Pedal went to the floor and did not return. Removed carpet to be sure it was not hanging up. Disconnected pedal from linkage and there is no resistance in the mechanism. Where to start? Pedal cluster? Accelerator cable? Other? Novice at best when it comes to mechanical experience.

Pics added

I'd look in the back.

1. Check the throttle cable at the engine side. If there's lots of slop, it could very well be a broken cable. Replacing them is relatively easy.

2. Does the linkage seem intact? The pedal hinge is mounted to the floor with two bolts. It should spring back slightly on its own if the rubber is intact. It shouldn't wobble side-to-side much at all.



#9 is your accelerator cable
#7 is the female connector that joins the cable to the bracket
#25 is the bracket that's been known to fail (this week for me)
#6 is the rod from the bracket to the pedal.

Check these things first. You'll need to pull the wooden pedal board to examine the linkage closely.

Check to see if the throttle cable came out or your missing a spring. The natural resilience of the rubber is not enough to return on it's own.

Finally had a chance to get back on it. Pulled the pedal board and the linkage seems attached at the pedals.

Loosened the air cleaner to get to the throttle linkage in the engine, again all seems intact.

There is slop in the cable at either end but not so you could pull it out from one end or the other.

Suggestions on next step?

My respect to all of you who work on your cars. My old body does not like getting into the tight spaces.

To what spring are you referring? My Haynes does not show a return spring in the pedal cluster (p72, fig 4-10) and I did not see any at the engine. Will post some photos in a bit.

Some photosClick to view attachment Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

Check spring l #33 in the parts diagram above.

When the pedal cluster spring gives it up ...no workie!

That part is labeled "spring for clutch pedal shaft" so I overlooked that. I cannot see anything obvious with that, but since it was brought up, is there a connection between the throttle cable and the vertical arm on part #34 at the fork bolt, #10? I cannot see it behind the body work. Need to pull an access panel off the center tunnel?

enf2232,
Just a question, I don't see a spring on the throttle body?
Phatnine11

I didn't see one either and this is the first time digging into it. No clear evidence of where one should be.

Good point. Should be a coil spring pulling the throttle closed.

Goes through hole in lever shown in middle photo.

Partial success. Removed air cleaner and searched and found spring. Reconnected and pedal seems to work. Put things in the engine compartment back together, ran out of light. Still have to test and put pedal board back in.

Thanks to all for the help.

The later 914s had a secondary throttle spring wound around the shaft of the throttle body. If the main spring between the arm and the tin broke, the secondary one was there to make the throttle return. This was done by VW to cure runaway engine RPM complaints.

For safety purposes, I would suggest trying to find a 1.7 throttle body with the secondary return spring.