Setting timing the other day and using my left thumb on the throttle body return spring arm.
After a while, when attempting to rev, it felt like it was slipping on the shaft and would no longer rev unless i actually pulled on the throttle cable.

The spring still does it job as usual and before - but what happened with being able to rev it with my thumb on the spring arm? What am I missing?

Worn throttle shaft started binding? I’m speculating of course.

Yeah - i dunno. It was odd. I was focused on the timing and when I got done with that, didn't have time to go back and look at this and was wondering about it since. Away from the 914 for a number of weeks now...i'll be noodling this around....

Sounds like its was sticking before and now is free to work
Only the arm with the Cable is attached to the throttle plate. The Other makes contact on the Return stroke to help close the throttle plates/arm
2 pieces
Click to view attachment

That's interesting - thank you!
Not often that I get to "break" something back to the way it should be!

Assuming you have the later throttle body with an integrated return spring vs the early throttle body where the return spring arm is one solid piece connected to the throttle cable as well?

Right - it's a 74 so i can't see why it's not a late version....
It all works fine - it was just the change that threw me off.