I am working on getting this new to me 1985 Johnson 120hp. While the motor seems to run just fine, it feels like the throttle and shifting is stiff and the response at the controls seems sluggish.

I think my cables may need to be replaced or lubed but I am wondering about all this grease that has been sprayed on the linkages. It seems like white lithium grease but it's crusty and not very "lubey".

Can I clean this off and redo it with fresh and more targeted grease or is that a no-no?

What should I use to lube this area?