Got my clock working today.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 215
Likes: 12
From: Conyers Georgia
Got my clock working today.
Got my clock working today.
I thought I would give it a shot, I took it a part and cleaned the points and lightly blew it out (turned air compressor regulator way down) and then a few drops of light machine oil. Put 12v to the tab on the back and hooked the negative up and off she went.
It has been running for several hours now and is keeping good time.
I was so excited that I got it going I called my wife at work and she thought I was crazy, she said; "she was glad the little things in life get me excited".
What can I say?
I thought I would give it a shot, I took it a part and cleaned the points and lightly blew it out (turned air compressor regulator way down) and then a few drops of light machine oil. Put 12v to the tab on the back and hooked the negative up and off she went.
It has been running for several hours now and is keeping good time.
I was so excited that I got it going I called my wife at work and she thought I was crazy, she said; "she was glad the little things in life get me excited".
What can I say?
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Winona Mo.
What usually kills the clock in these old cars is a weak battery. If you'll notice how they work, they tick down with the spring until the points make contact, then they kick them apart which winds the spring. If the battery gets weak, the points don't have enough fire to kick them apart fully. Eventually, they stay together with the small current running through them until they become welded together. Cleaning the points will usually make them work again but to keep it from happening again, you need to either unhook the battery or keep it charged.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 215
Likes: 12
From: Conyers Georgia
Saubrenner,
Thanks, I saw how it worked when I had it apart. I plan on keeping on a battery until I'm ready to re-install. I keep a battery tender on my car most of the time.
We will see how it goes.
Thanks, I saw how it worked when I had it apart. I plan on keeping on a battery until I'm ready to re-install. I keep a battery tender on my car most of the time.
We will see how it goes.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,334
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
It's an amazing piece of technology they used back in the day, electromagnet to wind the spring clockworks...
One thing, make sure you set the clock hands to some real time. I just popped them on and learned after everything was together that it was 4 & 1/2 o-clock... (when the minute hand is on the 12, the hour hand is 1/2 way between the hours, never even thought about it.
AAAAAArrrrrggggggg!!!
(Dash is coming apart this year, that's on the list...)
M
One thing, make sure you set the clock hands to some real time. I just popped them on and learned after everything was together that it was 4 & 1/2 o-clock... (when the minute hand is on the 12, the hour hand is 1/2 way between the hours, never even thought about it.
AAAAAArrrrrggggggg!!!
(Dash is coming apart this year, that's on the list...)
M
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
It's an amazing piece of technology they used back in the day, electromagnet to wind the spring clockworks...
One thing, make sure you set the clock hands to some real time. I just popped them on and learned after everything was together that it was 4 & 1/2 o-clock... (when the minute hand is on the 12, the hour hand is 1/2 way between the hours, never even thought about it.
AAAAAArrrrrggggggg!!!
(Dash is coming apart this year, that's on the list...)
M
One thing, make sure you set the clock hands to some real time. I just popped them on and learned after everything was together that it was 4 & 1/2 o-clock... (when the minute hand is on the 12, the hour hand is 1/2 way between the hours, never even thought about it.
AAAAAArrrrrggggggg!!!
(Dash is coming apart this year, that's on the list...)
M
Pro
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 586
Likes: 26
From: Orange Park FLORIDA
Got my clock working today.
I thought I would give it a shot, I took it a part and cleaned the points and lightly blew it out (turned air compressor regulator way down) and then a few drops of light machine oil. Put 12v to the tab on the back and hooked the negative up and off she went.
It has been running for several hours now and is keeping good time.
I was so excited that I got it going I called my wife at work and she thought I was crazy, she said; "she was glad the little things in life get me excited".
What can I say?
I thought I would give it a shot, I took it a part and cleaned the points and lightly blew it out (turned air compressor regulator way down) and then a few drops of light machine oil. Put 12v to the tab on the back and hooked the negative up and off she went.
It has been running for several hours now and is keeping good time.
I was so excited that I got it going I called my wife at work and she thought I was crazy, she said; "she was glad the little things in life get me excited".
What can I say?
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Instructor
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Pensacola FL
I found this little nugget while deciding to keep or remove my clock. I ended up fixing my clock but ended up installing a mini tachometer in its spot.
C3 Clock repair
C3 Clock repair
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,875
Likes: 3,554
From: Fernandina Beach FL
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist
2020 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
All I did was drive my car for 3000 miles in one week on the Hot Rod Power Tour- and it started working.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
It's an amazing piece of technology they used back in the day, electromagnet to wind the spring clockworks...
One thing, make sure you set the clock hands to some real time. I just popped them on and learned after everything was together that it was 4 & 1/2 o-clock... (when the minute hand is on the 12, the hour hand is 1/2 way between the hours, never even thought about it.
