This might be common knowledge but I wanted to pass on what my son and I have figured out. The factory dash clock in my 69 cutlass was running fast,
about 5-7 mins every 24 hrs. We discovered by carefully turning the time back the clock after a few days adjusted and now keeps perfect time.
The trick is adjust in excess of 3 mins and just turn it back. If you turn to far just leave it. If it's adjusted back and then forward a bit it won't adjust. I hope this helps someone. - Jeff

 

I had read this in the owners manual at one point but had forgot about it. I had never tried it because the originals I had working all happened to keep the correct time.

 

It has an internal regulator that moves a set of pallets on the hairspring on the balance. Set it back and the spring diameter increases meaning a longer arc on the action.
Now adjustments like that work fine for a while, but old mechanical clocks start to run fast whenever the oil starts getting gummy in them, meaning it'll be time for an overhaul soon. Rebuilding one of these isn't too tricky, it's not a Rolex, but unless you're into watch repair and know how to properly oil a watch I wouldn't recommend trying it, these things are easier to screw up than fix.
They do make quartz replacements for these old clockworks now.

 

Same here. Never tried it as the clock stopped working completely back in the 80s.

 

I knew about the adjustment procedure, but I'm in the same boat as Kenneth I do have a fully restored (non quartz) movement that I can put into my U21 when I get around to it.

 

Could be an easier fix than you think; what usually happens is a set of points fry together and pop the fuse. Remove the clock, carefully pry open the case, and open up the points and file them. If the balance wheel starts moving the moment the points are pulled apart, the clock will run again. If not, then it needs to be cleaned and oiled. That "clunk" you hear about every 2 minutes is the points coming together and firing off.

 

I have done about 70 of the quartz clock conversions if anybody needs theirs done. I can get the kit for 85 and I charge 40 to install it.

 

Thanks for the info, maybe one day I'll crack the clock open to see what's up. However, I have come to value the tachometer that I put in the clock opening much more than I care what time it is.

 

The reason that the points in the clock "weld" together, is that battery voltage gets so low when the car is in storage, that there is not enough voltage to throw the winding mechanism. This results in burnt or welded points. The best way to prevent this, is to disconnect the battery or the clock when the car goes into storage. If you don't want to do either of these tasks, then install a 2 amp fuse in line with the clock. If the battery gets low, the clock will blow the fuse, preventing a damaged clock mechanism.

 

Thanks for posting this I'm sure it helped a lot of us. I forgot that I at one time knew this.

 

The depth of knowledge here never ceases to surprise me. I didn't expect to learn "why" the procedure works. I love learning why things work. I reached out to help and it came back around to teach me valuable info. The 2 amp in line fuse idea is brilliant.

 

If you ask what time it is will tell you how to build a watch.��

 

I never ask what time it is. Ever since I retired, I really don't care. In fact I haven't worn a watch for the past 8 years.

 

Well Allan, I see you're from Edmonton, I'm next door in Sherwood Park if you should ever decide that you need a watch, I've got over 60 vintage wristwatches and something like 40 pocket watches. And not one of my car clocks work! Go figure!

 

Hey Marc
Go figure. Another Olds guy I know lives in the Park. Ken Pilidis. I think the clock in his 76 442 does work though. Lol, I have a watch, but it's been sitting in my bureau. I don't know if the battery is still good or not. BTW, I have a clock assembly I took from a 71 CS a few years ago (Pick and Pull). I took it apart last year to see if I could make it work. I got the movement to work and the points got cleaned with emery paper, but hooked up to 12V it just doesn't tick so I put it back in my stash of parts.

I remember the Electra and Wildcats from when I was growing up. They had power to spare and great riding cars.

You should put your location under your avatar.

 

Hi Allan, If I knew how to put my location under my avatar I'd do it. I looked on the user's panel and it doesn't make sense, and certainly doesn't leave any room to add it. I'm obviously doing something wrong.

I've been out of the local car scene for a few years now, more or less have kept to myself. I used to do the St Albert Rockin' August show and the one here in the Park at the Alliance Church. You might have seen my black 46 Buick Super sedan there then if you went to that one. I got kind of burned out with all the one-up-manship and BS and just faded away from the cars. Now with this 53 coming on I'm looking to get back into it.I just hope I'm physically still able to do stuff, it's been 15 years since I restored anything.

Back to the topic of the thread...
If the movement doesn't start ticking the moment the points are pulled apart then it is too sticky to overcome it's own drag. These clocks don't need much pressure to run. They don't have any jeweling in them, so they're susceptible to gummy lubricants and dirt. Years of cigarette smoke is usually enough to screw them up. (How many of our old cars haven't been smoked in at some point?) If some one oiled it with "3 and 1" oil or sewing machine oil that'll stop it too.
One of my other hobbies is fixing and collecting old watches and clocks, and it never fails to amaze me to see how many watches and clocks are totally goo-ed up with oil, - all done with the best of intentions. A clock movement is not a transmission, it doesn't need a ton of oil; but it does need some, and it needs to be clean, something that wasn't possible back in the day with cigarette smoke and dusty roads.
I'm planning on pulling one of mine apart next week, maybe I'll do a thread on how to clean one up and service it.

 

Marc,
I can appreciate how confusing it is to navigate this site at times. Here's some information to help you out. First go to your CP (Control Panel) and clik the 'Edit Details"


That will take you to a screen with 3 big boxes with info in each of them. Drop down to the 3rd box and enter location in the box marked as such. See below, then press 'Save Changes'. Hope that helps


I'll have to watch the car shows in the future to see when the one in the Park is. Maybe we'll have a chance to meet up there.

 

Thanks for the tutorial Allan, it looks like it worked. I'm out of town all August, so I think I'm missing those shows. But maybe a coffee someday...

 

Sounds good Marc. Glad to help out.