Hi everyone,
How can you tell if you are getting full throttle? and how do you adjust the cable if not?
The reason I ask is because whilst cleaning under the engine cover my wife decided to sit in the car and pressed down the throttle pedal it was then that I noticed that when the pedal is fully depressed I can still turn the “round thingy” that the cable wraps around a little more.
This may have no more affect fo the throttle at all but I thought it would be worth a mention to you guys.
thanks for all the advice.
Steve
It’s all logic, right Steve?
If you press the pedal fully and the round thingy (which is the one that needs to move finally) can still move more, it means that you are not getting full throttle.
You only need to move the hex nuts that go onto the curved piece of pipe (with the cable inside) in order to stretch the cable more.
You may then arrive to a point when the idle is affected (because the cable is tense even while the throttle is not applied). Back off slightly.
Then go under the dash and thread the screw (below the throttle pedal) that limits the full throttle travel so you can have full “thingy” movement while fully pressing the throttle pedal.
And voila! depending on how bad it was, 5 to 15 BHP more.
You can buy me a beer next track day.
Steve
Also check that the lever that connects the pedal to the cable is not wobbling around on its “pivot” - that can cause unwanted lost movement in the pedal resulting in not pulling the cable far enough - check by seeing how far you press the pedal before the cable moves, it should be only a very small amount - and the “wobble” lever is easy to feel under the dashboard.
Uldis is right the last movement of the butterflys can mean a loss of 15 hp - as proven by Dave Walker I beleive …
Andy
My throttle pedal multiplier lever twists considerably and I lose the first 2 cms of pedal movement before the actual throttle starts to open - Amongst other things this makes heel and toeing very difficult -
I have done all the other adjustments, but this particular pivot seems to be a rivet fixing (though very hard to see when upside down in the footwell) and therefore not adjustable…
Several other owners from the Southern meet said they had the same problem…
If you know how to fix it you will be owed lots of beer !!
Mike
It means changing the stupid plastic bush Lotus use on the “pivot” ( thread ) and use a “top hat” bush made from phosphur Bronze or similar.
I made my own … but a guy in Australia I think sells them, I can make one up for you if you want - but not until next week I think … well hell I’ll make it up anyhow OK
SUPERSTAR
Steve
There is also a throttle stop on the front bulkhead which is easy to adjust and comes into the adjustment equation. I noted my throttle butterflys weren’t fully open during a cleanout of the airbox and with the help of a friend - I fixed it by adjustment (on my head) of the throttle stop and the cable abutement behind the LOUD peddle.
make sure you have someone around to pull you out of the footwell (and watch the butterfly adjustment) when you finish.
Mike, did you disassemble the thing?
I mean, it’s kind of obvious when you take it apart.
If the plastic bushing is worn, or if there’s something else, like badly assembled.
I noticed this when I bought the car, these being the first adjustments I made. And this bushing (not worn, badly assembled) I put a different nut with threadlock so it wouldn’t come loose.
No probs.
I was upside down for ages ensuring that the bolt and washers that connect the cable to the pivot were assembled correctly and started to feel sick as a parrot (and I was green as well)
So I had a feel around the bracket but could not find a way to release or tighten the plastic bush on the ‘invisible’ side… (I gave up before |I threw up)
Looks as if I will need to get down there again with a mirror, maybe?
No, you get off the whole bracket releasing two phillips bolts that attach it to the dashboard frame.
Then you can observe sitting like a human being the whole assembly in your hands.
Thanks for all the advice , looks like I could be upside down for a bit tonight.
Steve
Doh !!
Looks as if I will need to get down there again with a mirror, maybe?
You’re so vain. (Courtesy of Carly Simon)
Did they have mirrors when you were young, Uncle Pesky???