[macojoe]

Buy the looks of the pic's you have a few problems!!

1 the white cap has a plastic sleeve on it to protect the cable gear and keep it clean, Yours is missing!

2 You have a bit of rust at the tube site

3 that thing looks like it hasn't seen grease in a long time!!

It's all about maintains!! You to get that cable out of the tube!!
This is going to mean losing the motor on the transom and pushing it over to one side to have room to get the cable out.

After that spray the tube and bet a wire pipe cleaner and ream that tube till its clean!

Clean and scotch brite the cable, re grease it and insert into the hole.

Most motors have a grease fitting on the pivot so you can grease them from time to time, if not take the nut off the tube on the end were the steering cable connects to the linkage.

Go to marine store and buy the nut that fits there with a grease fitting on it, now install the new not and you will be able to grease all the time!

In the winter grease well, turn a few times and then leave the motor turned so that the cable is all the way inside the tube.
This will protect it from the weather and hopefully you will be worry free in the spring!

You maybe able to get it lose with out all that work, but you will have the same problem later! Best to get it done the right way now and not worry about it anymore!!