Fixed my clock
 

Since tonight is probably the last night I'll have for a while to hang out in the shop, the wife was good enough to let me go and putter.

Being that sometimes I'm pretty cheap, I just couldn't pay the $75-$80 (or however much it is) for the conversion to a quartz movement to fix my clock. So I took one of the old factory dash clocks I had laying around and took the back off of it.

To make a long story short, I ended up cleaning it with brake cleaner (the movement) and then lubricating it with Tri-Flow, a teflon tri-lubricant in a spray can (kind of like WD40, but better). Hooked it to the battery I have in the shop and POOF! it worked. Leaving nothing to chance... I did the same thing to 6 other clocks I had in the shop (yes, I have a spare parts collection :o). I fixed all 6 of them. They're in the shop right now, hooked up to the battery,ticking away.

So, before you spend good money for something you can fix for pennies.... what have you got to lose? If your factory dash clock is not working, give it a shot.

-r-

I had one in my 1963 GP, sprayed it with WD-40 to clean the gunk out. After that it ran very fast, like 1 hour every 10 minutes or so.

I use to fix the the real cheap way, pull the bulb out and spray WD-40 in it!

Sometimes you do have to remove the clock and file the points.

Like Ron said, most clocks will run if you clean them.

i just wanted to know if all of this was done while listineng to "Dark Side of the Moon"

Another thing that happens to them is the contact where it reloads the spring burns through & gets a little hole in it. Looks to me like you could put a bead of solder there & fix it if that happens.

I bet you don't need one of those mouse repelling clickers with all those clocks clicking every few minutes.

Got to keep the Loonies on the path!

Putting a new movement in an old clock and removing the click is like using a Dodge cat whine hi torque starter.. I removes the personality from the car....
One of the first thing I use to do with all my Pontiac's was clean the clocks out to get them working...

I have a working clock but the minute hand is broken.
Any ideas for a fix / replacement ?? They are made of very delicate brass....:(

Texas Prix, interesting choice of user name.

That's what my White 65 was until I liberated it!

Welcome to the forums.

Mike

Texasprix,

What year? I have a few extra if the hand is the correct style.

BTW, the clock gained about 10 minutes in the past 4 days, but I don't really care. I have to agree with Jeff, I like the personality....

-r-

FWIW in regards tio the clock's gaining time. They're supposed to self regulate when they're adjusted to the proper time.

I've done several over the years and they've all done this.

File the points, lube them up sparingly and they'll work for years.

Wow, what a great advice!
After having my 65 Cat now for almost 6 years without a running clock, always thinking i would have to go for a change to quarz or costly rebuilt, i remembered this thread today...less than 1 hour work - cleaning clockwork, sanding the points carefully and lubricating everything with WD40 - the clock ticks away like it has never done anything else...QED again: what a great forum!

Helge

dont forget there is a specific adjustment process for those to get them in sync
I dont have my manual with me right now, its simple but not what you would expect
the adjustment is in MOTORS manual as well.

I would caution that filing or sanding the points may be a temporary fix - they were originally plated, and if you remove that plating it may cause them to arc and ultimately stick, which can burn out the movement.

I should have clarified in the above post re filing the points ONLY do that if needed. If they're not burnt leave them alone.

Mike

clock question
 

Hey '64catdroptop,
How do you remove the clock in a '64 to clean it up? from behind the dash? A friend has a '64 Caddy, the bezel rotates a 1/4 turn, and is removed from the front. it doesn't look as though my '64 Bonneville's clock is removed from the front. Any tips on damage-free removal?
thanks.

Cruz64,

My clock is in the gauge cluster in the dash, but most are held in by a "U" bracket from behind. A 7/16 or 3/8 socket on a 1/4" ratchet will remove the nut and the clock will come out from the front. Then you can remove the lights and power lead.

The easiest way is to remove the dash pad: remove the A pillar covers, remove the 6 chrome screw on the chrome section just behind the pad, pull the pad out and disconnect the speaker wire.

-r-

thanks for the help, I will have to give it a try. didn't think it would be simple!

On my '65 Grand Prix I removed the radio and the glove box (the cardboard interior, not the door) to get enough room to reach behind the dash to get to the clock. The glove box comes out easy with a stubby screwdriver, then the radio is fairly easy after that (take off the knobs and unfasten the retaining nuts, then there's a support bracket on the back along with the antenna and speaker wires.) Then as mentioned, remove the U-bracket on the back of the clock. You can probably do it without removing the radio if your hands are skinny. :)

Another clock is working. Thanks Ron. After cleaning a lubing and cleaning and lubing and cleaning and lubing. Well at least an hour of such, mine works. :) It kept getting stuck. Before I retired for the night I checked it one more time and it was spot on.
Yea for the py tech forums. :)

patrick

I have fixed several clocks and it seems all run a bit fast, about 10-15 minutes per day. Every time I get in the car I have to re-set the clock. Seeing that second hand in motion and hearing the "click" ever 90 seconds or so is a good feeling. I picked up a buddy at the airport one time who hadn't ever been in the car and within 5 minutes he said, "Wow, the clock even works!"

Someone mentioned a procedure for calibration.
I'd love to know how to do it.

