My car hasn't been started for quite a few weeks. I took the air filter off my 1.7L to get to some other stuff. Put everything back together and now when I put the gas petal down it sticks. The throttle opens wide and rpms go through the roof. Is there something like a spring or something that pulls that throttle closed when you let off the gas?

Yes... throttle return spring.. no pics... one will come along, shortly.

*I'm fairly sure*


M

You can also get a sticky throttle from a rust attacking your gas petal linkage at the petal assembly. The MC likes to leak and rust out the area around where the petal attaches to the floor. Plus there are two ball joints that gum up there where the throttle cable attaches.
This is an addition to the throttle return spring which is on the engine as Miles said.

The assembly seems to be ok. I have to wait til I get home from work tonight to look for a spring again. However could there be something wrong with the cable itself? There is a white plastic piece that is sliding up and down the cable. I will try to provide picture tonight.

There is a spring that attaches to a tab right next to where the throttle cable attaches to the throttle control arm. It also hooks to the back wall of the engine compartment. It could easily come off when pulling the air cleaner if you still have the oil bath version.