My gas pedal started catching recently, so I took a look at the spring-tensioned device the wire attaches to on the (throttle body?) and discovered a load of grime and dirt all over. Not knowing exactly what to do, I removed the metal guide-unit for the wire (breaking the aged plastic outer spring spacer and bracket in the process ), brushed the springs a bit and added some general-purpose household lubricant, but it's not quite doing the job (smoother overall, but still sticks sometimes). Apparently I need something thicker, or the problem lies elsewhere.

Just for starters, what oil should I use, if any? I have some thick chainsaw bar and sprocket oil , motor oil, or maybe I need to go out and buy something (elbow grease?). Does it really matter, as long as it doesn't flow away/break down? Secondly, would it be wise to squirt a little oil right where the rotating bar (that's turned by the wire & springs) enters the throttle body (??), just in case something is sticking there? Lastly, are the outer plastic spacer and bracket all that important? The spring sits just fine, if a bit off-center due to the missing bracket. I'll go to a junkyard and find the parts sometime, but the question is when do I need to do it.

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