Speedometer cable lube

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Apr 23, 2019 | 02:37 PM

casper1999

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Feb 2006

Posts: 922

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From: Monroe, WA

Speedometer cable lube

Just got a new speedometer cable/housing from Dennis Carpenter and I have a couple questions. The new cable housing is 7 inches longer than the old one but is listed for my application (51 F3). Also does the new core need to be removed from the new housing and lubed? It seems to have a very thin coating of oil but I don't know if that's a pre-lube or residue from manufacturing.

Apr 23, 2019 | 05:57 PM

pbsdaddy

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Joined: Feb 2015

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From: Central Delaware

Generally speaking, speedo cables are not "lubed", other than what you have already found. I have heard of people spraying powdered graphite into the cable housing, but I really don't think it is of any benefit. On the other hand, the cable drying out and rattling is the most common failure. But that can take several decades and kinda removes it from the areas of concern.
Seven inches is a lot of extra cable to have to deal with. I think you may want to send it back and re-order. This time, telling them the length of cable you need.

Apr 23, 2019 | 08:16 PM

raytasch

Believe Nothing

Joined: Jun 2004

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From: W. Central FL.

Graphite has always been the speedometer cable lubrication of choice AFAIK.

Apr 23, 2019 | 08:24 PM

bobbytnm

Roast em' if you got 'em

Joined: Mar 2005

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From: Rio Rancho, NM

Yeas ago I worked at a Cadillac dealership. When we had cars come in with noisy or bouncy speedo needles we'd pull the cable out of the housing and clean it up with carb or brake clean. Then we'd dip the tranny end of the cable into a tube of Lubriplate assembly lube and then push it back inside the cable housing and work it in and out while re-inserting it. It worked like a charm.

Bobby

Apr 24, 2019 | 12:07 AM

casper1999

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Feb 2006

Posts: 922

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From: Monroe, WA

Ok thanks guys, I'll do a test fit to see if the extra long cable housing will work and if so I'll pull the core back out and lube it like Bobby suggests. Thanks again.

Apr 24, 2019 | 03:50 AM

TitusDH

Senior User

Joined: Oct 2017

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From: Hamburg, Germany

….and here's one more vote for powdered graphite. Any liquid will solidify over the decades and gum the cable up. Mine sheared in half and the speedo was frozen too, as a result of some one putting oil into the cable probably sometime in the 60's......

IIRC, the right cable length would be 71 in.

Wil from Hamburg

Apr 25, 2019 | 03:21 PM

casper1999

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Feb 2006

Posts: 922

Likes: 80

From: Monroe, WA

UPDATE: The speedometer works!!! The extra length turned out to be a non-issue. I used grafite to lube the cable,put it all back together and success! It reads 5mph off, 30 showing/25 actual, but the needle operates smoothly. Thanks to all for your help.