Help With adjusting V8 accelerator cable
Discussion
The other day while driving my 1999 Esprit the gas pedal suddenly went straight to floor as if the throttle cable had broken.
I was relieved to find that the accelerator cable had simply come "unhooked" from the gas pedal. It was a quick fix on the side of the road, but now I have about a 1/2" of free play in the pedal before it begins pulling on the cable. I never noticed this much free play in the pedal before. In fact it no longer provides full throttle acceleration as before!
Anyone know what might have caused the sudden change? Where do I make the adjustment to the cable to correct the free play?
Thanks,
Jeff
I was relieved to find that the accelerator cable had simply come "unhooked" from the gas pedal. It was a quick fix on the side of the road, but now I have about a 1/2" of free play in the pedal before it begins pulling on the cable. I never noticed this much free play in the pedal before. In fact it no longer provides full throttle acceleration as before!
Anyone know what might have caused the sudden change? Where do I make the adjustment to the cable to correct the free play?
Thanks,
Jeff
I'd have thought that the sudden change may be an indication that you've either not reassembled it correctly or are missing something perhaps?
That aside the cable can be adjusted where it connects to the throttle. There's a little spring clip that you pull out and then you can slide the cable housing out to take up slack. In an ideal world you wanna do this with software hooked up to the car to ensure that the throttle opening is 100% when pushed all the way.
That aside the cable can be adjusted where it connects to the throttle. There's a little spring clip that you pull out and then you can slide the cable housing out to take up slack. In an ideal world you wanna do this with software hooked up to the car to ensure that the throttle opening is 100% when pushed all the way.
Exactly the same thing has just happened to me after an engine removal and re-fit. One possibility is that the cable has various points in its length where part of the device can hitch another part which is close by. This is impossible to explain without a diagram but is like when an object with shoulders catches on the item it is being inserted into...have a look at a bike with quick release brakes and you will get the idea !
The cable should not be too tight but should not have too much slack. Here's what to do.
1. Take up the majority of the slack by attempting the procedure in the above reply by removing the clip on the cable just below the fuel distribution device at the back of the engine below the MAP sensor and pulling the sleeve to the correct length.
2. Have an assistant slowly work the pedal whilst you view to the throttle linkage at the engine. There is a small flat stop plate on the throttle armature which stops the throttle from going further. I adjusted mine so that this stop plate stopped a tiny distance from its target. This should stop any cable stretching when using pedal to the floor.
3. This fine adjustment is done using a mechanism which is buried under the carpet on the side of the centre tunnel where the cable travels back towards the engine. In a RHD car, this is just aft of the left foot rest. Undo the lock nut and adjust the cable length by turning the back half of the mechanism. One full tun made a difference of at least 1mm.
4. Plug in an engine ECM dignostic tool and check 0% throttle opening when not pressing pedal and 100% on full throttle.
5. Never work the throttle at the engine end without taking up the slack !
The cable should not be too tight but should not have too much slack. Here's what to do.
1. Take up the majority of the slack by attempting the procedure in the above reply by removing the clip on the cable just below the fuel distribution device at the back of the engine below the MAP sensor and pulling the sleeve to the correct length.
2. Have an assistant slowly work the pedal whilst you view to the throttle linkage at the engine. There is a small flat stop plate on the throttle armature which stops the throttle from going further. I adjusted mine so that this stop plate stopped a tiny distance from its target. This should stop any cable stretching when using pedal to the floor.
3. This fine adjustment is done using a mechanism which is buried under the carpet on the side of the centre tunnel where the cable travels back towards the engine. In a RHD car, this is just aft of the left foot rest. Undo the lock nut and adjust the cable length by turning the back half of the mechanism. One full tun made a difference of at least 1mm.
4. Plug in an engine ECM dignostic tool and check 0% throttle opening when not pressing pedal and 100% on full throttle.
5. Never work the throttle at the engine end without taking up the slack !
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