79 Clock rebuild problem
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
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From: Glen Allen, VA
79 Clock rebuild problem
I got my center cluster out no problem but can't get the nut off the stud that's on the back of the clock. The whole stud keeps spinning. I'ts the stud in the bottom right of the picture, the only one with a nut still on it. Any suggestions? Also, I see a separate circuit board for the low fuel light in the top left of the picture, but that light has never worked. I'm assuming since the circuit board is there that it should work an something is wrong with it. I'm asking because wasn't the low fuel warning light an option? 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS! NORTHERN ONTARIO
Grab a pair of needle nose pliers hold the stud...use a open end wrench & turn the nut...note you may have to re solder the stud then perhaps lightly epoxy the stud & be careful when re tightening.Good Luck this may work
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,363
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From: Beecher Illinois
The low fuel warning light was part of the "convienence group".
Regardless, if the board is there AND STILL GOOD the light should operate when fuel level is under at least 2 gallons. Look it over closely for gaps in the printed circuit, I had to bridge some gaps with wire and solder on 2 of mine. Apparently they aren't very durable.
Regardless, if the board is there AND STILL GOOD the light should operate when fuel level is under at least 2 gallons. Look it over closely for gaps in the printed circuit, I had to bridge some gaps with wire and solder on 2 of mine. Apparently they aren't very durable.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
Brian, I tried needle nose and an open end wrench. There's not enough of a stud to hold with the pliers and still have enough room for an open end wrench, the pliers get in the way. If the stud were longer I could do it no problem. KapsSA, what was included with the convenience group?
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,363
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From: Beecher Illinois
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 764
Likes: 2
From: THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS! NORTHERN ONTARIO
Ah...yes...I am not sure if you have a old set of ignition wrenches they are real thin pressed out of tin...it for sure would fit on the nut with lots o room to spare...Good Luck thumbs:
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
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From: Glen Allen, VA
KapsSA, now you've got me wondering about something I didn't think my car had. I do have functioning an underhood light, intermittent wipers, and key buzzer. I do not have a functioning low fuel light, nor do I have a functioning courtesy light delay. The interior lights work fine when the door is open, and go out as soon as the door is closed, but I'm assuming the courtesy light delay means the interior light stays on for something like 30 seconds, or until the car is started. Is that right and does it sound like I should have that?
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Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,363
Likes: 221
From: Beecher Illinois
Both the low fuel module and the lights delay timer have bad reputations for durability.
The delay feature can be bypassed.
Like Gdad said, pull out the glove box and see if wireing to the right looks Bubba'd.
The delay feature can be bypassed.
Like Gdad said, pull out the glove box and see if wireing to the right looks Bubba'd.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
First of all thanks to both of you so far. I've stopped on getting the clock out tonight, I think I'll go buy some needlenose vise grips tomorrow and "take another whack at it" I was using needlenose pliers to no avail. Back to the courtesy light timer, heres a couple of pics of what i found. 
[IMG]
It looks like the connector is burnt on teh corner of the end where I'm holding it. I know I've seen something that looks just like that orange timer floating loose around my garage. I guess it was handed over with other stuff by teh previous owner when I bought the car. Now I may know why it was loose, but I'll have to wage an all out war to find the peice. KapsSA, I noticed the wiring coming to mine is not the same as yours. Comments?
[IMG] It looks like the connector is burnt on teh corner of the end where I'm holding it. I know I've seen something that looks just like that orange timer floating loose around my garage. I guess it was handed over with other stuff by teh previous owner when I bought the car. Now I may know why it was loose, but I'll have to wage an all out war to find the peice. KapsSA, I noticed the wiring coming to mine is not the same as yours. Comments?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
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From: Glen Allen, VA
I found it! It looks like it's P/N 463498 and it looks like it plugs into that connector. 
. I verified the wiring by my wiring diagram and it doesn't look bubba'd at all except for the burnt spot on the connector. KapsSA, does that timer itself get mounted somewhere or does it just suspend on the harness? I looked at my AIM and is doesn't show anything.
. I verified the wiring by my wiring diagram and it doesn't look bubba'd at all except for the burnt spot on the connector. KapsSA, does that timer itself get mounted somewhere or does it just suspend on the harness? I looked at my AIM and is doesn't show anything.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
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From: Glen Allen, VA
Damn, I feel shot down. I plugged the timer in and the lights just stay on. Even with the key turned on they stay on. I guess it wouldn't have made sense for it to be removed if it was working right.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
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From: Dayton, Ohio
On the clock nut....I have had to take the cluster and put the nut in my vise and squeeze the nut gently on several sides.This usually will free it by deforming the nut.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,363
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From: Beecher Illinois
Somethings been done there, that blue connector is not stock.
The timer pretty much just hangs from the harness. I guess you could tie it off somewhere.
Someone recently had the same problem, messed up and burned wires, I'll see if I can find the thread.
The timer pretty much just hangs from the harness. I guess you could tie it off somewhere.
Someone recently had the same problem, messed up and burned wires, I'll see if I can find the thread.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Kaps on yours in your pic you unplug the white wires and if you notice you end up with a male and a female on the whites-just plug them together and you would have a non-delay system
Last edited by ...Roger...; Dec 26, 2008 at 10:25 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
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From: Dayton, Ohio
C3 in this link is a drawing that i made to test the low fuel module.You just attach a neg and a pos power source and then touch the tank contact to the neg and wait for the light to come on.The trisistor if needed is easy to replace and can be bought at Radio Shack.The drawing is old if you have any problem reading I can explain further.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...-stays-on.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...-stays-on.html
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,363
Likes: 221
From: Beecher Illinois
I would say the old timer was bad and they tied the 2 whites together to make a non delayed courtesy light system.
Kaps on yours in your pic you unplug the white wires and if you notice you end up with a male and a female on the whites-just plug them together and you would have a non-delay system
Kaps on yours in your pic you unplug the white wires and if you notice you end up with a male and a female on the whites-just plug them together and you would have a non-delay system
Link is for a guy that had the wires messed up, too. Bought a new harness...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...amp-timer.html
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
Thanks guys. I didn't realize the blue connectors were not factory, even though I did notice that it was different than KapsSA's picture. I have found evidence of a past aftermarket alarm system in the car, so maybe that explains the non factory connectors.
DWncchs, thanks for hte tip on the clock nut, I would have never thouht of that. I"ll give that a shot tomorrow.
DWncchs, thanks for hte tip on the clock nut, I would have never thouht of that. I"ll give that a shot tomorrow.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 453
Likes: 1
From: Austin TX
Just an FYI on the clock as I just had mine out. When I tried taking the nut off mine the whole thing got loose and started moving in/out so I was able to use a small set of needle nose to hold the barrel and get the nut off. However, once I got the whole thing out, I found the reason it was moving around was because all the glass was broke on the inside. Once this happens it's time to replace it or do the quartz conversion that I ended up doing. I still don't know if I broke it or someone else did cause the clock wasn't working anyways. If I had to do it over again I'd just destroy the nut by cutting it off instead of taking the chance of break the clock.