A word on carbon build up, and rusted brake cables

[jeepmaned]

So my project 85 spree, which has sat here in rain infested Oregon, for 10+ years, would not rev up. After eliminating carb and other stuff, started to tear it apart, that's when I pulled the head, and was looking down the cylinder at what looked like a black rubber or ceramic oval near the bottom of the stroke. At first I saw what looked like a chip broke off of it, and then I realized that the exhaust went that way. It was completely filled with carbon deposits, and about a 2% gap left for the exhaust to go. So, before I tore it all down, I stuck it back together to see the difference...and I don't have to tell anyone exactly what that was. Now my tech question. Has anyone ever been successfull getting frozen brake cables unfroze?
I have three between to bikes that are solid froze. Tried heat, wd40, and pebb blast. Whacking it against the cement, massaging them....nothing. Martynkim, I will send you pm. I need fornt and rear 85 spree, and front for 88 elite.

[ute]

old school trick ..take a car battery hook positive on inner cable and just touch neg on outer steel casing

should be a spark and whoomp , should be free

PLEASE BE CAREFUL doing this it will arc

[jeepmaned]

I'm on it

[patthesoundguy]

old school trick ..take a car battery hook positive on inner cable and just touch neg on outer steel casing

should be a spark and whoomp , should be free

PLEASE BE CAREFUL doing this it will arc

OK that sounds a little bit scary but something tells me it works

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[patthesoundguy]

Honda still has spree front brake cables for spree i think, cause i managd to get one last may, and Taz has rear spree brake cables I think, he may even have front too not sure.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[jeepmaned]

Well it was fun trying, but didn't help. A word of caution though for anyone trying. If you plan on using the battery thats currently in your vehicle, disconnect one side from your vehicle, so you do not short out your computor or anything else.
I seen Taz's and may get one come payday. I did manage to get one working so, I can ride when taz's fuel pump gets here.

[ute]

oh yes to that !

we always used a fully charged spare battery

no luck ? they must be really seized ( a large area of rust ) , this is a great trick when you need to safety a car that has seized brake cables

[maddog]

Its not cable but the the brake cam, pull it out, sand and lube it

[jeepmaned]

I pulled the cable from the cam first thing, process of elimination. I also removed the cable before hooking up to a battery. I didn't want to melt anything. BTW I held the battery cables on for about 5 to 10 seconds until smoke came out of the sheath, and not sure how hot to get it. Seems the cable hubs are made of pot metal or aluminum, and wasn't wanting them distorted or melt onto the cable itself.

[ute]

sounds correct ...just a shot 5 sec about right , yes smoke spark arc all correct ( it is supposed to "short" where the rusted area is )

its a one shot deal , so if it does not work no point in doing it again

Time for new cables