[V8] throttle cable assembly (spin-off of Oh my achin'... well, everything)

[Dave Head]

The 'legs' on the square mounting inside the car are all plastic on the 
ones (3) I've removed/replaced. The 'box' on the engine side is the 
kickdown switch. If the wire/clip assembly on the engine side gets 
damaged, it will work for quite awhile 'askew', then eventually fail. 
Under 50 bucks for a new cable, as I recall.

The control wire runs inside and is tough to find the connector for. 
I've done a lot of writeup on the accelerator cable removal/replacement 
years back.

Ed Kellock wrote:

>The "square mounting" is inside the car.  It is a small black piece of
>thin folded steel.  In the V8 Service Manual, it is item# 20 on page
>20-140-1.  Of course it is nearly indistinguishable.in the picture,
>but it seems to be the only bit that securely fixes the throttle cable
>to the firewall.  I think it can fatigue and the "legs" of it just go
>askew.  This allows the part of the throttle cable assembly and union
>at the firewall to go askew.
>
>On the engine side of the firewall, there is a small box to which the
>throttle cable attaches.  There is a hook and a wire clip to secure
>the cable to this box, but only on one side, the outboard/driver's
>side of the assembly.  When this whole assembly/union goes askew
>because of the failure of the "square mounting" inside the firewall,
>this union outside the firewall does not appear to be correct; the end
>of the throttle cable sits cockeyed or half-off of the box at the
>engine side of the firewall.
>
>Again, the presence of the distributor seems to serve to keep the
>cable positioned so that this union is oriented properly as the cable
>turns and presses against the dist cap in about just the right spot. 
>Without the dist installed I used a hose clamp on the cable and some
>stout yellow construction string to tie the cable into position such
>that it no longer sits half off and the assembly/union at the firewall
>appears to no longer sit askew.
>
>I'm going to leave the yellow stinrg (how elegant) until I know more
>about what's going on here.
>
>Ed
>
>On Sun, 5 Sep 2004 11:14:21 -0400, Intemann, Paul (GEAE)
><paul.intemann at ae.ge.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>Hi Ed,
>>
>>quick question for you.  You mentioned the following below:
>>
>>"During disassembly, I was a bit indelicate with the throttle cable and
>>hear a crack or snap.  I noticed that it was cockeyed at the firewall.
>>It has a retaining clip on one side only and was sitting half off due
>>to the spring in the cable connection.
>>
>>I finally made it under the dash to mess with the "square mounting"
>>which had spread it's legs and was not holding the cable steadfastly
>>place.  It seems like a cheap spring steel thing that probably cost 3
>>cents and once it flexed, it seemed to have no inclination to do its
>>job any longer."
>>
>>Is the "square mounting" referred to in the second paragraph the one that is
>>referred to as being cockeyed in paragraph 1??  I have noticed that same
>>cockeyed "box" on my '90 V8 and have always wondered if that is the way it
>>is supposed to be or if it is indeed missing a retaining feature on the side
>>opposite the one with the retaining clip.  Neither ETKA nor the manual has
>>helped me much in this regard and the way the throttle cable currently exits
>>the "box" configuration seems to line-up the throttle cable perfectly for
>>the "long gentle" bend necessary for it to interface "smoothly" with the
>>actual throttle linkage located under the airbox.  Thus I have always
>>wondered if that "sitting half off" configuration is really the way it is
>>meant to be or not?   Sounds like it isn't ...  Any info would be
>>appreciated since I am in the process of installing new steering rack and
>>would like to "fix" this if it is indeed something that needs attention.
>>
>>Regards,
>>Paul
>>
>>P.S.  Sounds like you have been busy lately ....
>>
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Ed Kellock [mailto:ekellock at gmail.com]
>>Sent: Sunday, September 05, 2004 1:47 AM
>>To: v8 at audifans.com
>>Subject: [V8] Oh my achin'... well, everything
>>
>>Pulled a full shift on the '90 V8q today.  Pulled the engine rpm and
>>crank pos sensors last Saturdy.  The sensors I ordered from a supplier
>>in Florida are indefinitely delayed for some strange reason.  Best
>>wishes to all affected by Frances.
>>
>>Thanks again to Scott Matus for having a stock of common V8 spares.
>>Sensors arrived shortly after noon today.  I had already started
>>putzing around and continued to do so, cleaning stuff, etc.  Got the
>>sensors in okay.  I wasn't the one who removed them so I had to check
>>ETKA and Audi V8 Service Training manual very carefully.  As a result
>>I got them hooked up to the right connectors.
>>
>>The rest of the day was eaten up doing some more cleaning and putting
>>a new hose clamp on a hydraulic line.  Oh and effing around with the
>>throttle cable...
>>
>>During disassembly, I was a bit indelicate with the throttle cable and
>>hear a crack or snap.  I noticed that it was cockeyed at the firewall.
>>It has a retaining clip on one side only and was sitting half off due
>>to the spring in the cable connection.
>>
>>I finally made it under the dash to mess with the "square mounting"
>>which had spread it's legs and was not holding the cable steadfastly
>>place.  It seems like a cheap spring steel thing that probably cost 3
>>cents and once it flexed, it seemed to have no inclination to do its
>>job any longer.  I did some inventive rigging in the engine
>>compartment to keep the cable in a certain position.  I'm going to
>>have to watch it and see what all happens.  Once I had the distributor
>>back in it seems that the "interface" with between the cable and
>>distributor also holds it in place.
>>
>>In the process the cable task, I readjusted the throttle linkage.
>>
>>The distributor cap and rotor on the drivers side are original.  I
>>have never seen so much crap on the inside of a dist cap.  I'm
>>surprised it ran at all.  I cleaned up the contacts but will replace
>>caps/rotors soon, along with fuel/air filters and probably plugs.
>>
>>I started around noon and clocked out at 10pm.  There was a lunch
>>break and some desk time to research sensor connections, but I spent
>>the majority of the time laying on my stomach on top of the intake
>>manifold.  I put a large flat 2x2 pillow down and it's quite
>>comfortable for the first couple hours.  Tomorrow my ribs will be
>>sore.  BTDT.
>>
>>All in all a successful day.  Final reassebly will take place tomorrow
>>morning.  Then I can clear the driveway for the urq to begin preps for
>>a trip to Park City fo the West Coast UPG.
>>
>>Good night all,
>>Ed
>>Colorado Springs.
>>    
>>
>_______________________________________________
>Audifans V8 mailing list
>Send posts to: mailto:V8 at audifans.com
>Manage your list connection: http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/v8
>Have an Audi V8 question?  Check the Audifans Knowledgebase!
>http://www.audi-quattro.org/cgi-bin/twiki/view/Audi/V8
>Have a V8 answer? ... Please help others by adding to the KB ... all contributions welcome!
>
>  
>