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MG MGB Technical - Accelerator/Gas pedal

Hi,

The shaft that holds my Accelerator pedal in place has come out.

Can anyone tell me the easiest way to get at this pedal?

Thanks,

Matt
Matt Godfrey

Where is the pedal located?
You say there was a shaft that held the pedal in place?

Sorry but there is no easy wasy to remedee this particular problem. Have you thought of getting a new car?
glg

Matt. The accellerator pedal is a piece of steel rod that is bent and formed around a short section of steel rod which is welded cross-wise to the main lenth of the pedal assembly. It pivots on a bolt which comes in from the engine compartment and is secured in place with a nut inside the passenger compartment. The head of the bolt is located towards the front of the transition from the engine compartment to the transmission tunnel, just below the shelf on which the master cylinders sit on US version (LHD) cars. Les
Les Bengtson

Ok so it was the bolt that had come out, thanks for your answer Les.

glg, hopefully if I can get another bolt and fit it in place my car will not be a write off....I do already have a new car but I like my old one more.....

Matt

Matt Godfrey

Matt,

Glad to hear les provided the appropriat information in regards to replacing a bolt.

I too am often stuned by a seemingly complex state of affairs. Yet, with a will, percerverience, and a hot, wet steamy night with Ms. Necessity, she often times becomes an unwitting mother of invention.

Old cars, especially MG motor cars have, to-wit - fostered many a workshop baby.

Keep it running and enjoy the tour! --- glg
glg

Matt. That was glg saying he is sorry. You see, we have a minor problem here. Someone who delights in posing as an owner/dealer/evaluator and such and presenting us with off the wall problems. Perhaps the poor fellow thinks that this is a form of fun. For most of us, it is not. We gather together as a group with a shared interest in MGs. We would never, knowingly, fail to respond to a problem another owner had. Even when we do not know exactly what the problem is, we will try to help define the problem better so we can come up with some help, often brain storming possible causes and solutions.

However, our friend the trickster, having caused some significant problems in the past and having wasted a vast amount of people's time, for the simple enjoyment of making us look like fools. I, as long term readers know, have been a fool before and will be again. That is why I took the trouble to go out to my GT, look at the way the pedal is hooked up (first time I have ever really done so because I have never had, seen, nor heard of a problem with the accellerator pedal) and decided you might be for real. My friend, glg, thought you were having us on and responded as such. I can assure you, from some experience with him, that he is serious about MGs and is always willing to provide what advise he can when people have problems. If he had realized that you were serious, rather than our trickster posing another off the wall problem, he would have been out checking his car and providing you with a proper response in his first post. Forgive us all if we have sinned. So, do not let this minor incident keep you from bringing your problems and contributing your knowledge.

As to your specific problem, try to find a bolt that is mainly untreaded for the area which the "bushing" sits on. That will keep the threads from damaging the left hand side of the bushing. Some of the Brit bolts are in lenghts that are not standard here in the US. A couple of washers can be used to allow the nut to tighten properly if that is necessary. I have never done what you need to do, so only have an idea of what is required. But, I would suggest that you do not want to clamp the hanger, the portion of the underside into which the accellerator pedal bushing fits, to tightly to the bushing or it may bind. Perhaps a dab of the blue LocTite applied to the inside of the nut, then tighten finger tight may be the best way to fix this. Les
Les Bengtson

Matt,

Yeah, like Les says.

There are far too many instances when someone will post a "problem" that has us all scratching our heads, recalling past experience, researching manuals and all sorts of other input -- posting possible or probable fixes/remidies and the original poster is never heard or seen again on this BBS.

Tis sad to say, a bit of skeptisism has crept into all facetis of life these days.

On that bolt -- look for a longer one -- that has no threads below the head, cut off excess threads and use washers as necessary.

(kind words there Les -- thanks.) glg
glg

glg,

no offence taken, I was trying to kill two birds with one stone....working in the office and trying to get to the bottom of my more important problems and the casualty was info, which made my post look suspect.

It does sound like a silly problem but trying to find where the bolt should go is not (at least for me, this being my first car) as simple as it sounds. I have the Haynes manuall and the Haynes/Lindsey Porter resto manual and none have proved helpful so far.
Matt Godfrey

The bolt actually goes through a distance tube which is held rigidly, the bush in the pedal arm rotates on this tube - so it does not matter whether you use a bolt (with a shank) or a screw (threaded all the way to the head).
Chris at Octarine Services

Chris has got it, but the problem is turning the bolt with one hand from the engine compartment while holding the nut from inside the footwell. You may want to rethink writing off the car ;-)

Jim
Jim Blackwood

Hey, I have just had a thought - the car is not green is it?

