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Subject: Yesterday I installed Tom Meachams's aluminum throttle cable bushing repair kit Author: DavidC (moderator) : member since December, 2003 : 12900 posts Posted on: 2008-06-06 04:44:48

Yesterday I installed Tom Meachams's aluminum throttle cable bushing repair kit and I'm very pleased with it. Tom actually paired up with a machine shop to custom manufacture direct replacement throttle cable bushings for our beloved M62 engines. At $28, it is, as he states in his original post last year, somewhat less expensive than the cost of replacing the cruise control and accelerator bowden cables, but with the benefit of being much more durable (as if 10 years for the original isn't good enough...).

At any rate, replacing the bushings and adjusting the slack in the cables has greatly improved the accelerator pedal response, as well as that of the cruise control. The old bushings were definitely a problem waiting to happen. Replacement was easy and straightforward, taking about 20 minutes to perform. The only special tool required was a snap-ring plier.


First, remove the plastic engine cover by pressing the four buttons on the top and lifting the whole thing up (ignore the StrongStrut brace across the engine in the photo).


The engine without the cover. You can see the two throttle cables on the right side of the front of the engine, just above the positive battery terminal in the photo above.


A closeup of the plastic bushings through which the throttle cables pass. Though they appear to be ok at first glance, they were extremely brittle and crumbled with very little finger pressure. What we're replacing are the two large black plastic pieces that attach to the accelerator bracket.


The new parts from Tom's kit (two aluminum bushings and two C clips).


Tom's instructions. Very easy to follow -- just note the proper orientation of the bushings.


Remove the metal clip on the cable and set it aside. Unscrew plastic sleeve from the plastic bushings. They'll probably break off in your hands like mine did. The threaded plastic part must be made of a different type of plastic because it appeared to be just fine.


After both plastic bushings have been removed, this is what you'll have.


Slide the new bushings over the cables, set them in position against the accelerator bracket, then screw the plastic sleeves into the bushings (they're machined with the corresponding female thread).


Using a set of snap-ring pliers, gently expand the C-clip and slide it into the groove on the forward-facing side of the new bushing. Make sure it snaps securely into place.


This photo shows both snap rings installed.


Adjust the cables so that there is minimal slack by screwing the sleeve into or out of the new bushings. Attach the two metal clips onto the cables, replace the engine cover and you're done!

David Cecil
Lexington, KY
Titanium silver '01 750iL, 92k miles
Oxford green '97 740iL, 184k miles
Alpine white '92 750iL, 95k miles (for sale)
Charcoal gray '86 735i, 101k miles (for sale)

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E38 mods: Factory nav retrofit, widescreen display, XM satellite receiver in place of CD changer, custom Valentine1 stealth interface to instrument cluster, BimmerNav bluetooth, factory xenon headlights retrofit, heated seats x4 retrofit, StrongStrut tower brace, crystal clear taillights and corners, M aluminum pedals, stainless steel brake lines, billet aluminum throttle bushings, staggered 18'' M-parallel wheels with Kumho Ecsta LX rubber, quad brake lights conversion