Hi bob,
yeah i looked at the date of this post after i made it and figured you may have fixed it since there was so much time past. :o)

Yes that does make sense though once i thought about it more. If your engine wasnt grounded to the frame properly the electrical system was seeking a ground through the shortest path of least resistance and of course the throttle cable was the most likley area since it does connect to the frame through it's mounting at the accelerator pedal area.

As for the belt thing, thats an unsusal one for me. I have never ran across one that i couldnt slide that shaft back on. Could it be possible someone has gone in and altered that setup at some point? Welded the shaft because it might of been worn and rattling? I guess at this point in the game it's a moot point as you've obviously already gotten this job done. :o)

Laterz,