Hood release cable pita

I'm cleaning up some loose ends on my 2001 in preparation for our big road trip this summer.

I've had a long, on-going issue with the hood release sticking and not popping the hood. PITA

Today I replaced the bellcrank and the the return spring.

The cable is newish... within six months or so.

The latches on the vehicle side are known good working units off one of my parts Jeeps. In fact, just swapped them back and forth a few times to confirm that they work.

Anyway, the hood release never returns to "unreleased". I pulled the cable out of the Jeep and it's hanging from the bellcrank on the hood, keeping the cable as straight as possible it still won't return. PITA

In the last 12 years of owning one of these Jeeps I've never oiled the inside of the cable... it seems like there is very mild resistance.

Should I lube it or is it going to absorb crap and get stiff if I do that? New cable? Is there a difference between OEM and NAPA parts for these cables? Cable I have is NAPA sourced.

Hood pins...

There is a gizmo at many motorcycle shops to help lube the cable. I made my own mix, half graphite and half 5 weight synthetic motor oil. Mine is something like this, www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/946/8894/Tusk-Cable-Luber-with-Champions-Choice-Cable-Lube, but way older and different (mine has a zirk fitting).

I've just always squirted some WD40 in them when they get stiff. Never had an issue doing so...

I figured I would update/ close out this thread.

I ordered a new hood release cable from TeamCherokee.com the day after I posted this thread and finally got around to installing it this weekend (Jeep is on blocks for other mods).

The new cable works smoothly without any internal binding or internal resistance. I have a feeling it is an OEM/ NOS part versus the knockoff I got at NAPA. The rubber boot that goes at the firewall is larger, stiffer and seals better and the grommet thing that interfaces with the bell crank is a solid snap connection. On the old cable I had to use a zip tie to keep it from popping off the bell crank.

So, small victories, I now have a hood release that works like show room condition. Probably added 5 horsepower also.