[MBZ] Bowden cable?

[tom savage]

I just adjusted the valves in my '82 300D.  Upon reassembling the 
linkages atop the valve cover, I had somehow (I think) rotated the 
bowden cable "drag lever" 360 degrees.  It was very tight and preventing 
any movement in the throttle linkages.  I couldn't see what the problem 
was at first, so I pulled the whole affair off of the valve cover and 
reassembled.  Linkages have full movement, great!

Test drive and the thing won't shift until nearly 4000 rpm.  Great :(  I 
spent a lot of time this afternoon looking it at and taking it apart and 
playing with it, but to no avail.  The earliest shift I've recorded was 
at ~3500 rpm.  I've never had to mess with the cable before, so I'm not 
entirely sure how it is supposed to be set up.

Questions:
- Should the cable be taut between the ball socket and the adjustment 
screw thing?  The manual seems to suggest so.  Even when adjusted to as 
short as possible, my cable is very loose until nearly WOT.

- Should there be any slack in the cable?  ie, with the ball socket off 
the linkage, should there be any "pull in the cable?

Any other thought or ideas?  I feel like I'm mucking around in the dark 
with this.

Thanks,
Tom