Finally found what I've been looking for...

[R22tech]

Hey Gary, That is your cruise control cable. If you turn it clockwise it will loosen the cable, which is fine, so go ahead and do that. If your idle comes down then the cruise cable was adjusted too tight and problem solved. Try it and report back.

[gary-o]

Will do, thanks R22tech.
Gary

[Steve W]

Guys, if your idle is too high after taking out the slack in the throttle cable, you are adjusting it at the wrong places. Your throttle body butterfly is not closing properly after adjustment, which keeps your idle high and erratic. You must also check that you have a little slack left on the throttle when it closes. There are at least three places that I am aware of to adjust the throttle linkage slack, 1)behind the accelerator pedal 2) the throttle linkages on the left side of the tranny under the car, and 3) at the linkages by the throttle body. The first place slack should be adjusted at is by the tranny. If further adjustments are necessary, then check for slack at the other two locations. With everything adjusted properly, there is just barely enough slack for the butterfly to close properly, and just enough for it to open 100%.

Got the idle prob whipped. I took the ~8" linkage off at the throttle body and gave it a couple of twists out. Idle went down to 950 rpm's. All is well and there is a bit more goose for the moose. Thanks for the help guys.
Mark

[ToyCollector]

Doug,

A story with a happy ending I hope. As you may know, I can relate all too well however in a vehicle with unsophisticated technology. Here is a post I put on clubcobra.

"Hi y'all,

Wanted to share a somewhat funny story with you, and one tip that I know all old time hot rodders can tell you to continually check and was fresh in my head when I was 18.

As some of you know, I have a car with a very healthy 427+ built by Southern Automotive. I had bent a push rod late last season and it ran crappy last fall/winter. It was emitting more belches and backfires than the beer drinkers at a NASCAR event--I resemble that remark by the way. Bill diagnosed the pushrod problem, gave it tune up, and car idled and ran fine. However, I had continually noticed that either I was getting used to 500 HP and it just didn't seem as thrilling, or car was losing power VERY gradually. I had repeatedly told people like excelguru and Jeff Neeely that the car doesn't seem all that quick at times. Since it ran fine and had no unusual symptoms, I thought I was becoming the next NHRA's John Force in the making and that my perception was all in my head."

THEN, this weekend, within a 10 mile drive, I am putting the pedal to floor to make it go and it DEFINITELY wasn't quick in Cobra terms. Luckily I was close to my house when I realized something was way wrong. For you older SPF owners, there are two allen bolts that link your GO Pedal with a shaft that connects to carburetor linkage rods. Mine was slipping and then grabbing with only about an inch of pedal to floor clearance in it's worst state, although a wrench showed those allen set screws as tight. A call to Olthoff came back with the suggestion of upgrading to bigger bolts with same thread, using set nuts, and grinding a sharp point on tip which I did. Oh boy did I enjoy the "test drive"!!

My wife said she hadn't seen me smile like that since...well we won't go there. It was like I found 150 or more horsepower. For anyone who has gotten a ride since I have owned the car--I apologize that you weren't getting the full effect--refunds are in the mail . Get someone to step on that pedal and make sure those butterflys are "straight up and erect".

[gary-o]

Originally posted by Mark Wilson
Got the idle prob whipped. I took the ~8" linkage off at the throttle body and gave it a couple of twists out. Idle went down to 950 rpm's. All is well and there is a bit more goose for the moose. Thanks for the help guys.
Mark

Did the same, thanks all, idle is now back to normal with the throttle now going within a 1/16" to the stop.

Gary.