On interstate 87, NYS Thruway last night and without warning the engine speed took off revving really high. I shut the engine off, coasted - this is in slow traffic at rush hour, two lanes and a semi behind me. I coast to the edge, not really a breakdown lane, pop the hood and the front throttle return spring has snapped at the head washer. I pull it off and try and bend a loop, metal snaps again. Then I bend an L and put the good end on the head washer and the L on thethrottle (mistake). This has taken less than a minute and off we go. Until it happens again about 15 miles later and this time we're off the thruway, and the spring falls off and is lost, so with 2 small binder clips (holding together my fine sandpaper,emory cloth collection in the toolbox) and an elastic hairband (thanks Connie!) I'm able to rig up another temporary fix. I thought that I had at least one other throttle return spring in my "culch heap", but alas, I can't come up with one! Anybody got a good, unrusted spare they could drop in the mail to me?
thanks
Danny

Contact me offline for address, or if you're in the immediate area (Honeychrome, Kai, Pooch) let me know and I'll come and get it.

The spring is a pretty common item at hardware stores and building centers.
What's hard to find is a hardened steel one that hold up to the temperature and oxidation.
Next time your in Home Depot look in hte springs drawyer.
--
'89 245 sportwagon, destroyed by hit & run driver, RIP. '04 V70 2.5 T Sportwagon, 12k mi and '91 245 5-speed, 209k mi, replaced the '89

I hear you.

With me, it was half-past seven in the evening, driving south into Paris (France) though the madly-busy 'banlieux'. In those days I knew squat about engines, plus I had no torch, and had to call recovery. They towed it, stored it overnight, transferred it to a Volvo garage the next morning, who kind of looked at me strangely, went under the hood for 2 minutes, and then sent me on my way, without asking for payment.

I always carry a spare now, just to be sure.

Tom

did you ever get a spring? i have a couple of extra sets of SUs layin around, which manifold do you have in case it makes a difference.

I'm nowhere near an auto parts store with a good DORMAN type hardware bin selection - I may be able to get to a home depot next week, and I'm sure I can find something. Just thought I'd try and scare up a factory one first.
thanks

Thanks for responding. As a temporary fix I've twisted up a piece of 1/16" copper coated welding rod. It works, but I think it's stiffer than stock and I worry about wearing the shaft and bushing.

I have the aluminum manifold. I think the coil is about 1/2" diameter. I can take a picture and/or measure and email it to you if you want.

I realy appreciate your offer. Maybe I have something I can send you in exchange. Need any geegaws?

Send me your email offline. Mine's in my profile.

thanks

i still just need your snail mail address.

um, my mail won't open it up for some reason.
my email is redpepperswings at yahoo dot com.
i just need your address, what's a geegaw?

"...what's a geegaw?"

geegaw -- one of several devices found in the doodad section of the auto parts store. Closely related to, but not necessarily a part of, a gizmo. Some people make a dealie-bob work in place of a geegaw when necessary. Some geegaws are quite rare; the doohickey comes to mind. Geegaws are not necessarily gadgets but all gadgets are geegaws. Acme, Inc. used to be the only source for geegaws but several knock-offs have been imported from the far east under the trade name of Thingie. If all else fails, a thing-a-ma-jig will work in place of a geegaw.
--
Mr. Shannon DeWolfe -- (I've taken to using Mr. because my name tends to mislead folks on the WWW. I am a 51 year old fat man ;-) -- KD5QBL

oh!

The lead carb throttle return spring broke last fall on my car too. A fat rubber band worked fine as a temporary substitute. I later purchased a bag of generic throttle return springs from NAPA and cut/bent to fit. It took several tries to get one just right but all has been well for five or six months now.

Joe M in WV