Originally Posted by kgb

Thanks for the suggestion, bdl99. However, the thought that my unconscious projections were coloring my experience was put to rest shortly after I reconnected the brown wires and drove off. The perceived loss of throttle response was gone and so was the more pronounced lazy shifting that had developed--I have an automatic. I know what I've described sounds weird, but it is my confirmed experience. But I do intend to try some things before abandoning this steering lock solution.