AAAAAArrrrrggggggg!!!
(Dash is coming apart this year, that's on the list...)
M
One thing, make sure you set the clock hands to some real time. I just popped them on and learned after everything was together that it was 4 & 1/2 o-clock... (when the minute hand is on the 12, the hour hand is 1/2 way between the hours, never even thought about it.
AAAAAArrrrrggggggg!!!
(Dash is coming apart this year, that's on the list...)
M
Normally I'll just set the hands to 12 noon and let the clock run... To speed up the clock turn the hands forward 12 hours, to slow it down turn it back 12 hours.
Willcox
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,663
Likes: 695
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
My clock in my 75 worked for 10 years, stopped working for 20 years...
The clock AND the tack worked for 1 DAY.....
And they all have stopped working as of about 5 years ago.
Its winter and i might as well take it apart again...
I know i will be disappointed at the out come, to cheap to buy new ones, so will try to repair these..
Thanks to Wilcox and all the info i have gained in the thread
The clock AND the tack worked for 1 DAY.....
And they all have stopped working as of about 5 years ago.
Its winter and i might as well take it apart again...
I know i will be disappointed at the out come, to cheap to buy new ones, so will try to repair these..
Thanks to Wilcox and all the info i have gained in the thread
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
My clock in my 75 worked for 10 years, stopped working for 20 years...
The clock AND the tack worked for 1 DAY.....
And they all have stopped working as of about 5 years ago.
Its winter and i might as well take it apart again...
I know i will be disappointed at the out come, to cheap to buy new ones, so will try to repair these..
Thanks to Wilcox and all the info i have gained in the thread
The clock AND the tack worked for 1 DAY.....
And they all have stopped working as of about 5 years ago.
Its winter and i might as well take it apart again...
I know i will be disappointed at the out come, to cheap to buy new ones, so will try to repair these..
Thanks to Wilcox and all the info i have gained in the thread
As for the tach, use the instructions on our site on how to pull the left pad with ease, it's under the help and repair section for now.. so copy it and keep it handy.. Once you get the tach out my best guess is the board will fix it. If not, I'll be around for q and a.
Willcox
We are re-working the entire site... so a warning to everyone for now, I'm not sure how these changes will affect the help and repair sections or the tech picture section... So copy the info and save it now... My statement to the IT guys was that I want nothing to change function wise. But I can assure you something will. We are going to a different platform so I'll be devils advocate and say if it can go wrong it will so copy and save now and if something goes wrong I have copies of all the files there.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Jan 9, 2015 at 09:07 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
We are re-working the entire site... so a warning to everyone for now, I'm not sure how these changes will affect the help and repair sections or the tech picture section... So copy the info and save it now... My statement to the IT guys was that I want nothing to change function wise. But I can assure you something will. We are going to a different platform so I'll be devils advocate and say if it can go wrong it will so copy and save now and if something goes wrong I have copies of all the files there.
Please tell me you are adding a "Wish List" to the site. I'm always thinking of small things that I'd like to get, but when it's time to order I can't remember. A Wish List would make it so easy and I'd buy more stuff from you.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 708
Likes: 21
From: Montrose CA
Another vote for paying attention to this situation during reassembly... I have the 4-1/2 o-clock situation. A lot of work to get back to it after you notice its wrong when everything is reassembled.
Carl
Carl
It's an amazing piece of technology they used back in the day, electromagnet to wind the spring clockworks...
One thing, make sure you set the clock hands to some real time. I just popped them on and learned after everything was together that it was 4 & 1/2 o-clock... (when the minute hand is on the 12, the hour hand is 1/2 way between the hours, never even thought about it.
AAAAAArrrrrggggggg!!!
(Dash is coming apart this year, that's on the list...)
M
One thing, make sure you set the clock hands to some real time. I just popped them on and learned after everything was together that it was 4 & 1/2 o-clock... (when the minute hand is on the 12, the hour hand is 1/2 way between the hours, never even thought about it.
AAAAAArrrrrggggggg!!!
(Dash is coming apart this year, that's on the list...)
M
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 94
Likes: 1
From: leesburg va
I LOVE that the clock is working on my 72. when I bought it I asked if it worked and the seller said "oh yeah, its working". when ever anyone new gets in it, I show them that it works.
went for a drive one day this past summer and noticed it wasn't working anymore and I
. I figured it just gave up the ghost. came to find that the interior light fuse blew and the clock was on that circuit. replaced the fuse and 
it is the little things.
went for a drive one day this past summer and noticed it wasn't working anymore and I
. I figured it just gave up the ghost. came to find that the interior light fuse blew and the clock was on that circuit. replaced the fuse and it is the little things.