Periodic Cable Inspection
It is reviewing the cable tension, its wear and the firmness of the guides at regular intervals. In speed control installations the great majority of failures start not in the electronics but in this mechanical chain. The check takes a few minutes and catches calibration drift, increasing friction and an approaching failure early.
The checklist is short:
- Tension: is there slack in the cable while the engine is at idle? If an unresponsive band has formed over the first part of the potentiometer, the cable has stretched.
- Wear: look for frayed strands at the ends and in sharp bend areas; this is an early herald of failure.
- Sheath: check whether there is crushing, kinking or a mark of contact with a hot surface.
- Guides: a loosened strap or a guide that has moved out of place spoils the routing.
- Joint: is free play or binding felt at the connection point?
Do not apply grease to the cable; since the GS740 cable works with a low-friction inner liner it requires no lubrication, and grease makes matters worse by holding dust.
When the cable is replaced or the connection point is moved, the calibration becomes invalid. On the GS740-3P the memory must in that case be erased with the blue wire and the upper limit taught again.
Context in which this term is used: Electronic speed and throttle control on a diesel engine