In reference to an adjacent post, but more recognizable and possibly more helpful, I have found an effective (at least temporarily) fix for the infamous sticky 48mm TPI throttle body:
1. Use a hook (dental pick or similar instrument) to disengage the throttle return spring from the plastic retainer. When standing on the driver's side and looking at the side of the throttle body, I disengaged the farthest end (nearest the throttle body) and wrapped it clockwise.
2. With great dexterity, alternately use the hook and a pair of long-nosed pliers to fish the spring end around the throttle shaft. I was able to do this with the TB mounted. Should be a piece of cake with it off the engine, as long as you have a vise or something to hold it.
3. Hook the spring into the slot in the plastic retainer it originally came from.
I told myself this wouldn't work for about four years, but after I finally got mad enough to try it, it seems to have worked rather well. The pedal feels about right, and drivability is only improved by a throttle that actually closes when you let off the gas.
1. Use a hook (dental pick or similar instrument) to disengage the throttle return spring from the plastic retainer. When standing on the driver's side and looking at the side of the throttle body, I disengaged the farthest end (nearest the throttle body) and wrapped it clockwise.
2. With great dexterity, alternately use the hook and a pair of long-nosed pliers to fish the spring end around the throttle shaft. I was able to do this with the TB mounted. Should be a piece of cake with it off the engine, as long as you have a vise or something to hold it.
3. Hook the spring into the slot in the plastic retainer it originally came from.
I told myself this wouldn't work for about four years, but after I finally got mad enough to try it, it seems to have worked rather well. The pedal feels about right, and drivability is only improved by a throttle that actually closes when you let off the gas.
Supreme Member
Great to know! I have a used 48mm dual TB on my stealth rammed 327, and the damn thing sticks just enough to hang the idle. My actual idle is at 0.61 v TPS, but if you are driving and roll up to a stoplight it hangs at 0.63-0.65v unless you blip the gas several times. Annoying! Then again GM probably didn't anticipate people putting a couple hundred thousand miles on these stupid things.
That was my problem. I'd still like to get the thing rebuilt with roller bearings, but it is my daily driver and I really can't afford the downtime right now. I got in such a habit of tapping the accelerator to snap the throttle vanes back to the idle position that I still do it all the time.