What's the correct lube to use on a speedometer cable? Checked my manual and it doesn't give me a clue.....

Suggestions? Thanks!

 

Lithium.

Or no..... wait

that's for my bi-polar disease.......

.... but I think they make a battery out of it to... or is that silicon???

Yea... yea... white lithium grease!!!

You got a problem with that?!?!?!

Oooooohhh... I'm sorry

Did I scare you? :lala:

..... speaking of lithium pills.



Seriously, white lithium grease works well.

 

i suppose it dosnt really matter.

I guess automatic transmission fluid would be the most correct.

Some people i know take powdered graphite and dilute it with rubbing alcohol. Then they pour it down the speedo cable, the alcohol will evaporate and leave the graphite behind.

I suppose either will work. The graphite will stay around a little longer i guess.

 

Molly grease, has graphite in it, is good in low and high temps and helps prevent corrosion.

 

yeah, but how are you going to get grease down into the speedo tube?

 

Uhhhh, they make special fittings just for lubing speedo cables. thats how.

 

where do you get them?

 

Well, Eastwood for one and some of the "better" auto parts stores.

 

You pull the center out, clean it in solvent, and smear the grease on it as you put it back in.

 

About 5-7 years ago I pulled the cable out to lube it and at that time I used wheel bearing grease. Looking back at it now I don't think it was a good choice.....

The other day I had to pull my IP gauge cluster out and for grins I pulled the cable out since my speedo's been 'glitching' on occasion. When I did I found the cable to be pretty dry, so I cleaned the cable with some Chemtool- but I didn't want to use the wheel bearing grease again, hence my question

 

yeah, i personally dont think grease is a great choice.

Remember the speedo cable connects directly to the trans. If you smear all kinds of grease on it, you're certainly going to get grease into the trans.

Thats why i suggested atf as being the most "correct". But whatever makes you feel best i suppose.

 

I would think tho that ATF- after some time- would work it's way down the cable housing and drain either into the tranny (I would think the speedo gear seal would prevent that though) or seep out around where the housing screws onto the speedo gear housing. Either way you'd wind up having to relube the cable after about 6 months....

 

RB made an excellent point. It's important to clean the cable of all contaminants than the type of lubricant. Flushing the housing with an evaporative solvent might also be a good idea, or you'll miss half of the contamination. That might be more important than the type of lubricant.

However, I also have an opinion of that (surprise!). I wouldn't use grease of any kind. Once the oil in the grease dries up, all you have is wax (parafin), soap, metallic solids (like molybdneum, lithium, zinc) and everything that the oil in a grease is supposed to keep in suspension and distribute evenly. Yes, grease really never wears out, it just dries up or gets contaminated or washed away.

But, I digress. The solids from the grease will eventually cause the same kind of problems you are now likely experiencing. Beyond that, grease wouldn't work for me since it probably would be more like concrete at -35°F. I'd use white or gray graphite. ATF would work, but will also drain/dry up, since the ends of the cable sheathing itself are NOT intended to seal the housing oiltight. If you have ATF in your cable when you remove it, it's most likely because you have bad 'O' rings in the speedo gear thimble/shaft.

 

Ok, so if I have to use ANY lube it should be graphite powder. And if the housing is cleaned out then I'd be able to run without any sort of lubricant?

 

You should clean out the cable housing and clean the surface of the cable. You'll also need some kind of lubricant or you'll be buying a new cable - hopefully with lubricant.

I'd use graphite, since that's the only lubricant I've ever seen advertised specifically for Bowden cables (and locks). Wire rope is a different story, and it usually gets grease. But whatever you do, use something. If you live in a warmer climate, you might be able to get away with grease. You might try calling a dealership service department or check a factory (Helms) service manual for the correct lubricant. The only manual that I have that even addreses the question is for my former 1967 Firebird, and it suggests graphite. Things change, so a call couldn't hurt.

 

Ah ok. In that case it sounds like a trip to the dealer is in order, as my manual doesn't give me a clue as to what to use. Besides, if it turns out that I need to use powdered graphite I'd have to get it from the dealer as I doubt I'll be able to buy powdered graphite in such quantity at the local parts store for what I want (I doubt they'd have any powered graphite other than what comes in those small tubes for locks- I think I'd have to buy about a dozen of those to get me started on this....)

P.S. - Is that what I'm running, a Bowden cable? How can I tell the difference between a Bowden cable and a wire rope cable?