I got a call from a Vair buddy to warn me he had a partially stuck open throttle that gave him a moment of excitement. The problem was his 140HP Roger Parent carburetor linkage came apart.

This is NOT bashing Roger's linkage, just a caution to check it.

I have two 140HP engines with Roger Parents linkage and I like the setup.

The PROBLEM: I was told that the Heim joint for the cross bar came loose from the bracket that bolts on top of the carburetor. A bolt goes through the bracket into the standoff holding the Heim joint and it came loose. I recall when I installed RP's linkage I used a lock washer under the bolt. I went to examine my cars and the lock washer was in place (on both sides of the engine).

So if anybody has RP's linkage you might want to consider installing a lock washer if one is NOT in place already.

His linkage looks like a keen design but geez a wide-open throttle vehicle accident could be horrible!

Best thing no one was injured.

Thank you to 66vairman for bringing this to our attention.

Now we owners can double-check our linkage set-ups to be safe.

Hopefully his liability insurance company doesn't see this post and prices go up.


Fred K.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2022 05:14PM by Cheepfk.

In his instructions, he does mention using a lock washer or Loctite as an option on that bolt. Then noted he never had any problems without. I just installed his linkage on a 140 Monday. I used a few drops of blue loctite on mine. Probably at a minimum, a good idea.

BTW, I had problems with clearance on the left side primary down rod. All my carburetors have the replacement brass fuel fitting on the carburetors. It is thicker than the original stock steel one. Because of this extra thickness, it will interfere with the down link. The solution was filing down the corner of the fitting that hits the down link and using a low profile carburetor top screw next to it.

Just my observation, I think his linkage is absolutely beautiful. Well worth using.

Bob
Paso Robles, CA

Central Coast Corsa
1966 Corsa Turbo Convertible
1966 Corsa 140 Coupe



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2022 06:47PM by jetcat.

The same thing can happen to the stock linkage if the clip falls off, I had it happen in a PG car and had a part throttle situation, I have installed 12 Parent 140 throttle kits and none have had a problem at all, he includes very detailed instructions, I think its more of a Installer problem than a design problem with the linkage.







1960 4dr sedan caveman car
1961 Rampside (Chetside)
1962 Rampside (Barnside)
1962 Short Rampside (Shortside)
1962 Monza 700 Wagon
1963 Monza 900 coup (General Nader)

-----------------------------------
Rust Free Lancaster Ca

Note I said my buddy had a "partially" open throttle issue. Keep in mind stuck throttles have been an issue ever since automobiles were made. While momentarily disconcerting, a competent driver should know how to deal with the problem.

Basically you just turn off the ignition key, push in the clutch, or put the automatic in NEUTRAL. Anybody who drives a car should be able to do this.

I had this happen on a number of cars. My favorite was when I was on an off ramp curve and suddenly realized the car was NOT SLOWING DOWN. In went the clutch and off went the ignition key. It was caused by a broken motor mount that jammed the throttle linkage on my one year old Camaro. The next day I got a letter from GM about a recall for defective motor mounts causing possible throttle issues - LOL.

BTW personal liability is not an issue if you incorporate as a LLC. Not hard to do.

I won't join a club that isn't a LLC because then the club members are liable if the club is sued (yes it happens).

That's why I like a car WITH a KEY! And then hope the key cuts power to the ignition system...

Frank DuVal

Fredericksburg, VA

Frank DuVal Wrote:
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> That's why I like a car WITH a KEY! And then hope the key cuts power to the ignition system...

You're probably referring to the tragic event were a high end luxury vehicle had a throttle pedal jammed for wide open throttle. It was a loaner car and the driver did NOT know that if the car IS NOT IN PARK just hitting the "START/STOP" button would NOT shut off the engine. You had to deliberately hold the "START/STOP" button down for "several" seconds to shut off the engine if the transmission was NOT IN PARK. The "good" intention was that this prevented accidental engine shut down if someone, or something, hit the "START/STOP" button while the car was being driven which would cause a loss of power assist to steering and brakes. Also, in this case, the brakes could not overcome the engine power and overheated and failed resulting in a tragic crash.

Sadly for this incident, a few months earlier another car maker (Nissan) had spectacularly advertised that if even if you held down the throttle pedal down with one foot, as soon as you touched the brake pedal the engine went to idle (to keep power assist items working) and stayed at idle until the car came to a full stop, even with the throttle still pushed to the floor. Now it's a standard feature on all cars.

Hmm, I wonder if that's what the "glitch" was in my friend's Lexus LX570?
Do you know when this was implemented? 2018 perhaps?

On several occasions when I was accelerating quickly into traffic with the gear selector in manual I would push on it, it would rev to near the redline and then just die in it's tracks. Not great for proper merging!
It would just shut down the engine until I'd let off the throttle for a few seconds and the vehicle speed came down to less than 5mph. Then it went back to normal like nothing happened.
What a pain that was.

At the time I' had assumed that it was some kind of glitch that would not let it over-rev. Did not seem correct or even logical, but maybe it was that full-throttle safety program stepping in.

Sorry for the slight segué vairman, but these discussions often lead to interesting side bits.

Paul

davemotohead Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The same thing can happen to the stock linkage if the clip falls off, I had it happen in a PG car and had a part throttle situation, I have installed 12 Parent 140 throttle kits and none have had a problem at all, he includes very detailed instructions, I think its more of a Installer problem than a design problem with the linkage.


Yes

Orangeville, Ontario. CANADA

From this discussion I will now include 2 9/16 split lock washers and a vial of Loctite 263 with all orders of my kits from now on. Also add a step to the instructions. Last thing I want is some one to get hurt.

Roger Parent
El Cajon, CA
1964 Monza Driver
1964 Monza Project

Can someone post a pic (with arrow) to where this issue is....

TIA

1966 140 Monza PG convertible
Ventura County, CA

Hi

They mean this location on either end left or right. I have add two split lock washers and a vile of Loctite 27105 to my linkage kit to make sure these will not come loose.

Roger Parent
El Cajon, CA
1964 Monza Driver
1964 Monza Project