Topic: Throttle Cable Problems?

[gnardoe]

Hello everyone!

First post here, but like a lot of other people before me I've been lurking around for some time now.
Well first and foremost, I bought a 1973 Honda CB350 Four in September. She's been treating me splendidly and after two years of not owning a bike due to injuries, it feels so good to finally be on the road again!

Unfortunately she's having some issues regarding the throttle cables. She had a lot of play at one point, that when I would close the throttle all the way (even in 3rd and 4th gear) she would just die on me? I'm not sure if that was because of the cables but I researched on adjusting them and tried doing it myself.

So she didn't have as much play and was riding good for about two weeks. Then a couple nights ago when I was heading home, the cable popped off the lever when riding. So I took off the tank and I guess the nut just loosened up from the vibrations of riding and snapped off. The cable was still in one piece it just wasn't in correctly.

So after tightening it again she was riding fine, then when I reached 5th gear and opened the throttle completely, she died on me again (just like what happened in the very beginning).

I pushed her home and when I popped the tank off the cable was still attached. When I close the throttle all the way, the throttle cable lifts up and isn't attached on the lever anymore. Then when I open the throttle, the push cable comes off the lever. Is that a big issue? I'm assuming that since the cables aren't on the throttle, then there isn't any power going to the engine? Also, the push cable only fully goes back to the lever when I let go of the throttle quickly. However if I were to slow down and ease of the throttle, the push cable gets stuck and doesn't attach to the lever unless I close it fully (making the throttle cable ease off the lever)

Today I bought some lube (liquid wrench chain lube) because the cables were a little sticky but it didn't really help too much. Do I just need new cables? Am I adjusting them incorrectly?

Thanks again guys! And I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

[Vinhead1957]

New cables are always nice but be careful with routing for smooth operation. Replace one at a time.

[martin99]

If it's likely those cables are 40 years old then I would definitely replace them. If you can't adjust the slack out, they are almost certainly stretched. The strands tend to get brittle and break inside the inner and get snagged up, which is probably why lube isn't helping much.