Speedometer cable lubrication

[mbflemingkf]

Has anyone had much success lubricating a speedo cable (in my case on a 54 K) from the top end (i.e. inside the car) after disconnecting from the speedometer vs. removing the entire speedo cable and lubricating the cable away from the car ?

I know the "best" way to do it, but would like to save myself all the time and trouble if'n it can be lubed "top side."  Experience, opinions?   

Thanks, Mike

[boatingbill]

On my '51 Kaiser, I pulled the housing with the cable in it through the firewall into the engine
area. I lubed the cable by pouring 3in1 oil into the housing. I came back 15 min later and lubed
in again. !5 minutes later I put the housing and cable back on the speedometer. That was about
a year ago and it still works fine. Also, I oiled the wick on the back of the speedo through a little
hole below where the housing screws onto the speedo.

[aeroj]

Ive used sewing machine oil..

[dpledger]

Pulling the cable head through the firewall and pouring lubricant through is as good a way as any to do it. I have always used graphite in carrier solution, as this persists better than grease and seems to work at least as well. One can get this product as an aerosol-there used to be an oilcan type dispenser, but haven't seen that of late.

This works well for vent cables etc as well. For the smaller ones where room to insert the lubricant is limited, a hypo needle works very well.

[mbflemingkf]

Guys, thanks for all the suggestions and assistance and also to Jim Lape for his e-mail on the process.  Tackled the little project tonight with success.  On  the 54K, you have to drop the lower portion of the dash to get the speedometer housing out far enough to lube the back.  Pulling the cable/housing through the firewall was definitely the way to do it.  I just kept filling the housing with light weight sewing machine oil until it would take no more!!  Whole project took about 1.5 hours including a short spin thru the neighborhood...no noises!!!   Life is good.