Throttle Cable

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

> From: Frank Martin <fmartin@mr.oa.ithaca.edu>
> 
> I'd had in mind a Q-list post from some months ago regarding too much slack in 
> a throttle cable. Recently, I was fiddling under the hood of my '89 100Q and 
> checked the adjustment of this cable (car has about 114K miles on it) - there 
> did seem to be a lot of give to it. So, I pulled up the positioning clip, 
> backed up the cable about  1/4-3/8", and popped the clip in.  I've always 
> thought that the car (and the only other Audi I've driven) had a longish 
> peddle travel. Anyway, I've been amazed ever since that this little adjustment 
> has made so much difference in day-to-day driveability. Just the plain old 
> "feel."  There's no more horsepower, but you're into the "meat" of the 
> throttle a tad quicker.  (My guess is that someone who didn't know what I'd 
> done under the hood would swear the car had gained 5 or 6 horsepower. Gosh, is 
> there money to be made there?)
> 
> A (very) small thing, but maybe worth checking this same thing on your (older) 
> cars. Note: I didn't and wouldn't advise taking *all* the slack out. (Is there 
> some spec. to this in manuals?)

Frank - my mechanic tells me that the throttle cable goes first to 
my automatic transmission, THEN to the throttle connection.  
Adjustments in slush-box cars can alter the shift points.  I've never 
traced the cable, so I can't confirm - but I wanted to point this 
out, as it may be a difference between the manual and auto trans. 
cars!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Al Powell                        Voice:  409/845-2807
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.          Fax:    409/862-1202
College Station, TX 77843      
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