kickdown cable tension

The FSM guidance on adjusting this with the 14mm nuts is the stopper on the inner cable should be flush with the rubber boot opening. But that relies on the bracket being in exactly the correct position. My bracket is tweaked, so that's out.

So it seems like the meaningful way to look at it is the inner cable tension. With the inner cable slack (ie: removed from the linkage, or the nuts adjusted far), the stopper is inside the boot a few mm. How much should the cable be pulled from slack position? Just enough to pull the slack out, or more?

I'm not talking about the accelerator cable (removed in the pic for access), which I know should be just snug on the linkage for proper gas pedal response.

 

Interested as well

when I cleaned TB/intake/plenum then re assembled, I thought was rather loose/too much slack
As I didn’t document the cable tension B4 work started….I didn’t adjust

 

After thinking about it, I figured the only thing that makes sense is the kickdown cable should only be snug. That way the gas pedal > accelerator cable > throttle linkage > kickdown cable all engage together as one unit and are otherwise just snug.
I test drove it like that, and it was much better, feels like it did years ago. Still has another issue, but at least the cable tension is right.

I suspect cable stretching over time might be due to people tightening it too much to begin with. At WOT there has to be some spring travel left in the cable, or it's suffering extra tension that it doesn't have room to give.

 

How many turns/revolutions of adjustment bolt?
(Approx)
I’m willing to try…..cable is 29yrs old

or
If you press down on cable, moves how many mm?
Thanks!

 

I didn't count it that way. Pull the end of the kickdown cable out of the linkage so it's slack and you can feel it better. If your configuration is like mine, the stopper will be a bit inside the rubber boot. Lightly pull slack out of the cable and the stopper will move out just a hair. Note the position. Reconnect it to the linkage, and you want to see the stopper in that same position.

People have suggested tightening it a little over time because the high pressure is better for the transmission. But I don't know, for me it feels like it's gotta be wearing on something doing that, and the thumpy shifts don't feel good.