Jammed Throttle Linkage

The throttle of my BN2 jammed open the other day - rather terrifying!

By the time I'd switched off and found somewhere to pull over, it had returned to normal and I've tried but failed to get it to do it again (car stationary / engine off!!).
Looking at the linkage the only place where I can see a possibility of jamming is down beside the starter motor where the first link is (photo attached, looking down from above; you can see the vertical linkage shaft running down and the connection at the bottom). Looking at this it seems to me:

a) that this is a very tight squeeze and could definitely foul with a bit of bad luck.
b) that there is no conceivable way of getting to it (it's jammed tight between the bodywork and the starter motor).
c) that this part of my engine bay could do with a clean!

Does anyone else have experience of this and / or a suggestion for a cure?

I plan also to take apart the other linkages and lubricate them: Does anyone have views about which grease to use?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

John

Re: bn2 throttle linkage jammed

John,

Since, presumably you have a right-hand drive car, us Yanks on this forum may not be able to offer much help (this is one area where LHD might have an advantage: a somewhat simpler linkage on what is a Rube-Goldberg arrangement to begin with; some people replace it with cables). My only suggestion would be to get a flexible mirror, and very strong lighting and look very closely at all aspects of the linkage and surrounding material for any evidence--scratches, rubbing, etc.--where fouling could take place. Maybe, with some luck, you'll spot a scratch or groove that shouldn't be there. Also, is there any way the linkage could have been 'thrown over'--i.e. it traveled too far or at too sharp an angle--so that a joint locked-up?

As for lubing the joints, I usually do, but have mixed feelings; a light grease like lithium attracts less dirt, but won't be very persistent, but a heavier grease--I usually use wheel bearing grease when I want something tenacious--will cause the joints will get cruddy over time. I don't recall any mention in the maintenance requirements, but I put a dab of grease in on the rare occasions I have the linkage apart.

When I want to lube something and not have it attract dirt, I use a bicycle chain lube. They typically have a low viscosity carrier to allow the grease/wax to get into the joints and then the carrier evaporates.

John Turney said:

When I want to lube something and not have it attract dirt, I use a bicycle chain lube. They typically have a low viscosity carrier to allow the grease/wax to get into the joints and then the carrier evaporates.

Click to expand...

Good idea. Looks like some of them have teflon.