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Cable lubrication

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by joejr2, May 12, 2016.

  1. joejr2

    joejr2 Active Member Premium Member

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    Does anyone have a good hack for lubing cables? I follow the manual and make a funnel
    from a piece of plastic a rubber band and a small hose clamp at the ferrule. The funnel
    holds the oil ok ( 50/50 mix marvel mystery and wd 40) but, the oil level never seems to go down,
    Never mind running out the other end. Is the oil really going down the inside space between the
    tube wall and the cable ?
     
  2. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    Use motor oil. Unhook both ends and move the wire in/out a few times. It takes over night.
    Keep a rag under the lower end
     
  3. DrewUth

    DrewUth Active Member

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    Buy the tool. The ones with two thumb screws (shown) are better than the ones with only one. Work great, can hook a can of whatever lube you like and use its pressure to blow the crud out and new lube in. For stubborn cables, I hit 'em with PB Blaster first, then lube second once they are clear.

    08-0182.jpg
     
    k-moe likes this.
  4. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    use a shop vac on the other end of the cable,
    also the tool above is a great buy I got mine from dealership with a can of lube for 18$ alittle pricey but it becomes a real quick job with it
     
  5. joejr2

    joejr2 Active Member Premium Member

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    You must have built a "young Tom Edison" gizmo to connect the shop vac to the oposite end of the clutch cable tube.
     
  6. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    just a crevice tool and some gorrilla tape, you can use a small pvc pipe
     
  7. joejr2

    joejr2 Active Member Premium Member

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    I found a set of adapters at harbor freight. I hooked the step down system to the hose from a mini shop vac and the
    other end to a clear 3/8" id flexible plastic tube, wrapped the threaded end of the clutch cable with a strip of duct tape
    until it was 3/8 od then slipped the tubing over the duct tape and clamped it . At the top I wrapped more tape and slipped about
    3" of tubing over it and clamped that. I hung the cable vertically and poured the top tube 2" full of marvel mystery oil
    and turn on the vac. After 2 hours nothing happened the oil level on top didn't go down a bit. So, I pulled the tape and tubing and stuff off the cable,
    tied it into a flat coil and laid it flat in an oil drain pan into a mix of motor oil, tranny fluid and kerosene and left it. A few hour later
    I pulled it out and jerked the ends back and forth. This time the cable moved easily inside it's jacket. I don't know how far the
    lube mix made it into the jacket but I might just call it good enough.
     
  8. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    sounds like it was rusted closed inside the housing. try the vac now it should draw the lube through, also I would work it into the budget to replace or have on hand a new cable,
     

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