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Tach Cable Lube & Procedure

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Riviera Wish
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Tach Cable Lube & Procedure

Post by Riviera Wish » Sun May 01, 2016 7:32 pm

I have the tachometer cable out of my Riviera and would like some advice on the lube I should use on it after cleaning, and the recommended procedure for cleaning and lubing the cable. Various sources recommend lithium grease, graphite oil, wheel bearing grease, white grease, etc. Also have read that lube should NOT be used within 6 inches of the tachometer instrument. Tell me your stories!

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tkhersom
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Re: Tach Cable Lube & Procedure

Post by tkhersom » Mon May 02, 2016 5:45 am

I have never lubed a tach cable so I am just posting so that I can be notified when someone with knowledge chimes in. :?

If I were to do so without experience I would probably use some sort of spray lube like Tri-Flow. (it has a Teflon base and I would think it would work good. Maybe too thin.)
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
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jim g
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Re: Tach Cable Lube & Procedure

Post by jim g » Mon May 02, 2016 6:32 pm

Pull the inner cable out and clean it with brake clean and a rag. After its clean inspect the cable and make sure it flexes its entire length. Also inspect the outer housing. It should flex its entire length also.

For lube use good wheel bearing grease. I use Mystik® JT-6® Hi-Temp Grease. Put some on your fingers and apply it to the inner cable as you feed it back into the outer housing.

I've been doing tach and speedo cables in european sports cars and these wooden boats this way for 30 years. I haven't had one fail yet.

Riviera Wish
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Re: Tach Cable Lube & Procedure

Post by Riviera Wish » Mon May 02, 2016 9:55 pm

Subsequent to the original post I tried to remove the tach cable from the casing. It appears this can not be done without removing the tip at one end or the other. So, without opening a can of worms I will lube by injecting graphite oil into the casing and allow it to drain by gravity through the case unless there is something I'm missing (entirely possible).

jim g
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Re: Tach Cable Lube & Procedure

Post by jim g » Tue May 03, 2016 2:32 am

comes out from the gauge end.

Riviera Wish
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Re: Tach Cable Lube & Procedure

Post by Riviera Wish » Tue May 03, 2016 3:52 pm

OK Jim I got it. I was trying to remove the inner cable while the casing was coiled and the little 'tang' on the distributor end of the inner cable was getting hug-up on the end of the case. I was concerned that pulling too hard might do some damage. However, when I laid the case out straight on the garage floor the inner cable slipped right out. Thought I would post my mistake to potentially save others from the same mistake.

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