WOW!! Adjust your throttle linkages!

[300SD81]

I tweaked the linkage that connects the gas pedal to the rest of the linkages, and WOW! I can chirp the tires on the 1-2 shift with the pedal floored going straight now! Only used to be able to do that going into a turn fast.. I can feel the difference in acceleration.. It hasn't effected my idle at all, only how far the IP linkage is pushed down at full throttle (didn't reach the bottom by 1 or 2mm before), I set it to that it hits full throttle when the pedal is resting on the kickdown, before pressing it.

[winmutt]

What exactly did you change?

[300SD81]

Tighten the one to the left, can't remember which way I shifted the one on the right.. I just messed with it until the IP linkage hit bottom exactly when the pedal hits the kickdown, but before pushing it.

[300SD81]

I swear this thing just did 0-90mph in under 30sec! That last 2mm or so on the IP really makes a difference!

[MBgrinder]

It's a wonderful feeling

[Ara T.]

I can chirp the tires too. Not much to do with the power (not with 120HP anyway) but rather the firmness of the full throttle shift.

Kinda like your cuzzin Bob's Camaro with a shift kit ;0

[retx]

does anyone know how much, if at any, play there should be in the linkage? just like the one in the pic above (the one with the red arrow at the top, in the pic above)? i tried adjusting it when i first bought the car, but theres still pedal slop. the pedal can travel a 1/4" before any acceleration.
are all the linkages, on at least the 300d, a threaded rod part going into a sleeve? thats where the slack is on mine. in the sleeve.

[300SD81]

I still can push the pedal a little and have it do nothing. The main thing is making sure you can control the full travel of the IP

[winmutt]

Originally Posted by 300SD81

I swear this thing just did 0-90mph in under 30sec! That last 2mm or so on the IP really makes a difference!

Are you referring to the pushrod that connect to the lever on the IP?

[pawoSD]

I'm going to check my '82 but I think they are pretty close, as are they on the '83...however, our 300D has more slop than you can imagine. At full to the floor throttle the load stop on the IP is still 1cm away from touching! and just about nothing happens (doesn't go much above an idle) till the pedal is nearly 3/4 of the way pressed. LOTS of slop. No idea how it got that bad...

[MBeige]

FWIW, when adjusting the linkages, I was able to attain 0-60mph runs in 11 seconds average (of 3, same on ramp, same conditions). Adjusting it back, resulted in 0-60 runs of 13-14 seconds. Of course MPG suffered. On the 11 second runs, I got 22mpg. On the 13-14 second runs, 25mpg.

[Snibble]

Originally Posted by 300SD81

I swear this thing just did 0-90mph in under 30sec! That last 2mm or so on the IP really makes a difference!

LOL

[ConnClark]

As a side note. Recently I had a problem with the accelerator sticking. A little 3 in 1 oil on all the linkage ball joints did wonders. I can really stop on it now

[carnut]

I adjusted my linkage on my 300CD first by loosening the nut retaining the horizontal rod that goes from the firewall to the vertical linkage at the injector pump. That simply provides more leverage to the pedal. Changing the upper threaded rod's length can sometimes alter shift points. Follow the rod from the pivot on the firewall to where it attaches to the pivot plate. Loosen that nut and move the pivot point out towards the left fender. The right red arrow in the prior posters picture points to the rod. Follow that rod to where it attaches to the pivot. I also rotated the linkage at the top of the valve cover to wide open, then clamped it there with small vise grips. Then I adjusted the vertical threaded rod behind the injector pump to reach the throttle stop on the pump itself. After those two adjustments I had NO slack or wasted motion from the pedal to the pump. I also used wheel bearing grease on all the pivot balls.

[Stevo]

Good post, thanks, thats a job I've been putting off.