TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat Jul 12, 2025 2:33 pm

Something is missing and the throttle wont move, part of the throttle arm is hitting the throttle body. As you see in the photo, the spring is crooked. Looking at other photos, I see there is something missing from the top of the spring. I also just noticed that something is bent there too.

What is that called?

Can I just replace that?

Thanks
David

Sat Jul 12, 2025 4:15 pm

I don’t know but maybe Bill from sparxwerks will chime in. . I’ve had a distributor and throttle body restored by him. Excellent work.

Sat Jul 12, 2025 6:53 pm

That spring looks normally shaped, though the whole thing could use a good cleaning. I like GumOut carb spray with the red nozzle cut short so it comes out faster. Follow with a toothbrush everywhere you can reach, another few sprays, and a drop or three of oil on everything that rotates.

Then, shine a lightbulb behind the plate and look down the bore from both sides. Post pictures if you can capture the light leak around the throttle butterfly. Too much can give the car fast idle speeds, and might be sticky when you first apply throttle. That gets annoying.

Robbie

Sat Jul 12, 2025 7:42 pm

Here is the light through the butterfly. I have cleaned it up since this photo, but still can not get it to move.

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Thanks

Sat Jul 12, 2025 8:32 pm

Remove the barrel nut. The FI buses had a special barrel nut with a collar that prevents it from hanging up on the part.

If it’s seized in the bore, it might be time to look for a good used TB. That’s on the higher side of wear for the butterfly.

Robbie

Sun Jul 13, 2025 12:23 am

The bent up bit is deliberate. It locks the nut on. Use a flat ended punch and a hammer to knock if flat to undo the nut.

Remove the microswitch and soak the whole thjng in penetrating oil/ATF/diesel/fuel/naptha. It might start moving. The more likely it is banned in California the more likely it works...

If it has seized it is probably not worn out. .

More extreme- if there is some movement, undo the cross head screws holding on the butterfly plate- they will have been centre punched to stop them coming undone so you need an exactly matched screwdriver, do not slip! Then if the spring and levers are removed you may be able to slide the plate out, grip the flats of the shaft and wiggle it both ways,

I would not try knocking the shaft out without a wider metric nut on the end to protect it, and even then be gentle to avoid damaging the thread- the shaft is not hard..

Gently use force..

Sun Jul 13, 2025 8:30 am

Thank you all. By loosening the top nut a tiny bit it, all loosened up. By looking at a picture from a couple months ago, I can see I had the return spring connected to the hole near the nut. not to the arm it should have been connected to and eventually tightened the thing up. At least that is my theory for now. Thinks again