well.

Dave

[Don Coatney]

Here is one use I found.

I got stuck in a gridlock near Macon, Georgia. Parked in this gridlock for over a half hour. It is normal for my car to gain a lot of engine temperature when I have been driving at freeway speed for an extended period of time and suddenly drop the speed to zero. Also normal for my electric fan to kick on and drop that temperature after a few moments. However in this case I went from freeway speed to zero in a plymosecond. Fan kicked on but temperature continued to slowely climb as there was no wind other than that produced by the electric fan. No place to go, no way to pull off to the shoulder as there was traffic all around me, so I sat there and watched my temperature gauge climb to around 230F. I used the throttle cable to drive the idle speed up to around 1200RPM in order to circulate more coolant . Never boiled over. After an eternity got clear of the gridlock and back up to speed. Temperature dropped to 180 in less than a mile and my thermostatically controlled fan dropped off. Engine continues to run great so I dont think any damage was done.

[TodFitch]

Seems like this topic has been covered in the past but I'm being too lazy to use the search button.

From Man and the Motor Car, a 1941 drivers training book for high school students, we have on page 50:

The hand throttle accomplishes the same general purpose as the foot throttle or accelerator pedal.... The hand throttle must be opened, and in come cars closed, by hand

And on page 79:

Hand Throttle

This is an auxiliary accelerator which is generally located on the dashboard and is operated by hand. It functions exactly as does the foot-throttle, except that in some cars it remains exactly as set by hand, and does not return to idling position when the hand is removed. It chief purpose is to provide a means of regulating the gasoline flow to the engine at times when the right foot, which normally operates the foot accelerator, is otherwise engaged. This sometimes happens when starting on hills, the right foot being employed with the brake.

On my pre-war Plymouth there is a hand crank stowed behind the back seat. If you are trying to crank start the engine, it is very useful to have a way to set the throttle without having to have your right foot on the accelerator pedal. At least I am not tall enough and limber enough to have a foot on the pedal and also be in front of the car cranking it.

[greg g]

I have used the hand throttle to set a just of idle engine speed to assist in rocking a car out of being stuck in snow. As using the acc pedal tends to encourage you to over speed the engine potentially breaking any traction you may have attained.

Also used it in the winter to boost idle speed during a warm up period.

And also back in my young and immortal days as a poor mans cruise control.

[BobT-47P15]

It works reasonably well as a cruise control on level ground.

Uphill, it gets slow.

Downhill.....kind of like a roller coaster.....just keeps on gaining speed, til

you push the knob back in.

Works fine and dandy for warming up the car.

Isn't that what they used on farm trucks when hauling hay.....sort of

put the truck on "auto pilot" so it would creep along and the driver

could be tossing or stacking bales.

[oldmopar]

From the owners manual

[pflaming]

It's another example of how we've become accustomed to automatic 'things'. In the past, everything was manual, every engine was different and every driver had his way of doing things.

Driving today's cars only requires braking, steering and accerator control regardless of the size of the vehical so that poor drivers become dangerous drivers, in my opinion. Early high centered SUV roll overs is an example. JMHO.

[Furylee2]

Here in the flatlands of Nebraska, it works great as a cruise control. I set on my 41 and it easily maintains the speed between the little towns along the highway. If I come to a little grade, I help it maintain speed with the accelerator pedal.

[old rat 49]

Appreciate the input. A few things I hadn't thought of and yes I did a search but didn't come up with this. Did have a fellow tell me that his father use to use a prewar Plymouth rim without a re and car on jack to raise bails of hay to hay loft usng the rim as a capstan.