Ramjet 350 throttle spring

My '57 210 HT has a 2010, stock 350 ramjet with 1900 miles. The annoying and dangerous problem is the extremely stiff throttle spring. From a dead stop,slight foot pressure, nothing happens. Then little more pressure and suddenly, it takes off like a rocket ship.I let Wifey drive it the other day and she damn near rear -ended the guy in front at a stop light. Just a real PITA to operate the gas pedal smoothly.
The throttle/kickdown bracket is Lokar and the cable mount to bellcrank angle does not permit a pull in a straight line. Could this contribute to the problem ? Is it feasible to cut a few coils from the (overkill) throttle spring to soften up the gas pedal ? Need help, Fellas. Thanks, Dave.

 

You'd probably be amazed at the huge assortment of springs available at most Ace Hardware Stores...worth a look. As far as CUTTING a few coils goes, that usually STIFFENS a coil spring. Any coil spring is essentially a TORSION BAR wound in a coiled shape. Shortening torsion bars makes them STIFFER. DD

 

This spring isn't the bed spring type found on most older carburetors. It appears to be two layers of tightly wound copper colored metal coiled over the throttle shaft. Yessir, I would be amazed if Ace carried an assortment of these,but I'll check. Thanks for the reply, D.

 

Dave, Maybe you have checked this but I run into it often in modern engines where the throttle body gets carboned up around the throttle plate. What happens is the carbon turns into a bit of a wedge and that sticks the plate closed. The symptoms are exactly what you described. The fix is to clean the throttle body with a shop rag and carb cleaner. Good luck

 

Do you have a V8 accelerator arm are a 6 arm. Different lengths. You didn't say but one is long an the other is short. I'm thinking you need more leverage on the cable set up.

 

yes.

Post some pictures of it, so we can see what you're dealing with. If you don't post pictures, we don't know what you're dealing with, and you'll probably get useless suggestions.

 

Nice assortment here.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#extension-springs/=pkr6bo

 

Now I understand a little better what you're describing. Any way you might replace that "contraption" spring with a "bed spring" type to more-finely tune the tension? I've never seen one of those later-day RamJets up close. DD

 

Spring he is dealing with is much like the one on GM TBI are TPI. Wondering also do you get wide open throttle with the linkage you have.

 

I have a ramjet / Lokar in one of my trifives and it pulls very easy. Is it set up the way mine is?
Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Maybe if you'd titled your thread " ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION THROTTLE BODY RETURN SPRING" You wouldn't have gotten such mis-information.

 

Denver Dave The pic you posted is exactly what I have in my '57.Lokar bracket,cables and all. Eng.was installed new in 2010. Excuse my ignorance,"electronic fuel injection throttle body return spring ".Throttle plate was sticking slightly but is very stiff. My first experience with EFI. I'm still back in the '50's somewhere. Thanks, for all your help, D.

 

Here are some pictures I just took. Hope this helps. S Dave

 

You need to try and move that cable ball further out on that cable snail so you have more leverage.

 

Disconnect the throttle cable and operate the the throttle by hand,and see if it feels less of a bind. I laso would check the throttle body plate to see if it is gummed up or full of carbon,both of these are free and need to be checked before you move on to other things that could be causing your issue. Not liking the angle of that cable housing for sure.

 

Looking at the one Denver Dave posted and yours his shows the cable taking a straight shot at the bell crank while yours angles up from the bottom putting things in a bind. Take a good look at the little differences between his and yours.

It appears that neither is getting full throttle movement with the carb linkage cable hooked to the fi bellcrank though.

 

Why isn't the cable running through the outside of the bellcrank like the factory has it? I think if you put in a new cable and run it in the outside groove like it should be you'll be alright.

 

It looks like Denver Dave's cable runs through the groove in the bellcrank pulley. Mine is clipped to the outside of the bellcrank on one of the two bosses,creating an additional angle to deal with. Will try all of your suggestions and the winner(s) get a free beer. Thanks, S. Dave.

 

If Denver Dave would be nice enough to show a side view shot like you # 2 pic,I bet that would clear some things up alot

 

Also when checking you accelerator check at the firewall and make sure the locking bolt for the arm is not dragging the firewall. Yes, you can ask me how I know!

 

Yeah - I agree with the others, it must be routed on the pulley groove. Just looking at that routing on yours, I doubt you were getting full throttle. The leverage will be better after you re-route it & it wont be so tight.

BTW, nice setup

 

Cable needs to be rerouted over the bellcrank[down in the grove] and fastened at about the 6 or 7 oclock position. I doubt you are getting full throttle with your set up.

 

Have you considered a street rod website?

 

I'm betting that routing the cable in the belcrank groove will solve the problem..The way it's attached on that ball stud is closer to the pivot axis and therefore would make a shorter "lever" arm..taking more force to move it....moving it away from the axis (re:in the belcrank groove ) increases the "lever" length..and less effort to move it..

Just my $0.02 worth

 

Lokar has the components to use the OEM pulley groove. You are losing all the leverage designed into that pulley, with the current throttle hook up.

 

I think RamJet 350 was a good enough clue, as the earlier RamJet engines were around long before there was a 350 Chevy.

I have one as well in my '56 Truck, though I haven't ever been done enough to drive it. I'd have to agree with what others have said, but I'll go out and see what my cable connection looks like tomorrow and compare.

 

Thanks, Bud. Looks like the previous owner has the cable hooked up wrong. It should ride in the pulley groove and attach at the at the bottom with a length adjustment fitting. I have a Red '29 Coupe similar to yours. Close by, too, Newport Richey.

 

Thanks, Bud....new longer cable on order.

 

thanks for posting the picture, it's kind of what I figured....once everyone can see what you have, it's obvious what the solution is.

 

Thanks Ramjet1, most of the guys "got" the Ramjet 350 clue. Yeah, I remember the C2 Vettes FI units were called Ramjet. Rochester,as I recall.