Someone Who Knows About Cars - HELP!

[glatt]

Originally Posted by tw

Cables typically use a plastic sheath that is self lubricating. Some lubricating oils actually act like sand on those self lubricating plastics. Generally I might touch a dab of water resistant grease where the cable enters it sheath. Just to keep water out. But for the most part, a best solution is to do nothing. To not contaminate that self lubricating plastic.

The cable to the dead man's handle on my lawnmower broke on Saturday. It had been sticking in the previous season so the lawnmower wouldn't shut off when you let go of the handle. No way to remove the cable and clean it. But I did try cleaning the inch or two exposed portion the best I could, and I shit you not, spraying WD-40 on the exposed cable. The WD-40 loosened it up so that it worked again. But then after a year or so, the cable snapped over this past weekend. Couldn't start the mower. So I got some "bailing wire" and manually clamped the throttle open so that the safety system was bypassed and the lawnmower, once started, could only be shut off by taking the wire off the spark plug. Works great now.

I debated keeping it that way forever, but I've already placed an order with Toro for a replacement cable. Don't want to get in trouble if someone cuts off a hand.