Accelerator Rod Bushing: How Do I Get To Them
 

While inspecting the throttle linkage on my 83 I noticed that the passenger-side bushing on the accelerator console atop the engine is toast. Looks like a PITA to get at. Anyone have any tips for replacing these bushings? What I need to remove to get in there?

I believe this is the part: Pelican Parts - Product Information: 901-423-253-00-M260

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1273065779.jpg

If you still have a fresh air fan atop the motor, I'd guess that has to come out. Might make sense to do a partial engine drop. Be sure to disconnect the shift coupler under the access plate on the tunnel first. Disconnect the engine electrical plug, blah blah, and the front of the engine (rear of the car) can be lowered a few inches.

Good point about removing the fan blower to make room.

If you have good manual dexterity, you may try to do it without a partial drop.

Pop off the linkage levers from the bellcrank with a long screwdriver and disconnect the long spring going to the #2 intake runner. Remove the nut and washer on the shaft. Slide out the shaft. Install 2 new bushings and reverse the process.

Thanks for the tips. I was wondering if it’s feasible to cut the bushing lengthwise, wrap it around the shaft, cement the bushing (at the cut), and slide it into place on the shaft---all of this without disassembling the mechanism. What do you think?

Bushings
 

Here's what your looking at. I have carbs so it is a lot easier than with CIS but I think it would be easier to unbolt the whole thing and then rebush the shaft. It is easy to get the shaft out of the bracket so cutting the bushings would not be necessary.

Lindyhttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1273090237.jpg

I'm not all that keen to move the motor. I hadn't considered unbolting the console. That may be helpful. Thanks again.

I did mine with a partial engine drop while replacing the oil thermostat o-ring and the pressure switch.

Best to bundle a bunch of things togeather like a new idiot light sender, breather gaskets, oil thermostat O ring, bushings, cleaning, rubber hose replacement, wire re wrap, ect. you only want to do this once.

Cutting the bushings etc. is a pipe dream. :D

Consider what James is saying and maybe do a few things together.

OK, I hear you. But what is the benefit of the partial engine drop in this case? I assume increasing my reach to the throttle console by a few inches is not a benefit. Is it that the access angle changes when the motor is lowered?

If you can reach around the CIS stuff and get to the console nuts, don't drop the motor. There's a lot of work involved that is a waste if you can get to the nuts without the drop. I think you can but I'm not sure. This re-bush is fairly straight forward and simple. Dig in and see what happens.

Lindy

And if you can rase the car a few feet it will save your back and knees! You can take the intake runners off on the left side to gain more access.

The partial engine drop saves you the full engine drop!

But seriously- yes, the partial drop lowers the front of the engine - which gives you much easier access to the top, back of the engine to reach this area.

NO Need for a partial engine dropSmileWavy...I did this recently on my SC with motor out...THEN did a friend's car with the motor installed a few weeks later.

1) You will need to remove the heater blower and ducting.
2) You will need a long reach magnet tool, a longish 3/8" swivel extension (U-joint) and a 13mm socket.

The throttle return springs need to be disconnected as already stated. Next pop off the throttle linkage at the console. The console itself can now be unbolted.
It is held down by the 13mm nuts and spring type lock washers...this is where the magnet tool comes in VERY handy. ;) One of the nuts also holds down a support bracket for the back side of the air box.

After the nuts are off it is just a matter of lifting the throttle console out and then disassembling on the bench for new bushings.

Both my car and my friend's had plastic bits of leftover bushings...I used new brass type bushings rather than the Porsche plastic ones.

What an amazing difference to have a functional smooth throttle.

Just FYI the aluminum throttle console is NLA. Mine was slightly wallowed out from the shaft rubbing on it over the years. The new bushings still mated fine though.

Don't forget to add a small amount of grease to the throttle linkages before poping them back onto the bell crank.

Be patient with this job. It's just time consuming with the limited access.

Cooper

Amen. :D

Thanks for the feedback. I had another look last night, and it appears that I should be able to get in there once the blower is out of there. The parts should arrive Monday, so I'll have a go early next week.

Great thread. I've been trying to diagnose the sticky throttle response and discovered my engine bell crank bushing on the passenger side is gone. I've ordered the brass bushings from our host and will start the job when they arrive. I've not removed the linkage arms from the bell crank before. How best is this done? Do they literally pop off with a twist of a screw driver?

Yes, and use a small dab of grease when you pop them back on.

There are other linkages underneath that can use some lube and the bell crank on the transmission needs a few drops of oil.

While putting everything back together, I can't seem to get the throttle return spring (the one that hooks onto the intake) installed. I've hooked one end of the spring to the throttle linkage on the console and am using a wire with a hooked end to pull the other end toward the rear of the car, where I grab it with a pair of needlenose pliars and try to hook it to the eyelet on the intake. No dice.

The only other hitch I ran into was the linkage on the console, the one that goes through the firewall and underneath the car. I could not pop it off for the life of me. I tried all kinds of angles, but I didn't want to lever it too hard for fear something might bend (rather, that the stuff that was bending wouldn't bend back). I ended up unhooking the linkage from underneath the car and pulling it up through the firewall. I noticed the socket that attached the linkage to the plate on the console had some kind of built in wire that appeared to permanently attach it to the ball.

Otherwise, the job has been pretty easy, once I figured out the best angle of approach for each bolt. If I ever figure out this spring issue without removing the CIS, the rest should go fast.

