Originally Posted by 280EZRider

W123 cables are a sealed unit; you can't pull the cable out of the housing.

In the past, I've used 90w gear oil. Insert it at the top of cable and wait. It's a slow process for the oil to run down the length of the cable. This is a TEMPORARY fix only. Eventually the cable will break. (The last time I replaced mine, I found the dealer's price of an OE slightly less than an on-line aftermarket part).