TV Cable Question

[Nick88]

Whats up guys I have a 1988 TBI 350 with a 700r4. I decided to just order a tbi spacer just to see if it really did anything as I know many people have had luck with carb spacers. My question is do I need to spacer up the tv/accel cable bracket upwards aswell to keep the same geometry, or can I just adjust the tv cable and the accelerator cable to be a little longer. Any help is appreciated!

 

[Sean Buick 76]

My advice is to not bother with the TB spacer. When I was young and dumb I added a TB spacer to my TBI truck and I didn’t know anything about the TV cable at all. About 150 miles later I could feel no engine HP increase and my trans was toasted due to incorrect TV cable geometry and wrong tension. I’m sure you could modify the bracket and tension to make it work but is it worth the risk and hassle for very little potential gain? I ended up removing the spacer, having the trans rebuilt and never had an issue after that.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

You may need to get fuel line extensions for it too.

 

[Drunkcanuk]

Whats up guys I have a 1988 TBI 350 with a 700r4. I decided to just order a tbi spacer just to see if it really did anything as I know many people have had luck with carb spacers. My question is do I need to spacer up the tv/accel cable bracket upwards aswell to keep the same geometry, or can I just adjust the tv cable and the accelerator cable to be a little longer. Any help is appreciated!

Right or wrong, I put a spacer on my 91, back in 2000ish. All I did was unbolt the throttle body, put the spacer in and bolt it back down. I didn't touch the TV cable adjustment at all. It shifted perfectly fine for 3 years until it exploded from a poor choice to have the fluid changed at a shop that decided to power flush it instead.

But after I put the replacement one in years later, it still runs and shifts fine. I believe I adjusted it by doing the turn the throttle arm to full throttle. One day I will do a line pressure check, but most likely not as I should be swapping an LS and new transmission in this winter.

I don't see how raising it up and inch will affect it, the cable is attached to a bracket, it shouldn't matter, you are not adjusting the geometry of the bracket, just the hight of the cable.

As for performance gain, jury is out on that. As I did a K&N FIPK at the same time, as well as plugs, MSD wires and coil, and I believe the headers were within a day or so as well. But I would like to believe it added something if not, at least it sounds cooler. LOL

 

[Drunkcanuk]

You may need to get fuel line extensions for it too.

For my particular one, that was not needed.

 

[Nick88]

My thinking is that raising it would make the cable tighter so if anything Id have higher transmission line pressure, but I could make it looser, but would the difference in the angle and length sticking out make a difference? I could make a spacer pretty easily to raise the bracket but I rather not and I would need longer bolts, maybe the old TBI bolts? Im trying to avoid the extra work but not if I need to rebuild my transmission again.

 

[Nick88]

It came in yesterday so I decided to just toss it on today. I wanted to be safe so I just fabbed up some spacers for the throttle bracket. I used 3 smaller nuts welded together with a longer bolt for the front bolt hole and for the rear i used 2 large bolts and a washer with a 21/2 inch bolt for the manifold bolt hole. Took a little wrestling with the fuel lines but not too bad. Truck felt very peppy driving around but I noticed after a harder throttle rip when I came to a red light the truck was vibrating a lot and smelled rich. I pulled in the driveway and it almost sounded like a dead cylinder but there was no smoke or anything, I went to shut the truck after looking around for a culprit for a minute and when I barely started to turn the key to shut it, it smoothened out again and stayed smoothened out. Any ideas what that could be from?
Im about to go test drive it some more.