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My clock ain't workin'. It's getting power. I've heard some folks say, "leave it out in the sun - it needs to get warmed up. the inner workings get gummed up...".... Which may be true, and this car sat for a few years before I recently bought it. But thinking I should open it up, clean, etc. to get it operational full time.
How do you open it up? It looks like the black metal/tin trim has 4 indentations at the corners.... Is that all I need to do to get the back cover off?
My clock ain't workin'. It's getting power. I've heard some folks say, "leave it out in the sun - it needs to get warmed up. the inner workings get gummed up...".... Which may be true, and this car sat for a few years before I recently bought it. But thinking I should open it up, clean, etc. to get it operational full time.
How do you open it up? It looks like the black metal/tin trim has 4 indentations at the corners.... Is that all I need to do to get the back cover off?
Thank you.
Jay
I got that black rectangular trim off ...but can't open the back of the clock to inspect/repair. Thoughts?
There are two common conditions that affect our old clocks. One is the gumminess in the mechanism that you referenced. The other is a failure of the winding circuit.
The clock winds mechanically, powered by an electromagnet. When the clock spring needs winding, a set of electrical points close and the electromagnet is energized to give it a wind. The points open when the wind pulse is complete.
If the car was ever left for a while without charging the battery, the points can weld together.
Here's how it happens... As the battery loses voltage, there comes a time when the points close and there's not enough voltage to create the wind. The points stay closed and the battery's remaining current keeps flowing and welds the points together.
In that case, the points need to be separated. You'd use a point file to renew the surface.
If all else fails contact John at Redline Guage and Clock Repair (731) 571-0766. John, being a very personable business man, has restored several gauges for me and has answered all of my questions. Pictures of recent 70 442 gauges
that he restored attached….
There are two common conditions that affect our old clocks. One is the gumminess in the mechanism that you referenced. The other is a failure of the winding circuit.
The clock winds mechanically, powered by an electromagnet. When the clock spring needs winding, a set of electrical points close and the electromagnet is energized to give it a wind. The points open when the wind pulse is complete.
If the car was ever left for a while without charging the battery, the points can weld together.
Here's how it happens... As the battery loses voltage, there comes a time when the points close and there's not enough voltage to create the wind. The points stay closed and the battery's remaining current keeps flowing and welds the points together.
In that case, the points need to be separated. You'd use a point file to renew the surface.
Sorry, I'm not sure how to open that case either.
Great inputs. Thank you. I had an epiphany today and slid the back casing to the side and all four tabs of the clock released. Then I had to do a bit of gentle prying to get the other parts of the 4 corners released and ...voila. Now she's apart and I can start looking for culprits. Thanks again.
A can of computer duster can blow out any dirt and crud in the clockworks. Then a tiny drop of the lightest weight oil you can find to lubricate it. Not 3-in-1. WD40 applied with a toothpick will do in a pinch but use sparingly. I use Hammond organ tonewheel oil but I realize not everyone has a Hammond laying around.
As Gary pointed out you may have to separate the points and file and burnish them. Then connect power and ground to the clock and see if it will start.
Points close and energize a solenoid. Solenoid "kicks" the winding mechanism, and clock will start ticking and winding down. When it has wound down the points close and the cycle repeats.
The "tunk" you hear every few minutes is the points and solenoid winding the clock. Simple and elegant but not meant to last! Owner's manual recommends having the clock cleaned and oiled every two years by a competent clock service man. How often you think that actually happened, especially as hard as some clocks were to access?
If all else fails contact John at Redline Guage and Clock Repair (731) 571-0766. John, being a very personable business man, has restored several gauges for me and has answered all of my questions. Pictures of recent 70 442 gauges
that he restored attached….
Thank you. If I can't get her back going, I'll reach out.
A can of computer duster can blow out any dirt and crud in the clockworks. Then a tiny drop of the lightest weight oil you can find to lubricate it. Not 3-in-1. WD40 applied with a toothpick will do in a pinch but use sparingly. I use Hammond organ tonewheel oil but I realize not everyone has a Hammond laying around.
As Gary pointed out you may have to separate the points and file and burnish them. Then connect power and ground to the clock and see if it will start.
Points close and energize a solenoid. Solenoid "kicks" the winding mechanism, and clock will start ticking and winding down. When it has wound down the points close and the cycle repeats.
The "tunk" you hear every few minutes is the points and solenoid winding the clock. Simple and elegant but not meant to last! Owner's manual recommends having the clock cleaned and oiled every two years by a competent clock service man. How often you think that actually happened, especially as hard as some clocks were to access?
I used my canned air and tried to blow out whatever duster/crud may have been in there, but not much seemed to blow out. Noticing what I think was referred to when ...the points seized/froze closed and the clock kinda cooked a bit? I'm looking at the 2 windings here and they look like there were at a BBQ. Other pic in case there's something else you can notice. I'll try warming it up and putting 1 drop of ...Marvel Mystery Oil on the workings? Or PB Blaster?
