Throttle Position Switch Repair

[benzor]

I've been repairing my throttle body, and figured out the TPS was not working properly.

It scales nicely when you're on the throttle, but it does not provide continuity on pins 4 and 6 when you're at idle (reliably).

I took it apart - there was wear on the contacts. Unfortunately, the contacts are located in a small white plastic box, and I have no idea how to get the box back together. Contents of the box are a spring running the length of the box, a lever, and a plastic cylinder that is contacted by the wiper arm at idle (none of which is shown in the pic - they fell onto the workbench). Its made of parts for Lilliputanians !

I'm wondering - if I run the car with the switch like this, it should run fine but idle poorly, as the switch being open will always fail to activate the idle stabilizer valve, right?

I'm not an electrical guy, but it seems like there must be some modern part that would replace this contact switch, rather than buying the $128 replacement part. Anyone done it?

[kdjones2000]

Personally, I wouldn't try to jerry-rig it. Instead, pick up a decent used part off of a fellow Pelicanite, or bit the bullet and get a new one.

[benzor]

Good advice. As a project, I had it jerry rigged, and got a new switch to work, but then I blew the potentiometer! So will get a good used one.