My choke cable is causing me problems and jamming somewhere so that even when the knob is pushed all the way in to the dash the engine is revving far too fast! If I pull it out and push it back in a little the revs drop like it Should have in the first place...

From the manual I'm led to believe that I need to take the body off the pan??

HELP!

Rattletrap's choke cable is jammed solid.:(

Others here have had choke cable issues too, as the following link will show you Rich Oakley had:

Choke cable nightmare. Read half way down this page:

https://forums.pre67vw.com/yaf_postst18997_Garnet-Red-1959-Beetle-Restoration.aspx 

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Oh hells bells.....

I had a similar problem with the choke cable on my Oval. Like yours it worked the mechanism on the carb, but seemed to 'stick' somewhere along the conduit.

I don't know if this might help, but if you lift the petrol tank out, you'll see where the choke cable goes into the frame head. There should be a rubber sleeve over this which helps to keep water out. Wiggle the rubber sleeve off, and get as much penetrating fluid as you can down the sides of the cable. (It'll spill everywhere, but persevere). At the other end of the car where it comes out try the same, and then see if that frees the cable off. Work it back and forward. (It's a good idea to unscrew the knob on the dash incase you damage / break it, then you can pull the cable itself using grips.)

If it frees off, try to remove the cable completely, and if it comes out in one piece, lube it thoroughly before refitting. It's very long, so make sure you have plenty of room. Good news is that replacements are available from VW Heritage and Wolfsburg West. If it comes out and isn't worth refitting, the old one can be used to thread the wiring loom through the car, of course that's if you need to.......,

Don't worry, you don't need to remove the body!

Good luck,

Gavin.

So when I pull the choke cable out I need to make sure the conduit comes out too? And attach the new cable to the old so it pulls the new in as I pull the old one out 🙂

Good luck with your quest. There was no way in a million years you would have removed mine without chassis surgery. It spent nine months soaking in penetrating fluid from both ends with regular 'tugs' to try and free it. It just wouldn't budge one inch despite trying everything imaginable.

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Yep, Rattletrap's is showing no sign of budging.

I'm considering the option of a by-pass or an auto choke. Have to admire Rich's determination.:wink:

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Hi Big Oval,

The conduit is a fixed steel tube inside the chassis that the choke cable runs through. As has been said here the choke cable is inside a sleeve, which in turn is fed down the fixed metal conduit inside the chassis. If you are lucky enough to be able to remove it, there's no need to use another one to feed it back in, as it'll find it's own way through.

Remove the dash knob,and the little escutcheon (washer thing!) that holds it to the dash panel,then pull the whole cable out through the dash. Once you've lifted the tank, you'll see where it goes into the side of the framehead. This where the rubber sleeve is that I mentioned in my previous post. This might be brittle, but again replacements are available. I think I was very lucky that mine freed itself, as Rich and John (Rattletrap) mentioned, they couldn't get the cable out of their cars at all.

If yours still works the carb mechanism I should think it isn't completely stuck, and might be 'snagging' on something within the conduit, perhaps dirt, old grease, or even a tiny metal shard worn off over the years.

As the old Haynes manuals used to say, "fitting is the reverse of the removal".

As ever, good luck!

Gavin. :beer:

Well for the time being it is solved......

 

Hi, my choke cable was stuck fast in the tube as well, I put a silicone tube on the entry point under the tank (around 1.5 m long) and filled it with release oil.
I left it on for around 3 months as I was working on the car at the time, I understand if you want to use it this is hard but winter is ideal!!
The oil got dirtier as time went by so I had a go at removing but it was still solid. As only an inch of cable was showing from the tube I decided to shorten the metal tube where the cable goes in that way I could get hold of the outer and inner.
Because the outer is like a spring, as you pulled it comes out like a piece of string!
It comes so far then all comes at once, plastic and all!
This worked for me, when it came out a happier man you wouldn't have found!
Steve.

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Just doing mine at the moment.



Was completed jammed. I cut it in a few places trying to pull it out but ended up taking the whole tube out. Got to source some 10mm OD 8mm ID steel tube to go back in.
On the plus side it's given me the chance to replace the fuel line and knock the dents out of the underneath of the tunnel. :wink:

As Mr Fox says above, it's the only way to do it..

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Well Back Out Of Hibernation :thumbup: "Foxy" Great To See You Cracking On With The Resto !

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Just for everyone's info, the correct size mild steel tube is available from B&Q! Comes in 1 metre lengths for about 3 quid. I bought two which I think is just enough. Haven't fitted it yet so I'll let you know how I get on.

Today is the day the cable gets replaced properly - after waiting an age for a cable on back order I finally have one!
I am waiting for the correct knob (Edit - P.O. included the correct knob in the glove box! BONUS!) as it would appear that my car has a choke cable from a mini in it?

Wish me luck!

Edit - Looks like I shall be busy with this again tomorrow...
I got the inner cable out ok - along with the old knob...
Managed to remove the wrong choke nut from the dash - it seems everything on this car was screwed down\had seals put in while the paint was still wet :(

Pulled like hell on the outer from the front end... got about 5ft out the front... and is stuck solid 😞 - still have the bare end poking out the back?
All the rubber is within the tunnel but I just can't seem to shift it?
After a good nights rest (its just too darn hot!) I will have a go at giving it a tug from the back end - and go from there... even if the rubber boot on the back end of things did decide to disintegrate 😞 and a replacement is only available as a "classic" (special order) genuine part - £15! and I might have it by September 😮

So much for the manual saying "remove right-hand wheel, disconnect fuel tap, remove tank, remove 'washer thing' from dash, pull out inner cable, pull out outer...."
and then of course my favourite line -
"Installation is the reverse of removal"
It is never that easy!

Oh and then there is the clutch cable (7th!) to thread up... I should be able to do it in record time by now!

On the plus side my recent purchase of a 1957 parts book is proving to be a blessing - As I now know all the part numbers of everything :smile: and some retailers as I order straight by part number are giving me trade prices :D

Right off to bed for another day of madness tomorrow...

Well this just got a great deal more time consuming to fix....

I have had it soaking - so thought I'd go over the garage this morning and give the cable outer a good yank...

That was all well and good... but it has now snapped off flush with the end of the conduit at the frame head :cry:

There is still a bit sticking out the back - but not really enough to pull hard on :(

So I guess its body off the pan time? In order to cut it out?

What a pain!