Here's a thread on quartz conversions for our dash clocks. Kudos to you for trying to repair the clock. With the charred innards I might try to use electrical parts cleaner on the winding mechanism but that would surely be too harsh for the clock works. Good luck.👍
That damage looks like old, maybe slightly burnt varnish. Usually on motor windings the wires are varnished after the winding process, look at any motor or generator/alternator. I don't think that damage is significant enough to adversely affect the clock. If you want to clean it off however, the only thing we ever used in my 40 years of electronics was simple denatured alcohol. It is mild enough to not damage electronics circuit board substrate and coatings like new varnish but will be able to remove surface dirt and crud or old cracked/burnt varnish. On newer circuits that use silicone coatings it won't do as well but still won't damage. To apply the alcohol and agitate the surface we used what was called alcohol brushes which were small utility brushes with natural bristles attached to a metal tube (handle) and it was crimped on the end to hold the bristles in place. You can still buy them at art/hobby stores although they may be called something else. The bristles are quite long and flexibel but it you want them stiffer just trrim them off with some scissors to the desired stiffness. This may not help you solve your problem but it might possibly enable you toward that end, having everything cleaned and the debris out of the way at least makes it easier to see what you are dealing with.
That damage looks like old, maybe slightly burnt varnish. Usually on motor windings the wires are varnished after the winding process, look at any motor or generator/alternator. I don't think that damage is significant enough to adversely affect the clock. If you want to clean it off however, the only thing we ever used in my 40 years of electronics was simple denatured alcohol. It is mild enough to not damage electronics circuit board substrate and coatings like new varnish but will be able to remove surface dirt and crud or old cracked/burnt varnish. On newer circuits that use silicone coatings it won't do as well but still won't damage. To apply the alcohol and agitate the surface we used what was called alcohol brushes which were small utility brushes with natural bristles attached to a metal tube (handle) and it was crimped on the end to hold the bristles in place. You can still buy them at art/hobby stores although they may be called something else. The bristles are quite long and flexibel but it you want them stiffer just trrim them off with some scissors to the desired stiffness. This may not help you solve your problem but it might possibly enable you toward that end, having everything cleaned and the debris out of the way at least makes it easier to see what you are dealing with.
So. I think I made a little progress after brushing those nasty/dirty "windings" with the denatured alcohol. Noticed that one of the tiny brass/copper wires was not longer soldered to the post it should have been on - and so I did that. Let it all dry overnight, connected to a test battery this morning and ...ZAP. So, I'm thinking I took a little step forward, then a solid one back and maybe proving this clock has told it's last time. (see what I did there?).
Great info, gents!!! I always wondered how a mechanical clock worked on 12v. I'm currently working on a 62 Impala and the customer wants the clock to work. Might have to give it a whirl.
Do you fish? Take that clock w/ you to use as a weight (anchor) on the end of your fishing line. Never in one hundred gazillion light years will those coils ever turn any gear.
Great info, gents!!! I always wondered how a mechanical clock worked on 12v. I'm currently working on a 62 Impala and the customer wants the clock to work. Might have to give it a whirl.
Most likely the best treatise I've ever read on the functioning of a mechanical &/or electrical clock. Kick your shoes up - you'll be awhile. https://sound-au.com/clocks/motors.html
Success! After loving the spare one to death (it moved more freely, but wouldn't stay running), I got the one that felt gummed up free with some electric contact cleaner and Aero-Kroil on a dental brush. The little buss bar on the solenoid had come unsoldered between the wire and diode, so I put it back together. Works like a charm!
Success! After loving the spare one to death (it moved more freely, but wouldn't stay running), I got the one that felt gummed up free with some electric contact cleaner and Aero-Kroil on a dental brush. The little buss bar on the solenoid had come unsoldered between the wire and diode, so I put it back together. Works like a charm! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqrBK...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
That's great. Got any 1972 Oldsmobile Delta 88 or 98 clocks lying around???
Got a beautiful NOS clock on ebay, plugged it in - actually seemed to buzz for a minute like it had an alarm in it - but once plugged in fully, "tick tick tick tick"...and it's humming right along. Only thing is: It's FAST. Gains a couple minutes a day. Any way to adjust?
My experience demonstrates it takes awhile for either an NOS clock or a rebuilt clock to "dial itself in" (consider giving it some time - ~1-2 months) - see how it performs after a "break-in" period.
Let it run for a week. Then, however much time it has gained, adjust it BACKWARDS one-half of the amount of time it gained. As in if it gained TEN minutes, turn the hands counterclockwise FIVE minutes.
Let it run a few more days, see what it does, then keep removing half the error until it keeps time. It should self-regulate after that.
This procedure works for any electrically wound car clock.
Last edited by rocketraider; Apr 20, 2023 at 02:47 PM.
Someone explained that to me about 40-50 years ago and I haven't thought about it since. Excellent advice - spot-on.
Originally Posted by rocketraider
Let it run for a week. Then, however much time it has gained, adjust it BACKWARDS one-half of the amount of time it gained. As in if it gained TEN minutes, turn the hands counterclockwise FIVE minutes.
Let it run a few more days, see what it does, then keep removing half the error until it keeps time. It should self-regulate after that.
This procedure works for any electrically wound car clock.
