Throttle control stiff

[Roccus]

Does anybody have any experience with stiff throttle/shift controls on a Mercury. Mines a Mercury 25 only about three years old with little use. When I got it last year from the one previous owner the control box was stiff and has gotten stiffer to shift and apply throttle. The tension control is backed all the way off. Last night I disconnected the cables at the motor and it was still stiff, so it is in the control box or cables. It's always been kept indoors by myself and the previous owner, so I have trouble believing that the cables have stiffened up this soon. I guess I'll have to open up the control box to look inside and disconnect the box end of the cables to check them. Anyone have any experience or pointers?

 

[jon the fisherman]

I took mine out and poured graphite in it to make it easier. I first took ether and sprayed it through the cable to clean it out, the I put the graphite in, and topped off each end with white lithium grease to seal it up.

If you take them out, might just as well price some new ones just in case

 

[Roccus]

Thanks Jon. I may try what you said about the cables yet. I took the control box apart this afternoon to see if it was the box or the cables. The cables are a little stiff. I lubed them at both ends just for good measure. How did you get anything to go down the cable to clean it out? I thought about using tape to form a seal around the cable for spray lube. The main problem turned out to be a cam inside the box which had evidently not been assembled properly from the factory. The screws didn't show any sign of having been removed since it left the factory. That leads me to think this. The box had been tightened down with the cam slightly out of place and it was binding. Now the throttle is better and I have a fast idle control that works properly. I couldn't help but notice the big sticker on the box that says assembled in Mexico. It's the same story with so many foreign assembled or produced products these days. Thanks for the reply. All's well here for now.

 

[1309tam]

You will need to buy a new cable, if it's been sitting and not used for awhile that hurts them worse then anything. You can try anything but you'll end up buying a new cable. Thanks