[WyattsRide]

Needed to replace the short fan belt. I removed the Throttle linkage bracket from the fan bracket.

After putting everything back together I started the car and after giving it some gas the idle stayed high. It stayed around 1900. The Throttle linkage seems to be sticking and not going back into idle position. It will, if I give the linkage a little nudge. I took the linkage apart, cleaned everything, polished the shaft and put a little high temp grease on it. That helped some and let the linkage return back to idle position some. That let the idle return down to about 1100 after letting off the gas. Before this the idle was always around 750-800.

Before doing anything else, what thoughts does the brain trust have on this?

(throttle connector bar off the linkage ball)



Thanks

[Crumpler]

I’ve had several issues over the years.
Do you think the throttle plate is closing all the way?
Can you feel the click when you pull TB arm?
Your clamp on the coolant return is clocked right so it wouldn’t be binding there.
I had a massive amount of grime in the actuator springs on the side of the TB that was problematic.
I also had a mechanical tps issue that created some frustration.

[worf]

… picture …

Is the sticking linkage symptom all at the air guide?

Looks like the jam nut for the ball cup on the rod isn’t tight. This is, I assume, after the disassembly and cleaning. Are the ball cup ends in the same position and thus the rod is the right length?

Are you certain that your rod is as long now, after the cleaning (after the engine rebuild), as it was before?

(And, yes, I do see what I did there…)

[worf]

Oh, and disconnect the cruise cable so that it isn’t another variable.

[WyattsRide]

I’ve had several issues over the years.
Do you think the throttle plate is closing all the way?
Can you feel the click when you pull TB arm?
Your clamp on the coolant return is clocked right so it wouldn’t be binding there.
I had a massive amount of grime in the actuator springs on the side of the TB that was problematic.
I also had a mechanical tps issue that created some frustration.

I have no grime on the TB and the TPS is new. The engine is newly rebuilt and has been running great for over 2k miles until I did the fan belt replacement.
I'll get back to you on the throttle plate.

[WyattsRide]

Is the sticking linkage symptom all at the air guide?

Looks like the jam nut for the ball cup on the rod isn’t tight. This is, I assume, after the disassembly and cleaning. Are the ball cup ends in the same position and thus the rod is the right length?

Are you certain that your rod is as long now, after the cleaning (after the engine rebuild), as it was before?

Dave I'm not understanding your "all at the air guide"

The jam nut on the connecting rod never changed from before my rebuild or after this removal of the linkage bracket from the fan bracket. Here is a pic of the linkage before engine rebuild.



I didn't clean and reassemble the connecting rod. Only the linkage brackets that pivot around the post. (maybe I'm not explaining or describing things correctly)

Oh, and disconnect the cruise cable so that it isn’t another variable.

I'll try this

[linderpat]

Per this morning call, look into the valley and make sure the Rod from the throttle body is still straight. Also, the spring itself that returns the butterfly back to its parked, idle position is on the throttle body. I am wondering if somehow something got knocked in there and the spring is getting held up. A good flashlight and mirror should do the trick. The good thing is that this sounds 100% mechanical, which is fixable once the problem is identified.

[WyattsRide]

Did a little more investigating tonight.

No bent connecting rod and nothing near the throttle body to obstruct the throttle spring. It springs back very well when not connected to the linkage ball.
Disconnected the Cruise cable. This didn't affect anything. It still wouldn't return back to 750 idle after pressing the gas pedal.
Then disconnected the Throttle cable and the linkage could turn with the assist of the connecting rod, back to 750 idle.

To me, it seems that the Throttle cable is too tight. How do you adjust the cable? Or maybe the cable just needs lubricated? Thoughts on this?

[Bertrand Daoust]

I think your throttle cable can be adjusted at the firewall.
Look at post #4 from Dave here:
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-forum/9 ... speed.html

[WyattsRide]

Thanks Bertrand!

Also, another question on the connecting rod. Should both little nuts be together? Is one nut to hold the ball cup end in place and the other to hold the first nut in place? Thus, "Jam Nut"? I have pictures from way back and my connecting rod was always how I show it the recent pictures with the nuts not together.

Between Dave and I, this thread is really X Rated!

[Bertrand Daoust]

Yes, the lock nut should be tight on the other one to keep it in place.

