Removed Throttle Spring - wow, big difference!

[Razz]

I have really enjoyed working on my "new" 1983 300D non turbo BUT I have not enjoyed driving it because it was so hard to push in the accelerator. I mean, I drive big diesel school buses from the 90s that are easy, and this thing was wearing my leg out everytime I drove it.
And, it always felt like the car was towing a weight behind it. You had to keep pushing on the accelerator or it would decelerate (is that a word?) much faster than you would expect .
Anyway, I tried everything I could think of. There was nothing wrong with the accelerator itself. I lubed the throttle linkage and adjusted the bolt on it. Finally I read that some have taken off a spring and saw wonders, so I looked for it and finally found it against the firewall under the linkage. it was hard to find and I needed a light to see it. I used a screwdriver to pop it free.
I was AMAZED at the difference. It now drives like any other car. It even seems to go faster, and when I take my foot off it doesn't quickly decelerate like before.
I think that the spring must have been pulling on the throttle so that when I took my foot off it began pulling it back down.
If you are going to try to do this make sure you have the right spring. I saw another spring further away from the firewall, near the throttle linkage - that's not it.
Anyway, hope that helps someone else.