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.

[ThePaintedMan]

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That's the choke plate. You need that wide open to see down into the carb and the throttle plates. Disconnect the little ball attachment on the linkage of the carb and see what happens, again with the engine off. Does the throttle fully return to stop smoothly?

That being said, if you go to dual carbs, most setups can utilize the stock 914 accelerator cable, complete with the *correct* crimped ferrule end. On the single carb setups like yours, that ferrule/end of the cable must cut off so you can feed it into the pivot ball attachment, which eventually causes the cable to fray. If you buy a new cable and use it on that carb, you'll have to buy another one if/when you go the dual carb route.

Might I suggest if you indeed go the dual carb route that you look at SteveGM's carb setup in the classifieds? That is a complete setup, ready to go - all you need is a new throttle cable. This is a beautiful setup and looks plug-and-play. Only needs new intake gaskets and the throttle cable.

If you want an even better solution, easy to synch and with great throttle response, look at Tangerine Racing's cable throttle linkage setup. Chris makes a phenomenal product and his setup uses the stock cable with no modifications as well.
www.tangerineracing.com

[stevegm]

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That's the choke plate. You need that wide open to see down into the carb and the throttle plates. Disconnect the little ball attachment on the linkage of the carb and see what happens, again with the engine off. Does the throttle fully return to stop smoothly?

That being said, if you go to dual carbs, most setups can utilize the stock 914 accelerator cable, complete with the *correct* crimped ferrule end. On the single carb setups like yours, that ferrule/end of the cable must cut off so you can feed it into the pivot ball attachment, which eventually causes the cable to fray. If you buy a new cable and use it on that carb, you'll have to buy another one if/when you go the dual carb route.

Might I suggest if you indeed go the dual carb route that you look at SteveGM's carb setup in the classifieds? That is a complete setup, ready to go - all you need is a new throttle cable. This is a beautiful setup and looks plug-and-play. Only needs new intake gaskets and the throttle cable.

If you want an even better solution, easy to synch and with great throttle response, look at Tangerine Racing's cable throttle linkage setup. Chris makes a phenomenal product and his setup uses the stock cable with no modifications as well.
www.tangerineracing.com

My carbs (http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=245178) came off of an engine that I drove in the car last week. They are complete. I bought the car which had a new engine and had been run only an hour. I drove the car around the block last week, pulled the motor, and pulled the carbs. I believe your accelerator cable will work fine with them. But, you really need a new cable. That one is frayed pretty bad.