Slack on "gas pedal cable"... normal?
03-24-2012 | 08:57 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 396
Likes: 1
From: Los Angeles, CA
Slack on "gas pedal cable"... normal?
Hey,
When looking at my engine, I noticed my "gas pedal cable" has some serious slack on it. It's not straight. I has a kink in the middle.
Just wondering if that's normal? Shouldn't that cable be straight, so the response to pushing the gas pedal is immediate?
Marlon
When looking at my engine, I noticed my "gas pedal cable" has some serious slack on it. It's not straight. I has a kink in the middle.
Just wondering if that's normal? Shouldn't that cable be straight, so the response to pushing the gas pedal is immediate?
Marlon
Last edited by Marlon Targa 86; 04-21-2012 at 09:14 PM.
03-24-2012 | 09:05 PM
#2
Addict
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 37,770
Likes: 12
From: Alta Loma Alone
That is your cruise control cable, not your throttle cable. You don't actually have a throttle cable there, you have a throttle linkage below there. Loose is good when it comes to the cruise control. The last thing you want is your idle speed being set with your cruise control cable. 
03-25-2012 | 12:22 AM
#4
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 1
From: Brockville, ON
As a caution, be careful if you grab this linkage to rev your engine up. If you pull back too far, the cable housing can slip down and fetch up on the bracket, holding your throttle open farther that you intended.
What was intended as a quick blip, can quickly turn into an over-rev!
I scared the crap out of myself one day doing this.
What was intended as a quick blip, can quickly turn into an over-rev!
I scared the crap out of myself one day doing this.
03-25-2012 | 01:41 AM
#5
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,676
Likes: 79
From: Santa Barbara, CA
Yeah, as a general rule only rev the engine by the solid rod linkage, never by the cruise control cable. That kink in your cruise control cable may cause the cruise control to not function properly.
As air-cooled 911s through '89 have an all rod throttle linkage (no cables to speak of) we often see 911s with something in the throttle linkage either worn out or misadjusted or both. The bushings on the transmission and/or engine bell crank are common wear items. The clutch, heater and handbrake cables all share the same tunnel, and any of those can easily wrap around the throttle linkage with improper routing/installation. Sloppy throttle linkage often means that full throttle is not possible from the pedal even when it is floored. We often see 911s that can achieve only 50-75% of possible throttle plate angle. Correcting the throttle linkage can make a huge difference in these cars!
Please note that it can be dangerous to tinker with your throttle linkage unless you know what your are doing. Defer to somebody qualified if you need to. It can also be possible to make the throttle linkage TOO tight and sensitive, it is designed to have a certain amount of play.
As air-cooled 911s through '89 have an all rod throttle linkage (no cables to speak of) we often see 911s with something in the throttle linkage either worn out or misadjusted or both. The bushings on the transmission and/or engine bell crank are common wear items. The clutch, heater and handbrake cables all share the same tunnel, and any of those can easily wrap around the throttle linkage with improper routing/installation. Sloppy throttle linkage often means that full throttle is not possible from the pedal even when it is floored. We often see 911s that can achieve only 50-75% of possible throttle plate angle. Correcting the throttle linkage can make a huge difference in these cars!
Please note that it can be dangerous to tinker with your throttle linkage unless you know what your are doing. Defer to somebody qualified if you need to. It can also be possible to make the throttle linkage TOO tight and sensitive, it is designed to have a certain amount of play.
