Repair your clock
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 294
From: ESCONDIDO CA
2025 C2 of the Year ('63 and '67) Finalist - Unmodified
C2 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Repair your clock
Okay maybe not always but I'm two for two. The clock mechanism is simple yet delicate. It doesn't take much friction to bring the works to a stop.
If the electrical is working (it loads a spring every so often), the works stop because dust filters in and grinds it to halt.
The cure: WD40 bath with the spray tube; let the mechanism drip with plenty of WD. Then use compressed air to blow off the most of the WD. Not to hard with the air. It should start to run in your hand. You may need to reload the spring, either with 12 volts or by hand. I might let it dry further before add 12 volts.
Fixed my '69-- 8 plus years ago--still running. Just tried the process on another old vette clock today and so far, so good. I'll try to seal the clock better than original to keep out the crap.
If the electrical is working (it loads a spring every so often), the works stop because dust filters in and grinds it to halt.
The cure: WD40 bath with the spray tube; let the mechanism drip with plenty of WD. Then use compressed air to blow off the most of the WD. Not to hard with the air. It should start to run in your hand. You may need to reload the spring, either with 12 volts or by hand. I might let it dry further before add 12 volts.
Fixed my '69-- 8 plus years ago--still running. Just tried the process on another old vette clock today and so far, so good. I'll try to seal the clock better than original to keep out the crap.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
wow, that would have been good to know 5 years ago when I converted mine to quartz. At least mine has worked perfect since then, and keeps perfect time too. Still, it would have been cool to have the original mechanism.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 137
Likes: 11
From: Kingston Ontario
I know it's free to try, and I probably will, but any clue if this would be the problem with mine running SLOW? It seems logical that it would be, but I'm curious before I try it.
Thanks for the free tip!
Thanks for the free tip!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,050
Likes: 205
From: Lewes Delaware
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Fran
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 294
From: ESCONDIDO CA
2025 C2 of the Year ('63 and '67) Finalist - Unmodified
C2 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
My '69 runs a little fast after the fix. I understand that if you set time counterclockwise it will slow the clock--and visa-versa. Maybe because mine is shut off with a battery cutoff switch, it hasn.t seemed to make any difference--still a little fast. Fast or slow, still nice to see it ticking away.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 294
From: ESCONDIDO CA
2025 C2 of the Year ('63 and '67) Finalist - Unmodified
C2 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Toss in a little duct tape and you're there! By the way...I'm trying make the hammer NOT the first thing I reach for...hard habit to break!
Race Director
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 10,805
Likes: 706
From: Feverish All Over
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,397
Likes: 649
From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
My clock keeps good time, the problem is in setting it. You pull out the **** and turn clockwise to set (it doesn't go in reverse). Problem is the gear that turns the clock when you set it seems to be getting stripped, and its intermittent trying to move it forward to set it. Now I disconnect the battery and wait until the time of day matches what the clock says and then I hook the battery back up.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
It's a lot easier just to convert to a quartz clock. Dirt is not the only thing that makes the original Borg clocks go bad. The solenoid contacts can corrode; the contacts can stick; one of the contacts can fail from fatigue (no repair for this one); side loading of the wind gear can wear out its pivot (no repair for this one); etc., etc.
When it quits, how do you know the problem is "dirt"? Diving into the gauge cluster and "cleaning your clock" [no pun intended] is fine---- unless it doesn't fix the problem
Whatever you do, BENCH TEST any repair you do before putting it back in that semi-permanent 'bed' (gauge cluster). It needs to run well and keep good time for several days to have any confidence that you've fixed the problem for the LONG-TERM.
When it quits, how do you know the problem is "dirt"? Diving into the gauge cluster and "cleaning your clock" [no pun intended] is fine---- unless it doesn't fix the problem
Whatever you do, BENCH TEST any repair you do before putting it back in that semi-permanent 'bed' (gauge cluster). It needs to run well and keep good time for several days to have any confidence that you've fixed the problem for the LONG-TERM.
