Pressure lubricating a Max throttle cable

[MAX IV Mark]

Every time I go to start my Max in winter the throttle cable is frozen. I have a heated throttle cable but it takes about 20 min idling to get it free. I figured a good way to lube, purge the water and keep it from freezing.

I took a condiment squeeze bottle I had laying around and filled it with antifreeze. You could put your own mixture in it if you are worried about using antifreeze.


Removed the engine cover to get at the cable end. This engine is the 29 Kawasaki.


Loosen the screw and the nut and pull the cable off the engine. Then push the cable into the squeeze bottle.


Push tight against the outer cable housing and squeeze.


You will see the water purge out and then your lube. It only takes a couple of minutes to do this and would probably be faster if you have a friend work the throttle back and forth while you squeeze the bottle.


I probably have a least 100 new bottles like this laying around. I will give some to Jeff and Drew and we can give them out to whoever wants one.

[Mike]

Good write-up. Thanks for taking the time to post it for everyone. I promoted this to an article in our How-To Engine section here: Amphibious ATV Engine How-Tos

[msafi65]

I get about 7 months a year to test the heated cables and living them. This is a great idea and low pressure as a squeeze bottle works better than hi pressure. The metal ends that are crimped on to the cable sometimes leak at the punch holes where crimped. I've been passing a piece of 5/16 inch fuel hose over the entire connector and clamping to the plastic cover to stop leakage. You know you have it done when water and lube comes out of the lever. I used antifreeze for about 20 years and found it would get sticky with heat. All I'm using now is isopropal alcohol(red Heet).