Published 2015
Rebuilding Choke Cable by Mike aka exit64
My choke cables were too short after years of being cut by previous owners. I was going to buy a new assembly but decided to see if mine could be repaired first. I'm glad I did as changing the cable and housings cost me a whopping $9.50 and two hours of time. Here's how I did it.
- Remove choke assembly from the radio console. Watch for the spacer that falls off when you pull the assembly out of the back of the console. About 1/8th in thick and tends to roll to a hard to reach spot.
- Remove the end of the assembly where the two cables exit. I did this by putting the choke assembly in a vise and gently working the end off with channel locks. It is swedged to the housing but can be slid off with very little effort. Once off, the choke slide can be pulled out the end of the housing. Don't pull it all the way out until you take a digital picture or make a drawing of how it all goes back together. Don't ask me how I know. Once you do that, pull the slide out the end of the assembly and push the square plate that holds cable out of the slide assembly.
- Cut the cable and remove from the housing.
- Go to the local bicycle shop and get a brake cable for a tandem bike. It is plenty long so if you fray the cable you can cut it shorter again and still have plenty to work with. Get new housing also. The cable should be the bigger size. 1.5 mm and I like the Shimano housing. A little bit more money but worth it in the long run. I know this from building and riding mountain bikes. Use a Dremel with a cut off wheel to cut the cable. Wrap the cable with masking tape and cut through the tape and the cable won't fray.
- Unscrew the old cables from the housing by turning them counter clock wise. Mine came right out but left the old plastic in the hole. I just drilled it out on the drill press. Cut the new housing to the right length and put them into the metal housing. If they are a bit loose that's OK they get glued into the housing. Stand housing on end in a vise with the cable housing sticking out and then use JB Weld quick set to glue them in place. The JB should go around the out side of the metal housing and around the cable housing about a half inch up. Then put a wrap of masking tape around the uncured JB Weld to hold it in place while it cures. Make for a nice neat look and the tape comes right off once the Weld is cured.
- Take the new cable and cut the metal ends off and then halve the cable and put each end into square metal plate with the two holes. There is will be a short side and a long side. Once you adjust the length, push the cable down flat to the square plate. Put the plate back in the slide assembly and pull the slide assembly all the way back into the choke assembly. This will leave some play in the cable when you put the end back on the choke assembly.
- Thread the cable ends into the new housings and push them through the being careful not to fray the ends. Now slide the end over the choke assembly. DO NOT kink the cable or it will not slide through its full range once reassembled. Once the end is on and working freely take an punch and swedge the end back onto the choke assembly. Reinstall in the car.
Hope this helps someone save some money and have a smoother choke set up.
Here are some pictures Rich Ravizza shared with me-for those visually inclined.
Thanks Rich!!!!
Sid asked how long the cables were for a 1600 and the 2000.
C.Costine replied. I measured the old ones from my '67 1600 at 30 and 36 inches.
Waiting for the 2000 measurements.