90 Dodge D350 with 727 Automatic. I parked it outside six months ago and had to move it today. It started just like it was run yesterday. I had to disconnect the kick down cable to free up the throttle linkage other wise the pedal wouldn't move more than an 1/8 of the way down.

Is there any way to free up the cable? I tried shooting some penetrating oil down inside the boot but it did not help. I haven't been under the truck yet as I had quite a few things to do today.

Secondly, aside from driving the truck daily, what causes this problem and what can be done to prevent it.

 

Moisture must have worked it's way in an corroded it. Happens occasionally. Find another cable at salvage yard, perhaps.

 

Completely submerge the cable assembly in a penetrating oil etc. I seriously doubt Mopar still has these available but it may be worth a try, I'll post the Chrysler p/n later.

You may get lucky on Ebay, search for seller name "redliner", I saw he had a diesel 727 tail housing on there last week but I did not pay attention enough to notice a TV cable assy, check for it.

 

I have been thinking of converting mine to mechanical linkage like old mopars

 

Here's the Mopar p/n from the 1989 Part Book, could have an updated number but this will get you started, hopefully without the blank stare and/or run-around...

Cable, Automatic Kickdown p/n 4428 788

 

I will add to this :

This will work for all types of cables, providing no strands of the cable are broken inside the housing and causing it to hang.

DO THIS OUTSIDE.

On a camping-stove, or a grate on top of the trash-burn barrel, warm a large-diameter pan of oil up pretty hot, but not hot enough to smoke or flash off.

With LONG tongs, submerge the cable and let soak for a while.

After a good soaking, use the tongs to slosh and agitate the cable.

Don't leave this un-attended, as the oil might over-heat and ignite.

Those spiral wound wire housed cables especially benefit from this treatment, as the hot oil easily permeates through the housing at all points.

Once out of the oil, work the cable back and forth many times.




If a strand is broken inside the housing, such that the hot oil soak does not fix it, and a replacement cable cannot be obtained, or is too expensive, you can remove the special ends from the old cable; match it up with an appropriate length of cable from the spool at the hardware-store, and re-crimp the ends onto the new cable; when the old cable is out of the housing, give it another good soaking and flush it out with spray penetrant.


If there is sufficient lengths of exposed cable at the housing ends, and splices will not interfere with anything, one can also clip off the ends, leaving enough of the old cable for crimping, and splice the old ends onto new cable.



Also, although I don't know of any, I am sure there are companies that can take your ends and remake a new cable for anything.

 

I had a broken throttle cable and Mopar had them obsoleted at the time, so I re-used the cable sheath and put new cable inside with new ends. Better than OEM in my opinion, more adjustment if needed...

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