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Throttle Cable Change - How To

56K views 65 replies 28 participants last post by  MrKitty 
#1 ·
After putting up with a sticky throttle for the last year I thought I would try fitting a new cable.

The cable was around the £40 mark and was part no. SBB000280



The symptom was no control over the throttle in the first 1/2" of pedal movement. You would lightly press the throttle, nothing, so you would increase pressure until all of a sudden the throttle would operate. This would give it an on/off kind of feel and make it a pig in traffic.

The only tools I needed for this was a 10mm socket to remove the accelerator pedal, a pair of snips to remove any cable ties and a small screwdriver to help refit the bulkhead grommet.

The job takes about an hour and doesn't need the inspection panel removed.

First you need to open the boot and remove the engine cover/grill to gain access to the throttle body. You also need to raise the rear of the roof and remove the carpet and sound proofing if you have it.

Start by removing the adjustable clip that holds the cable outer at the throttle body. This just simply pulls towards you with a bit of force. This allows enough movement to remove the cable end from the throttle body.



Now push the throttle quadrant open with your left hand and hold it there



and manipulate the cable out of its groove



So that the nipple can be slid out and the cable end pulled free



Remove the cable from the clip that holds it to the engine bracket, close to the expansion tank



and pull the cable free of any obstructions.



It is now ready to pull through the bulkhead

Pull the bulkhead grommet from its hole, I had to cut the grommet as I have used it to feed other cables through that point, but you will only need to pull it out.



Wind the square plastic adjuster clip so that it falls loose onto the cable. This will make it easier to manipulate through the bulkhead holes.



Now pull the cable through the bulkhead hole, manipulating the adjuster as needed.



You now need to push the drivers seat forward, remove the carpet from down the edge of the door, and unclip the cable from the 4 white bulkhead clips. One of which is right at the top



There may also be a cable tie at the top, next to the seatbelt coil, that needs to be undone or cut.

The next 2 clips are down the side of the door slam panel



and the final one is next to the tunnel that runs along the side of the seat.

 
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#41 ·
No its idlein at 1000 rpm only when u press pedal it sticks at higher revs when i looked at throttle body its not fully closed
Does it return easily when you do it by hand with engine off?.

Maybe try resetting the Throttle Position Sensor

1) Start the engine and warm up to a normal working temperature.
2) Turn off the ignition.
3) Turn on ignition to position II
4) Press the accelerator all the way down and fully release five times repeatedly.
5) Wait for at least 15 seconds and then turn off the ignition.
6) Start the engine again without pressing the accelerator
 
#45 · (Edited)
Hey all, just replaced my cable, thanks CJ for a comprehensive HOWTO but my pedal is now very heavy. I have removed cable from pedal and throttle body and it's free as a free thing but when i clip everything back in place it's heavy again. I am thinking of un clipping throttle cable along it's length and see if it's free'er but i am sure it's all the curves and bends compounding the sticking, is this a common problem ? UPDATE with the help of her indoors it seems the cable is now free and easy it's just a very stong spring on the throttle body which i guess i can't do anything about apart from upgrade the body !!!
 
#50 ·
I've just ordered a cable on the strength of this 'how to' and went to fit it today. The cable looked in very good condition so I gave the exposed ends a good clean (dust and cobwebs!) then trickled a bit of silicon gun oil down the cable at the engine end. I surmised that if the cable gums up it is likely to be at the hot end. End of sticky throttle. I'm sure there are many silicon oils out there. The one I used was Bisley Silicon Gun Oil. It is designed to lubricate plastic washers in the piston of an air gun. Alledgedly it doesn't gum up. We'll see what it is like after its been cooked!
 
#51 ·
Pure (no mineral oil) silicon lubricant is good for a ptfe/metal interface that is not in constant motion. I used a light silicon gun oil (from any gunsmith, about £4) with magic and long lasting effect. Disengage the cable at the rear, wipe off any clag that has attached it self, then dribble a bit of silicon oil down the cable whilst holding vertical with a fiend very slowly pumping the foot pedal to help it down. Any body want to buy a new cable? Never came out of it's sealed packaging as I found I didn't need it afterall.
 
#53 ·
Thanks mate

Good on you Clive and fellas.
This thread just gave me the drive to replace my gritty throttle cable.
I just came back from the test drive and the pedal action is so much nicer and precise now.
On inspection, there were numerous crinks in my cable.? From instalation?
Now im sitting outside in the sun with a Crabbies Ginger beer and my little orphan Wallaroo "Paddy"running around. Its a good day
Ken
 
#54 ·
And for LHD cars?

I know it's an old topic, but I was wondering.

I recently became the proud owner of a MG TF 115 (2002).
The car is suffering both heavy clutch and throttle action.
So I will apply liberal amounts of WD40 on the clutch arm in the hope to free it a bit.
As for the throttle, I will put in a new cable. But I was wondering, I can get cables from the UK. However your cars are RHD and so It stand to reason that you will have shorter cables? Is this a fact or is the cable the same for either LHD or RHD. If not I will have to try and source one over here in the Netehrlands.

Martijn
 
#59 ·
Hi Clive,

Just done the throttle cable change on my LHD car. Thanks for your great write up.
Some caution for you other LHD car owners, the one screw which is fixing the throttle pedal housing to the other pedal housing is a real bit** to get to. Since the same mechanical construction is used as on the RHD cars, this screw head is very close to the heater fan and extremely hard to get to. Not the nicest of jobs while you are laying on your back in a contracted area. I will make a change to the throttle housing in order to get it easy back and easy out again in the future. I'll get an M6 nut and get that welded on the throttle housing, so that I can get (a slightly smaller than the current M8) screw a lot easier mounted.
Time for a well deserved beer now.
 
#60 ·
Did a cable change this morning, and man what a difference.
Transformed the car.

And as mgeraldf wrote, the top nut is a bi#%ch to get at.
With the pedal right next to the blower housing it's all very tight.
But when you pull the ventilation elbow out of the blower you have enough room to get to it with a small socket wrench.
 
#62 ·
Just changed my cable using your how to guide!! Makes all the difference when you know where to start! MANY THANKS!!!!

The only problem I now have is that you can feel the 'roughness' of the cable when using the accelerator? I'm not sure if this is because it's a new cable or if there is something else causing it? I cant test drive the car yet because it has no MOT or tax etc, but will see what its like on the road :)
 
#64 ·
My apologies for reviving an old thread, however I just wanted to express my thanks as I've changed my throttle cable this evening without any issues thanks to this invaluable help. I must say I really did feel what you meant with regards to you being not as flexible as others. I am definitely a few pounds overweight and it sure is tough squeezing your big ol' beer belly in there to reach that top bolt lol. Car certainly feels so much better, many thanks.
 
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