So my 914 tried to kill me the other day, need some advice Options

[dcecc1968]

So I'm driving my 914 home in Charlotte 5:00pm rush hour traffic (down Independence Blvd for you locals) and my rpms go up to 3000. I have had this happen before but was able to lift the accelerator pedal to unstick a cable to return to normal...not so this time. I stop in a parking lot because I'm convinced the cable is stuck and holding the carb open..... not so, the cable is fully retracted. Get back in the car, then the rpms go up to 4000, then 4500 and I'm having to drive the car by braking and feathering the clutch all the way home, about 15 miles. By the time I got home, a little smoke and I could smell the clutch. I have not started it since. FYI- I have a 1.7 L with a single carb (been told its a Weber) that I have had for about a year and I have no history on the car or carb.

Two questions:
1. Is it time for a carb. rebuild? How much does a kit run? Or time for a new carb.... or switch to new carb(s).?

2. Does this mean my clutch is spent?

Photo of carb.

[dcecc1968]

Guys, thanks for all your posts... a wealth of wisdom. So I had some time this weekend and disconnected the cable from the carb via the bell housing and discovered the problem (see the photo below). The cable was "too short" to allow the throttle plate to close, thus the 4000 rpm. So I think maybe the recent cold weather shrunk the cable (so I thought). I adjusted threaded bell housing to extend the reach, reconnected it and viola, the throttle plate closed. Took it out for a test drive, within a few miles....4000 rpm again. Back to the garage, pull off the cable, same thing again too short...Hmmm am I in the Twilight zone, maybe I didn't extend it enough? No more threads left on the bell housing, so I fed some of the cable of the out bell housing so there was even a little slack, then re-attached. Drive to work this AM...... 4000 rpm again!

Oh yeah... I realized I don't even have pedal stop !

So, using the collective wisdom of the previous posts, this is probably not a carb issue, but a bent bell housing at the pedal end. Do I inspect this area by taking off the pedal board and is the bell housing at the pedal end the same as the one at the carb?

Can this be re-straightened or do I need to buy a new cable (PS - I know that my cable is frayed at the carb end).

Thanks in advance for your help.
-Don

[blabla914]

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at some point soon you should consider replacing those boots that connect your plenum to the runners. They all looked pretty cracked. That will make a big vacuum leak and certainly not help the situation. Naturally this is after you fix your frayed throttle cable.

Kelly