SPF Owners. Check Your Throttle Linkage!

[jhv48]

I have been driving my car for the past two years and have never felt the need for more power. Until lately! The other day I started playing around with the throttle linkage because my pedal didn't have a lot of travel.
I had my wife sit in the driver's seat and push the pedal to the floor and guess what? I still needed about an inch of throttle movement to fully open the secondaries on my carb. I have been driving all this time with a max of 3/4 throttle. And I never missed it!

So, I adjusted the rods and throttle stop to give me all the carb had and went for a test drive. I think I found another herd of horses that had been hiding in my trunk.

My thought is that the installer in Costa Mesa sets them up that way to keep some of us from accessing all the power our engines have and killing ourselves. If we never check then we obviously feel we have enough.

Just a suggestion for all you guys to check and see that you get full throttle when you floor the pedal. Mine was way off.

[Silverback51]

Small blocks need all the throttle they can get.

Big blocks can affect the rotation of the earth at half throttle.

[jhv48]

And with all that weight on the front end, can plow the north forty as well.

[Silverback51]

Originally Posted by jhv48

And with all that weight on the front end, can plow the north forty as well.

You have to admit, they do make great snow plows.

[ReMorton]

..some good advice. Check the throw on the linkage. I found just the opposite, after having the car dynoed, I found that dyno tech during the dyno had accidentally bent one of the arms because the throw was not adjusted properly. I found it later and had to straighten it (thank you techs for replacing the throttle linkage and not checking it at Park Place in Bellvue). Anyone else had problems at PP?

[flipscobra]

I own a SPF BB an my throttle was sticking, very scary when sticks WFO. I got to looking as to where it was sticking an found out where it it comes into the engine bay thru the firewall that bushing was galling or sticking to the throttle linkage. TO fix it just spray WD40 on it evey now an then. I also had your problem, my throttle was not opening but about 1/2 way, I had my son mash the gas WO an watched the butterflies. The set screw in the first arm on the shaft that comes thru the FW was moving about 3/8 in the arm before the armed moved, retightend set screw an what a difference. You have to keep an eye on these things in a SPF. Flip

[WardL]

Many probably have a double throttle return spring on their carb. If you don't you might check into it.

[badrich]

The *first* thing I did when I brought my Cobra home was check the throttle linkage. Shocked to see a single spring, went right down to my local speed shop and upgraded to dual springs (inner and outer). Ah, that's better! Rich

[Silverback51]

I have a spring on each carburator, and another on the linkage on top of the footwell.

[elmariachi]

If you build your own car you don't have these types of problems. But if you have someone else build it, take nothing for granted. As easy as there is an improperly adjusted throttle linkage there could be loose brake caliper bolts.

[JBCOBRA]

So you spent all the extra money on suspension and never adjusted your throttle LOL!!!!
Have you put your car on scales??? Wanna race??? LOL

Double nut (put an extra nut and bolt)on your throttle bolts. If the top one slips (closest to the firewall) your throttle will hang open.

[jhv48]

Originally Posted by JBCOBRA

So you spent all the extra money on suspension and never adjusted your throttle LOL!!!!.

With that original crappy suspension, I wouldn't even try to go fast through the mountains. Now I can hit the guard rail at twice the speed.

[JBCOBRA]

Had you taken the time to dial in what you had already, you would understand much more about your car. When an SPF arrives, the suspension is Not set up at all.
Not by a Moonshot. If you think you can sort a coilover suspension by measuring wheel well heights, you are a million miles away from getting it right.
If you still have not had your car on scales.......you really do not understand.....

[JBCOBRA]

OK, LOL on hitting the guard rail.............at twice the speed.

Originally Posted by jhv48

With that original crappy suspension, I wouldn't even try to go fast through the mountains. Now I can hit the guard rail at twice the speed.

[jhv48]

And yes, the first thing I did was corner weight it. Suspension still sucked. It still lacked balance, smoothness, rebound control, precision, etc. Corner turn in was a nightmare if you were entering the corner hot. Not real confidence inspiring at anything above 4/10ths driving.

The stock suspension is fine for those that like to cruise all day, but if you try to push it on winding roads and hit the slightest irregularity, you will learn real quick what "white knuckle driving" is all about.

[JBCOBRA]

This is total BS.

[jhv48]

Oh well, it's going to be 70 degrees here tomorrow.

Guess I'll put on my winter shorts and go test out my new suspension again.