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Recently while changing my spark plug wires (oof btw), I noticed that my throttle cable was badly cracked where it sits on the spring loaded constant radius arm. Someone had reinstalled it incorrectly in the past and the years of overextension and friction on it had broken about 2/3 of the individual strands that make up the cable. Moving it out of the way to work on the ignition last week only escalated the issue so I put this pretty high on my list of projects for replacement. Google found me BillM’s accelerator cable thread which was what I started with for this task. I am the type of person who likes to see a visual of what I am about to do, so I took photos as I did the install to help the next guy.
Ouch...
Things you will need:
12mm open end wrench x2
Flash light(s)
Needle nose pliers
Big *** flathead or similar object for brute force
Pick (optional but useful to engage the plastic tabs on various clips)
Throttle Cable - Part no. FD01-41-660B (I picked mine up from Atkins Rotary)
Removal:
Step 1: In the engine bay, remove the throttle cable from the arm on the throttle body by holding it in the open position and releasing the cable from its mounting slot.
Step 2: Remove the two plastic clips from their black mounting brackets. One sits one of the studs on the throttle body, and other is elevated on the passenger side of the intake manifold.
Step 3: Inside the car, squeeze yourself into the wheel well and look at the top of the accelerator pedal. There is a yellow plastic tab that snaps in and holds the cable in place. Release the tab and slide it upward through the groove to release it.
Step 4: This is the hardest part for some but it wasn’t bad in my case. You need to release the black plastic clip that holds the cable in place on the firewall. If you need extra space you can remove the accelerator pedal, it is only held on by two 10mm nuts. I found this unnecessary but its an option. You will not be reusing the black plastic clip or any other part of the old cable so don’t worry about trashing it. I rocked it loose with the needle nose pliers, then brute forced it with my screwdriver – pushing it through the firewall into the engine bay. Go back under the hood and pull the end of the cable that was inside the cabin through the firewall.
Step 5: Loosen the two 12mm nuts holding the cable in place in front of the intake manifold and remove the cable entire cable from the engine bay.
Congrats! Its out of the car
Assembly:
1. Run the yellow end of new cable through the rectangular hole in the firewall and snap it in place. The clip only fits one way.
2. In the car, slide the cable back into the pedal and snap the yellow plastic connector into it’s slot.
3. In the engine bay, snap all of the clips back in place and place the new cable into its slot on the constant radius arm on the throttle body. Loosely tighten the two 12mm nuts around their mounting point leaving a bit of play in the cable.
Final Step - setting idle speed:
Lastly and most important, start the car. Don't worry if your idle is off – mine was high (around 1200 RPM.) Once the engine has warmed up to normal operating temp, the idle RPM should be set with the air bleed screw at the bottom of the driver's side end of the throttle body. I set mine to 700-800 RPM.
Anyways, crack a beer if you have one because you are all done
This is my first DIY so I'm open to constructive criticism, but hopefully this is helpful to someone __________________ 1993 RX-7 VR Touring | 2017 Volkswagen GTI Instagram: @redsunrx7
Last edited by R3tr0grade; Jul 20, 2021 at 02:50 PM.
Reason: Modified instructions for setting idle speed, picture forthcoming.
Final Step:
Lastly and most important, start the car. Don't worry if your idle is off – mine was high (around 1200 RPM.) Once the engine has warmed up to normal operating temp, go back to those 12mm nuts in front of the intake manifold and start adjusting the mm nut on the passenger side. Backing the nut off will lower your idle, while tightening it will raise the idle. I backed it off until I got to around 700-800 RPM then tightened the two nuts onto each other. Normal idle is stated as 720RPM but how am I supposed to locate increments of 20 on the stock tachometer...
Nice documentation. But I have a comment:
The idle should be set separately from the two 12-mm nuts. There always should be a little slack in the throttle cable to keep it from holding the throttle open due to thermal expansion, or letting the idle drop due to cable attachment or bracket wear, etc. Also, the idle RPM should be set with the air bleed screw at the bottom of the driver's side end of the throttle body. The correct closed primary throttle plate position is set by an adjustment screw on the front of the throttle body that keeps the throttle plates from closing too far and binding.
Very nice! Yeah it's a piece of cake to change EXCEPT for that damn black plastic clip at the firewall. It's hard to see, hard to get to, and a pain to remove.
I don't know if it's even possible to remove the throttle cable and re-use it, you end up mangling that black plastic clip on removal.
DaveW is correct, the throttle cable should never be used to set idle speed. When warm it should have a little bit of free play.