Perhaps that's where the bolt came from.....
Chris at Octarine Services

Very funny! However, I being a new reader of this gathering of minds am appalled at the lack of respect we MG ownners are giving to each other. Save the jabs for the TR7 people.
JLG Galbreath

JLG - there is loads of respect on this forum - but there are also "in-jokes" and lightheartedness.

I would never jab TR7 people - or MGB owners who bolt on fibreglass panels and Ford Escort bumpers - they love their cars just as we do and deserve equal respect and consideration.

Welcome to the fold, it really is a caring and sharing place to air questions and spark debate - but be prepared for playful leg pulling too!
Chris at Octarine Services

JLG --

What exactly do you find distressing here in regards to lack of respect?

Being a "new reader", is a nefarious excuse for knee-jerk observations and commentary.

If you have the patience and willingness to hang around and pay attention, you'll find there is a tremendous amout of respect, and open minded acceptence meandering on this BBS.
glg

so can anyone tell me how to do it? Will I need to access the location in the engine compartment from the bottom or can I get to it from the top without too much trouble?
Matt Godfrey

Matt --

I believe you'll just have to crawl down in that foot well, where the pedals are, and look to see how they are held in place, and it will become obvious as to what bolt is missing from the gas pedal.

If indeed that's the problem, it's just a bolt and or nut that has fallen out of position.
glg

Matt. This is a two person job. One person has to insert the bolt throught the hole below the shelf for the master cylinders. The other person has to guide the bolt through the pedal and hanger, then put the nut on it while the second person holds a wrench or socket on the head of the bolt. Once again, this is from looking at the set up. I have never had to do this myself, nor do I know of anyone who has. Les
Les Bengtson

Chris is right. The car is not green. The bolt was probably intended for a green car. You should paint your car green and reinstall the bolt. It should work properly then. :p
Steve Simmons

Steve,

Please stick to whatever it is you do and leave comedy to the professionals.

They should add a new section to this board, call it something like 'unhelpful f*ck wit zone'
Matt Godfrey

Steve,

Please stick to whatever it is you do and leave comedy to the professionals.

They should add a new section to this board, call it something like 'unhelpful f*ck wit zone'
Matt Godfrey

Matt, you really need a sense of humor. It has already been explained to you that there are inside jokes and this is one of them. We had a thread just recently that went for a long time joking about a green bolt.

Next, learn to read emoticons. This one: :p Means all in jest. Jest means joking. Therefore I explained I was only joking. GLG, Chris and Jim have all made jokes along the same lines so you and your lack of a sense of humor seem to be quite outnumbered.

You have a REALLY bad attitude. If you don't want me to reply to your posts that's fine but there is no reason to curse and be hostile on this BBS. Take it somewhere else or grow up. Either would be fine. Plenty of British Car forums out there.
Steve Simmons

Chris and GLG sorry my kidding was taken seriously. I love the jabs and banter. At least I learned to put a P at the end of my "wit".
JLG Galbreath

JLG, I thought your original reply was quite funny. TR7 owners need a sense of humor, especially the owners of early TR7s. I also think they need to say a lot of prayers too so another part doesn't break or fall off their plagued cars.

Are you guys serious that it's a 2 man affair to replace the bushing and bolt? Sounds like a joke. One person to hold the bolt and another to turn the nut? Certainly this is a jest.
Mike MaGee

No Mike, this one isn't a joke. You need 2 people because the bolt goes through from the engine compartment but needs to be guided through the pedal and the nut and washers installed from deep in the footwell.So unless you have very long arms and several elbows, you'll need a helper.

(P.S. That was my attempt at humour, in case some of you han't noticed. 8^)

TTFN
Derek Nicholson

The fact that the bolt is located in such a way was the factory's joke on the US - UK cars have the bolt entirely inside the car!

If only you drove on the left you too could replace these bolts solo!
Chris at Octarine Services

I'm done on this one.

Absolutley no reason to use that word here, refering to personalities.

A BFH, or NFG, or FPITA is OK. This ain't no f'ing rap music here.

If ya can't post like a gentleman, walk.
glg

Here here!
Steve Simmons

Good thing none of you jokers were ever new guys with a problem you could not understand. If you had not arrived fully grown, perhaps you might, sometime, have posted a problem that, to you at least, was serious, then had a bunch of yahoos poke fun at you. Inside jokes are one thing. But, to be an inside joke, everyone reading has to understand the joke. When an inside joke is used to point out that someone is an outsider, and, therefore, not to be allowed full membership in the group, some strong feelings may well be displayed by the person singled out as and outsider. Guys, I was here before any of the rest of you and all of you asked questions just as "stupid" as Joe's. We did not make fun at your expense, but tried to help you with your problems. Try to do the same to Joe. Les
Les Bengtson

Hey Matt,
I've done what your need to do and found a pair of vise grips is a fine substitute for a second pair of hands when tightening the bolt.
cheers,
David
David

The difference is that noone else becomes hostile about it or curses at others. It's easy to ignore humor when you're not in the mood but it takes deliberate effort to be rude! Perhaps we should all go for a nice Sunday drive in our cars and remember what life is about... which is not anger!
Steve Simmons

I think someone is impersonating Les.
concerned

Les -- If you, (well maybe not you), if any reasonable person walks into a room and can figure out --- and have it explained -- that the bunch of guys are still laughing at an old "Green Bolt" joke -- typical behavior would be to ask what the joke is about -- to TRY and understand what is going on in a new enviroment.

