Sticking throttle?
 

Hey guys, odd problem. After two 20 minute sessions on the track and having the car sit for a while in the paddock, when I was about to go for my 3rd run, I noticed my gas pedal was sticking. It seems if I twist the TB butterfly by hand its smooth, but when I press the pedal, it feels really stiff, doesn't move smoothly but in increments of a few mm at a time, and when I let go of the pedal, it takes it a little time to actually release back. I have a Skunk 2 TB which normally feels awesome.

My guess is that because of excess heat in the engine bay, I might have melted the sleeve around my throttle cable and perhaps that's what's sticking or dragging on the cable, but the thing is sleeved and I have not had a chance to look inside yet. The throttle cable feels firm and good, UNTIL I get to near the turbo where it feels awfully soft and bendy. For instance, when I went out to do my 3rd session, it was sticky, but as I drove around it got better. Parked in the paddock for 30 minutes, went to leave, and it was extremely sticky again. Then on the drive home, it got progressively smoother. I'm expecting the next time I get in the car for it to be sticky again.

Anyone else had this issue on track? Other things I should check?

Yes, I nuked both cables (throttle and cruise) in short order. Replace both and wrap them in heat sleeve.

I similarly melted the speedo cable on the track. Andrew's right about replacing and shielding. Everything must be shielded.

Do you guys know if the regular NB1 and NB2 throttle cables work on the MSM? Planet Miata has a bunch but none are MSM specific. They did tell me that NA 1.8L use a different cable that I wouldn't be able to use. My buddy is ordering from them soon, would like to add this to his purchase to get group shipping.

I believe they should work. Especially a 99-00 as that's what the msm head is.

But its a VTCS manifold....which is what the 01-05 has...and which is what the throttle cable connects too.

Point is moot. They are all interchangeable.