[Mrmerlin]

On your rod you will see a nut that looks like its loose,
this is infact made this way so you can use it to adjust the rod,
and hold the rod whilst you tighten the other nut to the ball end.
so the 2 nut s should not be together,
one sits alone the other is set to lock the ball cup to the rod.
I would check the throttle cable where it passes through the firewall,
its possible the cable has frayed and is binding,
or the cable was kinked and now its getting ready to fray inside the firewall grommet.

[Bertrand Daoust]

Thanks Stan.
Sorry for the misinformation Rick.

[WyattsRide]

On your rod you will see a nut that looks like its loose,
this is infact made this way so you can use it to adjust the rod,
and hold the rod whilst you tighten the other nut to the ball end.
so the 2 nut s should not be together,
one sits alone the other is set to lock the ball cup to the rod.
I would check the throttle cable where it passes through the firewall,
its possible the cable has frayed and is binding,
or the cable was kinked and now its getting ready to fray inside the firewall grommet.

Like Stan said - As much as I tried, that nut closest to the engine side on the connecting rod DOES NOT MOVE. By trying to loosen that nut, I pulled the connecting rod off the throttle! So with the rod out of the engine and into a vise, that nut did not loosen. So of course Stan is correct and that nut is a counter hold nut for the nut closest to the ball cup.

But, now I had to re-attach the rod to the throttle ball! I was finally able to re-attach it by removing the air box and MAF. Looking down through the intakes with a light over top and aligning the ball cup end to the ball on the throttle. Then using a small crow bar through the back side of the engine, under the Driver's side intake where the MAF was. I was able to pop the connecting rod on to the throttle. Whew!

Looking into the throttle cable now.

[worf]

As much as I tried, that nut closest to the engine side on the connecting rod DOES NOT MOVE. By trying to loosen that nut, I pulled the connecting rod off the throttle! So with the rod out of the engine and into a vise, that nut did not loosen. So of course Stan is correct and that nut is a counter hold nut for the nut closest to the ball cup.

I’m sorry if steered you in the wrong direction. The point was to get you to think about, and report on anything you did to change the overall length of the rod or change the orientation of the ball cups.

Disconnect all the cables and rod from the linkage on the fan bracket. Then make sure the linkage rotates easily and that the mechanism on the throttle body operates properly with the rod connected at the air-guide end. Connect it to the linkage and determine if the combination does what it’s supposed to do.

Then operate the pedal cable, if fine, then connect it to the linkage.

Or, in other words, disconnect everything, make sure each bit works the way it should, connect each piece and test as you go until it starts sticking. At that point you know the last thing you connected is where to look for ‘the bug.’

[WyattsRide]

Thanks Stan.
Sorry for the misinformation Rick.

I’m sorry if steered you in the wrong direction. The point was to get you to think about, and report on anything you did to change the overall length of the rod or change the orientation of the ball cups.

Disconnect all the cables and rod from the linkage on the fan bracket. Then make sure the linkage rotates easily and that the mechanism on the throttle body operates properly with the rod connected at the air-guide end. Connect it to the linkage and determine if the combination does what it’s supposed to do.

Then operate the pedal cable, if fine, then connect it to the linkage.

Or, in other words, disconnect everything, make sure each bit works the way it should, connect each piece and test as you go until it starts sticking. At that point you know the last thing you connected is where to look for ‘the bug.’

No need to be sorry about anything guys. I appreciate all the help I get and consider everything stated. It's a learning experience for everyone that I hope, helps someone later. I know it helps me.

More updates after tonight's reassembly of everything I took off getting that connector rod back on.

[linderpat]

[WyattsRide]

Soooo, as I was putting everything back together last night, I was checking the Throttle Cable adjustment at the firewall. Then I followed the cables along the fender to the front of the engine. I noticed that the cables looped around and under the coil. Not over top. Well, that didn't seem right. I moved the cables out from under the coil and like Mr Merlin magic, everything worked like before! Does that make sense? That extra tension on the cables from being around the coil, would not let the linkage return back to idle all the way?

I guess when I took the linkage bracket off the fan bracket and laid the assembly onto the engine, the cables had slack enough to loop around the coil. When I reattached the linkage bracket I didn't realize the cables were positioned wrong.

I really shouldn't be working on this car. I'm a menace!

Thanks again for everyone's help!!

[WyattsRide]

Ed knew this was coming!