Outboard shifter / accelerator control cables

[Brian D]

Anyone know the anatomy of these cables? My shifter cable has a cut in the outer gray sleeve. The internal steel wires are rusted. However, I can see another sleeve inside. I am wondering if the outside sleeve is just a reinforcement sleeve.

Anyone know for sure? Thanks

 

[caguy]

Mine had a teflon like sleeve inside. Where is the rust coming from. Is there a boot on the end? If its just the outter slieeve I would just tape up or put some shrink sleeving on it.

 

[Joe]

Anyone know the anatomy of these cables? My shifter cable has a cut in the outer gray sleeve. The internal steel wires are rusted. However, I can see another sleeve inside. I am wondering if the outside sleeve is just a reinforcement sleeve.

Anyone know for sure? Thanks

Time to replace... you can't fix those things and still get them to work smoothly. Take it off and go match it up at your local chandlery.... You'll be surprised at how much better it will be.

 

[caguy]

If you need to replace check out Ebay.

 

[Brian D]

The rust is just the outer strands. The inner liner looks intact so I am happy with that. I do it is time to replace, but in the mean time I sure would like to get out on the water. LOL. I see on ebay Teleflex control cables. I guess they are as good as the ones that Yamaha sells. They are cheaper that is for sure. LOL

 

[FourPoints]

Teleflex makes top quality cables, and your local WM can order any Teleflex cable you need if you are having trouble finding it elsewhere.

You can get a little extra life out of them by working a light weight (spray) lithium grease into the end of the cable while it is extended, and then retracting the cable and extending it until the grease gets worked in. Do that about 100 or so times (it helps to have the end elevated as well to let the grease work into the cable) and they will free up enough to be workable for a bit, but it's only a short term solution, Once they start to rust or get tight, they need replaced as part of your next maintenance project.

 

[Chris Patterson]

A trick I've used for years on older cables I didn't want to replace, or just a basic servicing is: Cut the bottom corner out of a zip-loc bag, just big enough to slip the cable into. Tape or tie-wrap the bag as tightly as you can around it, so that the cable is in the bag. Fill the bag with a light oil, seal the top, and gently squeeze the bag. You can still work the inner part of the cable up and down in the bag as you do this, and it'll give you some "positive" pressure on the oil, "injecting" it down through the cable.
Now I rarely get the bag sealed 100% around the cable housing, and sometimes it'll end up looking like the Exxon Valdez has just wrecked in the cockpit, so keep some rags handy. Maybe a bed sheet. You'll cuss me for this, but it does work..

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

As a former dealer, many have suggested replacing and that is the best advice sir. Freeing up a cable is only short term and you do not have the equipment to internally check the cables out. As for teleflex, they pretty much make alot of cables for everyone. Generally depending on the application, it is a series 3300 cables but you will need to know the length. Therefore, remove the old ones and that will tell you how long generally unless you find them looped alot which means that they were replaced before by someone not paying attention to length. I would also check for water leaks as well too if they have been replaced unless exposed on the outside for the outboard motors.

crazy dave condon

 

[Brian D]

Replaced the cable with an OEM Yamaha MAR 13 GY cable. Decide to go with OEM just so I would have a good warm and fuzzy. After putting on the cable and testing, I found the shifting function to be very smooth compared to the old worn out cable.

Thanks for everyone's advice.