Throttle/shift cable lubricating - easy way

I know the cable manufacturers say not to lube the cables but mine have been good for 30 years until recently. First problem is that the existing cables have no markings on the jacket so I don't know the length and the second problem is that there are electrical wires wound around both cables from the flybridge making pulling not possible. I found a neat way to lube these up from a houseboat website, and they have real long cables.

I used a length of 3/8" clear plastic tubing, slid it over the cable end and clamped it to the outer jacket, filled the tubing with PB Blaster, put a Schrader valve on the other end of the tube. A few easy strokes with a hand pump and the oil went down the tube. A few re-fills and I was all set, just like new. I had a Schrader valve laying around but you could just use one from an old tire tube or the kind that attach to a tire rim.

I thought oiling these enclosed cables created a dirt catcher, or so the suppliers and manufacturers say. How did you fit the tubing over the electric lines that are attached to the cables?

I don't know how dirt could get down these cables. It took pressure to get the oil in. The wires were wound around the cables where it is in the chase inside the boat and other places I could see it. The tubing only covers the first inch of jacket.

Greetings,
Mr. m. Yup, good tip. I've used that technique in the past. Since you used PB blaster initially, you may want to follow up with some VERY thin oil like ATF for instance or thinner, but I can't think of much else thinner, as a further lubricant.

Very clever. I've seen expensive tools for doing that. Did it free up the cables?

Both cables are now very smooth.

Another trick I have seen is stick the upper end into a baggie, tape it on, partially fill with lube. Let hang, wrap rag around bottom or place in bucket. Wait until a portion or the fluid is seen at the bottom.

Your friendly motor cycle store has cable greasers for low bucks.

They can easily fill a throttle or shift cable with teflon water proof grease

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. m. Yup, good tip. I've used that technique in the past. Since you used PB blaster initially, you may want to follow up with some VERY thin oil like ATF for instance or thinner, but I can't think of much else thinner, as a further lubricant.

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Sewing machine oil is a good choice... light at... doesn't oxidize and get gummy... should be readily available in sewing supply retailers.

Bacchus

There's as many preferred cable lube brews as there are boaters. An old time aircraft mechanic I know shared his secret of a mixture of mouse milk and powdered graphite. As the solvent in the MM eventually evaporated the graphite continued to provide smooth cable operation. Same cable operating smoothly today, 10 years later!

I have to call BS on that! Just how do you go about milking a mouse.

Greetings,
Mr. jw. A statement like that is a challenge to me....stand back!
FARM SHOW - Milking Machine for Mice
HAH! Presto and with one finger tied behind my back.

PETA is not going to like this!

Greetings,
Mr .jw. PETA? People Eating Tasty Animals and I have a prime rib in the oven now. Should be ready about 16:00 hrs. NOT mouse ribs. The only good thing on a mouse is the shank (preferably hind shank).

RT Firefly said:

I have a prime rib in the oven now. Should be ready about 16:00 hrs.

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Eet mor chikin!

Don't worry, I am not going to report the Firefly but you need to be careful what you say on the Internet. I do like the idea of some grilled yardbird about now.

What did you go on the other end? Just put them in a bucket? I guess the fluid is spent after one pass down the cable.

Hey, mouse milk is difficult to obtain. Maybe that's why it works so well!