I thought that after you set it a few times that was supposes to calibrate itself.
http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/article...Old_Car_Clock/

Pretty good article in Old Cars Weekly- thanks. I would quibble, however, with it mentioning only one mechanism for speed control (varying wind-length of main spring). I believe that most automotive clocks use the same scheme as other timepieces- that is, moving the anchor point (and thus the average tension) of the balance wheel spring. All that I've worked on have been this way, such as the Borg I just finished for my '59 GMC.

To adjust the speed you are to pull the stem out hard and turn the clock backwards to slow, and forward to speed it up. There is a plastic wheel at the end of the stem that contacts a metal wheel that is connected to the adjustment mechanism. It only turns when the stem is pulled out all the way out. The problem is, that the plastic wheel gets hard and wears smooth over time, and will not always turn the metal wheel. Also the adjustment is very sensitive. It can be adjusted manually, but will take some patience.

Don't bother with that.
I'm sure I have one. I have a bunch of clock parts here.
What year is the clock?
Is it for the six-foe?

MOJO....you're the man!!! Thanks!

It's a 64....while I'm at it, do you happen to have a lens, as well for sale? Mine, like most, has a crack from the stem that runs across the front.

Once again, many thanks.

Vince

I have the second hand for you but no the lense.
The set of '64 gauges I had also had a crack in the clock lense.
Most are like that I guess.

Anyway, PM me your address and I'll drop this in the mail for you.

I understand this is an older thread, but there was some great info in this thread and I still have a couple of questions...

I took one apart and cleaned it to get it working yesterday. I used some 'Light Lube Cleaner" that we used to use on old mechanical machines at work. The clock started working immediately. I have two issues though. The carbon or graphite material on the solenoid side has crumbled and turned to dust, and I cannot get the handle off of the stem that is used to adjust the time. If I could get the handle off, then I could polish the lens or even replace it.

Any body know where to get the material for the points? I reassembled the clock and hooked it to a 12V source. It works well, but sometimes it doesn't self wind. As soon as I pull out and turn the adjuster, you hear the solenoid fire and the clock starts working again. When I had the clock apart, it would run fine as long as I kept moving the winder back to it's starting position.

These photos are as I took it apart. It is much cleaner now.

http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/w...s/100_0265.jpg
http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/w...s/100_0266.jpg

The knob is threaded on the shaft. You have to hold the shaft someplace with a needle nose pliers and unscrew the knob. It has to be pretty tight so it won't unscrew when you adjust the time in the reverse direction.

Can't help with the contact material, but I have been told that silver solder will work much better than regular solder because it is much harder. I have used silver solder on contacts that draw very little current, and it has held up well. But have not tried it on high current points.

Maybe you can grab a set of ignition points at the parts store and rob those for the clock (?) then use some 2-stage epoxy to glue to the clock points.

-r-

I tried to hold the shaft and unscrew, but it wouldn't break loose. I didn't know for sure if the knob came off or the brass gear came off. Now I know. Thanks.

As for the ign points, that was actually a thought in my head. I thought they might be too large, though. I guess I could cut them down.

I don't know what "carbon or graphite material" you're referring to. The winding solenoid's contact points are typically an extremely hard metal (tungsten, etc.)- same as contact points in an ignition system, and can usually be put back into shape by filing and cleaning.

Is anyone reading this thread enough of a watchmaker to know which long-term results are better: leaving the mechanism totally clean and dry or lightly lubing shaft bores and gear teeth?

I tried cleaning up a clock I had laying around and wasn't so lucky. I might try it again though. Sometimes, I have to do things the hard way to get 'em figured out. I did do the cleaning and lubed, but no love when I connected it to a battery. Points looked good too. Maybe the 2nd or 3rd time's the charm for me. :P

Same result for me on the '63. Does not look dirty on mine looks like it should work. I am going to try again when I remove radio. Worked for a while if I snapped the knob in or tapped on it.

Just an FYI... a proper cleaning/lubing and just a little help on the flywheel and the clock will run without power. You just have to keep rewinding it. I had rewound mine and tried to get the flywheel turning, ut it would stop. Once I cleaned and lubed it, it started on it's own (since it was rewound).

Was working on a clock today and discovered something. I was unable to adjust time & either I or some previous person had stripped the plastic gear. I got the clock working, but it could not be set. The other one I had and was working with had a broken points set & was missing a part (second hand would not go even when clock was running), so I used it as a roadmap b/c I needed the plastic gear from it. What I found out was that there are rubber grommets on the 3 studs that hold the face side of the assembly together. Remove 2nd hand and face & you can access these, remove spring clips and get to the setting gears without disturbing mainspring section of the movement. These grommets have petrified and turned to amber over time. This has locked the plastic gear in place so that it can not move. I believe that this is tied into the main movement & may or may not bind it up. Got everything repaired and replaced but these rubber grommets which by spring action hold it all together. Might be able to use a small O ring or piece of rubber tube. Will check Rest Specialties to see if they have them.

Anyway, if cleaning or points repair wont fix it, this may be your problem. If it feels tight when you try to set the clock, leave it be or it will strip the gear due to petrified rubber.