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Ratco high RPM idle part two

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T

Tinster

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This is NOT a major worry for me, just a puzzle I'd like
solved.

I installed the Ratco cable carb throttle linkage last
January 2008. Once I got my gas pedal adjusted the Ratco was very responsive. I liked it a lot. Still do, in fact.

But it was curious to me that my warm engine idle increased
800RPM to 1200+ RPM with the Ratco system.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

fast forward: Today I installed Jeff Palya's brand spanking
new carb linkage, took out the Ratco, cleaned up the Ratco and reinstalled and fine tuned it.

Started the car and warm idle at 700 RPM. Gas pedal response with the Ratco is instant!! VROOM!!!!! WOW! I Like it.

Within a few minutes in the street my warm idle is back up at
1200+ rpm. If I take down the idle screws, the car will not hold cold idle with full choke. Stalls out.

What the deveil is going on?? Why the higher warm idle with the Ratco? Here's a photo of my install. Errors present?

thanks,

dale

ratcoPart2.jpg
 
You can warm the car up and get it to idle at 1,200 RPM's with no problem, right?

Just disconnect the Ratco linkage at that point by taking the ball stud out and see if it drops down or stays there. Then it's go or no go for hunting a problem with that setup.

If it stays up with the linkage disconnected, you have other problems, like a vacuum leak developing when it gets warm and something expands. Or I'd look at your choke cable linkage and make sure that they are BOTH closing completely when warm. Is there a possibility that the linkage is binding before it even gets to the cable, like back where the fulcrum is bolted to the pedal shaft, causing the mechanical linkage to stay open before it even reaches the cable?

If not, the Ratco linkage is only a cable that you cut to length and installed it in a fixed position. It cannot move or grow or shrink and pull down on the linkage to cause the idle to increase when it gets hot, so how can it alone affect the idle?

Are these pictures taken with the air filter removed? Does this same thing occur with and without the air filter bolted on the car?

Please report back your findings as I don't think it's fair to blame a sponsoring vendors particular product for an issue like this if you find that it is something else. If it is a problem after all of this, then Tony should be made aware of the problem.
 
Dale,

What is that steel solid cable going from the Ratco bracket to the front carb linkage doing there?
 
Just a thought - when my warm idle was 800 after adjustment, then wouldn't drop below 1200 after a drive ...

... the gas pedal linkage that goes through the firewall had stuck while driving.

Finally figured it out when I discovered the idle dropped back to 800<span style="font-weight: bold"> <span style="font-style: italic">if I LIFTED UP on the pedal</span> </span>with my foot.

Just my dos centavos.

Tom
 
Tom,

Good point. That is why I asked about a binding at the fulcrum or BEFORE it even got to the cable.
 
Brosky said:
Dale,

What is that steel solid cable going from the Ratco bracket to the front carb linkage doing there?
Click to expand...

Tag end of my choke cable.
 
That isn't binding up on anything is it? It seems awfully long and why would you have it heading back towards all of that stuff? I'm just looking for answers like you.

What about the rest of my questions? have you disconnected the linkage with the idle at 1,200RPMs? Did you try lifting up on the pedal as Tom suggested?

I think that it has to be either mechanical of vacuum/heat related.
 
Go for mechanical first... pull the pedal back with a toe. Then if that doesn't change things, disconnect the linkage as Paul suggests and try it that way.

It's a process of elimination. But usually it turns out to be some sort of physical "hang-up" rather than a dial-in of settings with what is described for idle on Amos currently.
 
So Dale - what's the situation now?

What did you test/change/fiddle with?

Still have the idle problem after the "brake test" drive?

Tom
 
Dale,

Looking down at the ball stud going through the linkage, it appears that it is on an angle of sorts. If so, why not move the cable and housing back a bit towards the inner fender well in the mounting slot below, to get it all aligned at more of 90 degrees angles? Or is the ball stud bent slightly?
 
Does that mean that it's fixed, or what do we make of this latest turn of events?
 
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