Keeping it simple

[Earl Furney]

On a limited budget, one sometimes has to stick to the simple things that work.

What I've done to my 1999 Crown Vic, is install a throttle limiter at the throttle body where the linkage operates. It consists of a long travel ball detent set screw, adjusted so the throttle can open far enough to overcome the moment of inertia at 65 mph.

The driving experience I suppose is like driving a restrictor plate race car. You won't win any drag races, but it will go faster than most speed limits.

No other modifications made to the rest of the car.

Don't know what the fuel mileage for the car before the installation, but now average 24 in town and 28.5 highway. Never checked before the price of gas went crazy.

Part cost? Really cheap.

[Peter7307]

Earl, Welcome to the place and enjoy your stay.
Cheers , Pete.

[Frank Lee]

Nice try but I just don't see it working. Actually I see more potential for a safety hazard than anything as you expect the car to have so much get-up-and-go in some situations and it ain't there... unless I'm not understanding this thing and you still have access to WOT?

One can easily keep their foot out of it without mechanical "stops".

[Christ]

If you can afford some scrap brake line and a tarp, you can make an easy on/off fast back for your car.

You bend up the brake line to follow the rear window form, and then make a second form that follows the deck area, then join the two at the corners to make a triangle shape in 3 dimensions, then buy yourself a tarp and attach it to the brake line frame with some zip ties, installing some fairly strong magnets inside the folds of tarpaulin. The total cost should be less than $30, since you can get brake line from junk cars for free.

You can also make a slightly less strong frame from wire coat hangers, but it will require more reinforcement along the sides.

It's not perfect by any means, but it gets the job done, and looks like hell doing it.

[Frank Lee]

Who's done that? Lemme see!

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Who's done that? Lemme see!

I'm still trying to get my Father to let me do one for him... I don't think I've ever actually seen one done that way, but I've done similar things for other purposes, like making tents.

If he lets me, I'll open a thread about it and make sure to take plenty of pics of the process.

[Earl Furney]

Frank Lee, I first thought that it might be a hazard to drive. But 2500 miles later, I've found this not to be so. Perhaps a little more description of the set screw is in order.

Detent set screws have spring loaded balls in one end. They come with various spring tension and different lengths of travel. I choose a medium tension and 1/4" travel. These screws are normally used in machine tools and the tool making industries.

When the final adjustments are reached to suit, I've found that from a standing start, depressing the accelerator to the stop without depressing the spring, gives more than enough power to pull out in traffic and not get run over. On level ground at this setting the car will reach 70 mph.

Now if I need more power for hills and passing old ladies, I've got to press down the additional travel against the spring to achieve the added power to reach 90 mph (Why? my last speeding ticket was in 1967).

The thing I've learned the most, is using more power than is necessary, is just blowing half burned fuel and dollars out the tail pipe.

[Frank Lee]

Thanks for the more in-depth explanation. So, you do have access to more throttle if needed. Good.

Still, in my driving conditions, sometimes I'm bucking nasty headwind or xwind, sometimes not. Sometimes heavily loaded, sometimes not. While I have no TPS readout I'm certain my cruise throttle "settings" vary with every trip, independent of speed. Were my car to have a fixed cruise throttle position, it would cruise at different speeds. I would rather choose my cruise speed on each trip.

Additionally, guys with instrumentation tell us that more vigorous acceleration actually is more efficient than creeping up to speed, especially with m/t vehicles.

So, yeah, I do think it was a nice try but I don't see it really coming through, at least for my conditions. That you were not able to provide any before/after fe results, much less A-B-A, doesn't help.

[luvit]

i would think with all the appalachia foot hills i drive on i'd be pushing beyond that spring often. is this most ideal for highway? or flat in-town driving?

[whitevette]

Originally Posted by Earl Furney

On a limited budget, one sometimes has to stick to the simple things that work.

What I've done to my 1999 Crown Vic, is install a throttle limiter at the throttle body where the linkage operates. It consists of a long travel ball detent set screw, adjusted so the throttle can open far enough to overcome the moment of inertia at 65 mph.

The driving experience I suppose is like driving a restrictor plate race car. You won't win any drag races, but it will go faster than most speed limits.

No other modifications made to the rest of the car.

Don't know what the fuel mileage for the car before the installation, but now average 24 in town and 28.5 highway. Never checked before the price of gas went crazy.

Part cost? Really cheap.

What you are also suggesting is : The right foot (in this country , lol) controls the flow of gasoline. Keeping it still gives the best fuel useage. Any sudden movement hurts gas consumption ("down" on the gas pedal calls for more gas flow; "up" to slow will eventually create a demand for increasing one's speed - more "down" on the gas pedal).
Steady-state fuel delivery is the name of this game ... using one's eyes to drive ahead of situations (traffic stop-&-go, oncoming hills / grades, stoplight cycles, etc.) helps, too. Anything which reduces the need for altering the velocity of this large mass known as a vehicle will help fuel consumption. Inertia rules!
This is not fun. Look at it as a challenge. Drivers behind you may get annoyed because you're "in their way" ... but when they start paying my gas bill, I will go as fast as they want me to go.
I have been stopped before by our illustrious highway patrol for "impeding traffic" (I was going 53 in a 55 zone; everybody else insisted on going 65!). We had a delightful conversation in his cruiser... I got a warning ticket :-) .