# Throttle or other?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/throttle-or-other/42554>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** excursion, ford\
**Created:** [January 14, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/throttle-or-other/42554 "2010-01-14T19:23:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lutdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@lutdan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lutdan)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/throttle-or-other/42554/1 "2010-01-14T19:23:09Z")

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While sitting at a traffic light my vehicle (a diesle engine) will automatically rev up… This will occaisionally happen when I am driving on a freeway as well (which will cause the car to speed up). What could be the cause?

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**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/throttle-or-other/42554/2 "2010-01-15T01:54:17Z")

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You MAY have a loose or broken TPS.(Throttle Position Sensor)

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**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/throttle-or-other/42554/3 "2010-01-15T02:24:12Z")

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That seems unlikely since diesels don’t have throttles.

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**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/throttle-or-other/42554/4 "2010-01-15T05:42:38Z")

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Something could be blocking the intake, but I doubt it. I noticed that when we blocked the intake (with our hands) of a Cummins 972 V-8 diesel engine that we had in school, the engine would rev up like crazy. After checking the air filter, the next stop may have to be at the shop. We didn’t learn anything about diesels, we just started it once a year.