Check your throttle linkages!

[ToyCollector]

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 resmeble 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"!! :3DSMILE

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".

[CobraDan]

I'm glad you found the problem. Now you can change your engine discription, Aka The Parham Hammer when under FULL throttle
Dan

[Dominik]

I had a similar degradation of power during one season due to a slowly clogging fuel filter.

The old foam in my fuel cell was deteriorating.My 1/2" line and filter handled that up to a point where I also though: that is not my power.
I also apologize to any passengers in these days.

It pays to chech here frequently as well - I am lucky that I did not lose a piston due to lean conditons.

Dominik

My next car has a fuel pressure gauge!

[MRITTER]

I had a similar problem on my FFR. Replaced the throttle cable with the Lokar unit. No problems, but I thought the same thing, I am getting used to the power. But what happened was the pedal had more room than it needed so I was stretching the cable every time I pushed it to the floor.

After adjusting the cable 2 or 3 times, I installed a stop under the pedal. No more problems and I get that same surprise everytime I lay into it.

Later,

Mike

[excelguru]

Mike - If only that Porsche owner had known that you weren't using full throttle when he got dusted!!!!

Keith

[Mike Braddock]

Now that's one of the few problems any of us would enjoy finding

Mike