But to get pi$$ed off, lashing out and becoming obnoxious is a totally different matter. Since you claim to be the oldest one here, how many times have you allowed that sort of language to be used -- on a public, mixed company, area of fun and exchange for all ages? Evidently you condone a free for all atmosphere where no rules of civilized behavior are in effect. I'm surprized, but have but have a better understanding. No appology needed, thanks.

There is no excuse.

And, for what it's worth, the part in question, Part Number 320-070 - 12-1346 - and associated hardware is located into a captive nut (i believe) on the fire wall.

I do not remember any major problems when re-assembling my car.
glg

Steve. Good thing I am getting old and my memory is going. I could have sworn that you became rather upset when someone once singled you out for some criticism on the A board. Perhaps, because you are older, you may have used very slightly different wording than Joe has. It did, however, seem that the intent you were trying to convey was similar to what Joe was trying to convey. Or, perhaps Joe is simply a better wordsmith than you. As old George used to say, "When you want them to know it is important and remember it, give it to them fast and dirty.".

glg. You may wish to review your posts on this thread, including your first. Yours was the first response to Joe's question, did not address his question in any way, provided no help, guidance or support and, to most people, seemed to poke fun at his expense. Nowhere, except for your very last post, do you attempt to provide any technical instruction, nor assistance. And, in your last post, the information you provide is incorrect. It is interesting to note that there was a social group, known in England as "the Wits", so seemed to poke fun at people without providing anything of substance. I seem to remember Sir Samuel Johnson commenting on them.

Joe,Mike M and Chris. It would seem that the exact method of attachment changed over the years. On my 68GT, the car I originally inspected, the bolt comes in from the engine compartment and is secured by a nut on the inside. The hanger for the pedal is near the flare firewall where the steering column bolts to the firewall and installing the nut looks to be somewhat of a problem. I just examined my two 79s and find that the steering column seems to be offset more to the left in the firewall, the hanger for the pedal is different and the bolt is installed from left to right and can be done entirely from the footwell. This may have changed when the engine compartment was re-designed and the radiator moved forwards or when the V-8 engines were introduced and the different steering columns were introduced. So, vintage of the car will be a factor in how easy this job is to do and the number of people required to perform it. Les
Les Bengtson

Les ---

"The shaft that holds my Accelerator pedal in place has come out.

Can anyone tell me the easiest way to get at this pedal?"

Whatever......

Do you have a trick in your old book on the easiest way to get to accleerator pedal???
glg

Why can't we all just get along?
Rodney King

Why would you need a second person when the nut is captured (welded in place, for the newbie)? Simply line things up from the inside of the cockpit, temporarily secure with a toothpick or small dowel, short screwdriver, etc and slide bolt through, knocking out the temporary.

I assume that all years were the same which is an unsafe assumption so perhaps advise to newcommers is never make this assumption and give the year and model (conv. or GT) no matter how simple the question may be.

Hope you all have a better day. Go work on you cars and relax.

Paul

Paul Hanley

Les, you may want to go back and reread the thread you speak of. I posted a simple and friendly question about a project I was considering and "someone" responded with a personal attack on me which was not only uncalled for but not even pertaining to the question. If it were a joke that would be fine. If he had appologized in the next post that would be fine as well. However the attacks continued for the next dozen posts and were purely personal in nature, not even MG-related.

If you think I was wrong to become a little upset or defensive while being subject to unwarranted personal insults then I suppose that's your right. But that doesn't excuse cuss at people on a friendly BBS.

Perhaps Matt is new here and simply has not experienced internet forums where people converse as if they were in the same room together. Perhaps he has only visited forums where it's boring, dry tech-talk and anything else is banned. If that's the case then he only needs a small amount of time before he will realize no harm was intended and there was no reason to react the way he has.

I hate when good people go bad. Let's all drive. :/
Steve Simmons

Wow. This is not normal.
Oh well...

Matt, aside from the captured nut and the visegrip method, there is one other way to get that bolt in. Simple really, you just remove the brake pedal assembly and reach through the hole ;-)

(One of you guys *are* going to butt in here, right? Right guys? Yes?)

Jim
Jim Blackwood

I'm still really puzzled as to how it got out in the first place........
Chris at Octarine Services

This thread was discussed between 03/12/2003 and 08/12/2003

MG MGB Technical index

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