Based on your thread and experience I am in the middle of the same job, replacing the engine bell crank bushings. I was able to pop off the linkage arms without a problem and did not need to remove the consol. The bell crank came out fairly easily and I am awaiting the parts from our host. I did notice however I was missing the long return spring. I was contemplating how to attach it when it arrives and thought perhaps hooking up to the intake eyelet first, then stretching the spring with a pair of needle nose vice grips to attach to the bell crank. It will be a tight job, and we'll see if the plan works. Also, the above diagram shows the long straight end of the spring attached to the bell crank. I wonder if this is correct? Guess I should know in a day or so once the parts arrive.

The wire inside the female part of the linkage is the spring that prevents the knuckle to pop off by itself.
To make removal easier, put a drop of oil on the connection first, twist the linkage a little, then use a screwdriver to pry it off the small ball.

And yes, the long spring connects on the underside of the #2 intake runner.

An important point:

Many untouched SC and Carreras still have the locking ‘safety pin’ on the ball sockets here. This is a little wire pin that goes in the throttle ball sockets here and the socket won’t come off the ball until the pin is removed.

The pin goes through two very small holes in the ball socket (alongside the ball) and has a ‘clip’ that goes around the ball socket. You must rotate the clip off the ball socket before you can pull out the pin.

Don’t bother to reinstall this troublesome pin.

Best,
Grady

Ah so.............

Never had one on mine.

Learned something new.

Thanks Grady. :)

Troublesome is an understatement. Unable to see the safety wire on the linkage socket, I pried on that thing for half an hour. It’s possible that for some people, removing that little wire will be impossible while the assembly is in the car. Disconnecting the linkage down by the transmission and pulling the rod up through the firewall was a piece of cake.

Update: I solved the spring installation puzzle this morning, explained below. If my memory doesn’t fail me, I should have everything buttoned up this evening after work. Overall, I ended up spending quite a bit of time trialing and erroring to determine how to get things off. It would have gone much quicker had I known what I was doing. The magnet was a great call, Cooper. Also, I recommend gloves.

Fredmo, that was my original approach to refasten the throttle return spring. It’s an angled path, so you’ll probably need an angled tool. I had two issues with needle nose pliers: they were 4 inches too short, and my hand tired of keeping the pressure on to grip the spring. The right tool for this job is a 12” curved or angled hemostat or similar clamping device. I ended up grabbing a 12” piece of light gauge wire and bending a hook at the end. Here’s how it went:

1. I pulled the plug to the left of the intake. (I’d tell you what it’s for if I knew. Directly behind the plug is a hose. I don’t know what that’s for either, and I didn’t need to remove it.) The area cleared by the pulled plug gave me side-access to the eyelet at the bottom of the intake---access I’d need in step 5.

2. I used the needle nose pliers to connect the spring to the throttle linkage. Then I let it rest there while I retrieved the pliers and set them carefully on the bench instead of throwing them as hard as I could into the drywall and screaming like a madman.

3. Next, I threaded the bent wire underneath the intakes, hooked it onto the hook at the end of the spring, and pulled it back, stretching the spring.

4. At this point, I had to bend the wire 30 degrees or so, still hanging on to it and maintaining the spring tension.

5. While holding the wire with my right hand, I reached my left hand in from the left side between the intakes and used my finger to help the hook at the end of the spring find the eyelet while I wondered to myself if I’d ever be able to stand straight again.

6. Finally, I very carefully withdrew the wire I used to pull the spring through so as not to punch it out of the eyelet.

Good luck, and as others have emphasized, patience is your friend.

I've heard they do heart surgeries through an incision in the upper left leg. I wonder if that's harder than Baby's throttle plate bushing project.

Beware of surgeons who, to quote Lindy, "Dig in and see what happens."

Just to wrap up, when I started the car it idled high. I lengthened the rod at the intake and it's good to go. My initial reaction is positive. Much better feel, particularly going from closed to open throttle. Feels like my foot is standing right on the throttle plate. Many thanks once again to all who shared their knowledge and experience.

Hey Guys,

My gas pedal is sticking above 4K rpm. So I need to do this job too.

I found this bronze bushing kit from canyon, here on Pelican (p/n: 10-1792-423-M105). Is this what you ordered? Do you recommend anything else?

Pelican Parts - Product Information: 10-1792-423-M105

Thanks for you help. By the way Baby, in the end, did you wish you had dropped the engine a bit?

78 SC Tips
 

This thread was helpful when doing the job on my 78 SC. Cooper's advice on removing the console is on the money; I would add that the little airbox support bracket (that attaches at the passenger side stud of the console) also attaches at the back of the airbox, and a little work with a 13mm wrench or wobbly socket will remove that nut. At that point, the bracket can be wiggled off both studs, though it is still attached to some other bracketry behind the airbox.

A few other notes:

1. A 13mm wobbly socket and suitable extension(s) is ideal for getting to the console mounting nuts.
2. I was able to remove the ventilation blower motor assembly from its mounting studs, and simply ease it over to the driver's side, without disconnecting wiring or any of the other stuff (CIS lines, etc) that were clamped to the bottom of the assembly.
3. Return spring was actually pretty easy to reconnect, both at the little tab on the bottom of the #2 intake runner, and on the bellcrank arm. I was able to reach in with my left hand and get the spring, attach it to the CIS runner, then extend the spring and grab it with my right hand, for attachment to the arm.
4. I used the bronze bushings, 901-423-253-00-M105, at $1.75 each. These went in easily. My original bushings had come apart, so the shaft was a little beat up but the bores in the console actually looked fine. The bushings go in from the outside of the bores, since this prevents them from backing out and also gives the correct end to end distance for attachment of the throttle arm on the inboard end of the shaft. Make sure you put that on with the ball facing the right way (in my case, at least, that means facing away from the engine centerline.

All in all, not as nasty a project as it appeared to be at first, though there is plenty of "remove this to get to that . . . " which seems to be common on my car at least. And now I have full throttle travel again, and a nice light and smooth throttle linkage.