I just removed the spacer that came with the truck - man was it dirty! I cleaned the TB and re-installed it with shorter 40mm long bolts, but it seems that 1 of the cables has about 1/2" of play in it. Is this normal? I carefully twisted the TB to get to the back side, but I don't think it was hard enough to stretch anything.

I floored the gas pedal to see if it took the play out, but it didn't. Haven't started the truck yet.

 

I'm guessing you're referring to the throttle body return spring? If so then yes it's very likely that it got stretched with the spacer installed because o the way the throttle body on the 4.7 is positioned. I've never seen it before but I really don't doubt this is what the case is.

 

That could be it. Its the single wire, not the one on the cam. Should I be worried about it?

 

The original owner could have replaced the cable to a longer one to run the TB spacer. If this is the case then I would order you a new cable, or pick one up off a junker. I know the TB spacer is junk and you are right for removing it, but you might need to re-install it for now and see if that is the problem.

 

Gas pedal seems to have some play, so its probably safe to say TB cable is indeed stretched. Good news is that even though you can't trust the overhead console, MPG went from 13.5 pre-TB spacer to 15.5 to 16 mpg w/o it!

Shop guy said the straight cable was the cruise control. Used it on the freeway home but the play is still there.

 

Interesting he said the cruise control cable is the one that's stretched, yet you state there's play in the gas pedal. Sounds to me like the throttle cable is possibly stretched, there might be a small kink in the cruise control cable from having so much slack and not being tight.

That's also funny about the throttle body spacer because I had nearly the exact same results. Its just another proven story that the spacer is nothing more than a $100 paper weight!