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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Sticky throttle

Hi Guys

The throttle on my car has a habit of sticking and then suddenly moving when I accelerate or pull away.

I have oiled the cable, cleaned and re-greased the accelerator pedal to cable linkage and all the connectors on the engine, but it is still 'sticky'

I have heard a home made cable made from bike brake cable fixes the issue?

Rylan
R Williams

what you have heard is correct... get a teflon coated cable... and make it as long as you can

if you can't be bothered then the spitfire cables work too (basically they are longer)

or you can change your driving style and pivot your right foot on the floor pan... you get a lot more control then...
C L Carter

Try turning the throttle stop screws (tickover) up a fraction. Maybe 1/8 of a turn.

What happens is that the throttle disc can shut tight, and the manifold depression holds it there, making it difficult for the cable to initially move it again. Turning the stop screw a small amount just moves the throttle disk enough to prevent the manifold vacuum developing suction on it.
Guy Weller

Guy that is brilliant and very interesting!
C L Carter

That will show itself if you disconnect the cable and still have problems opening the throttle up. My throttle bodies do it if they shut 100% too. It's partly the manifold pressure, and partly the way the throttle disc is shaped with a slight bevel that means it can catch.

If you remove the cable and it turns freely, it's probably the cable. As said, bike brake cables are a good, readily available replacement.
S Overy

I am not saying this is definitely the problem. But it's very quick and easy to turn the tickover up a bit. If that works, then you have cured it. If it doesn't make a difference, then reset it and look at replacing with a better cable.
Guy Weller

do I take it that Rylan has a 1500?

if not, and it’s a 1275,
I had a bent hinge pin on the (from the floor) accelerator pedal of my previous Spridget that caused sticking and just needed the kink taking out of the hinge pin

and on my present midget the two bolts that hold the pedal to the floor, one was undersized so cause the pedal to move a bit

also if it’s a 1275 I think oil might be better than grease on the pedal linkage to cable
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed on 24/06/2012

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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