Well all went well with the cleaning, took me two days to get the clock from running way to fast. IT was gaining a minute every 15, at average now after adjusting and adjusting I've calculated about 35 sec per 24 hours, Think i can get it better just takes patients ill keep playing with it. In the meantime does anyone know what the wattage on the instrument cluster bulbs are the gray wired ones ??????, I cant read not one complete bulb number. Oh by the way i cant remember who had that schematic on rebuilding the clock, I should of ask sooner, like before i started. But one great thing i got out of it was how to adjust the time, oh yes i had to take it apart again, but if i had not of read all you guys great answers i would of put it back together and had the fastest clock in time or town, but great awesome schematic. So can these instrument bulbs be bought at like napa, or is it ecklers again. THANKS ALL firstvett69

 

The instrument cluster bulbs are 2 watt #1895 bulbs. Yes, you can get them at any auto parts store. But, ask if they have a "best" quality set of bulbs. Some of the chinzy aftermarket {China made} junk doesn't last very long...and changing bulbs in that cluster should be a 10 year exchange, rather than a 10 month (or 10 week) project.

Also, change all of them. Those that haven't burned out are probably near doing so. Lastly, those black plastic socket housings and the socket design is pretty simple and the parts can come loose and/or break when you pull on them. Be as careful as you can when you remove the bulb housing from the panel. If they do come apart, use a bit of two-part epoxy to glue the prongs of the bulb retainer back into the housing. Good luck.

 

Thanks 7T1, Your right again the metal clips do come off the plastic holders, had to glue them also, well they will be ready for there new bulbs tomorrow. Now if i can just get the darn bezel radio and the console together again ill be doing good i guess you have to hold the radio and guide the bezel through to line the two bolts and nuts that attach to the console i bet that going to be fun----

 

Here's a link to clock repair instructions that I had found and saved. May be of use to others. http://www.pcfred.com/Vettetip/FixC3Clock.htm

 

What a great link and tutorial!!
I have heard that turning the clock back will eventually slow the clock down; and turning it forwards will speed it up. Is there any truth to this?

 

I copied this from the Corvette Owner's Manual.



Sounds straightforward.

 

Ah.... But there's a "trick". You have to make each adjustment each day at the same time. That adjustment is set to compensate the mechanism for how much change it encounters in a 24 hour period. So, if you adjust it for the error today (say it reads 3:10 pm and it is really 3:30 pm) by advancing it 20 minutes, you need to let the clock run another 24 hours [or as close to that as you can] and then make another correction to the actual time. 24 hours later, if the clock then reads 10 minutes fast, the adjustment to the correct time will change the RATE of the clock by 10 minutes/24 hours. {That little detail is neglected in that article...but it makes all the difference in properly adjusting the clock.}

 

Ok.........you lost me with the "trick" instructions. So we need to adjust it twice?

 

No. You need to make your adjustement to the clock each day at about the same time.

Let's say you last set your clock 6 days ago. Now you look at it and it's 45 minutes 'fast'. So, you adjust it to the correct time. Well, the change you intended to make to the clock would be 45 minutes per 6 days, because that is the rate of error in the clock. But, since the clock "assumes" that the adjustment you made was for a 24 hour period, you actually adjusted it by 45 minutes per one day....6 times the rate change you really wanted to make. Confused? Well, that's why the self-adjusting feature on the clock never really got used properly. The feature was very clever; but it required a very specific procedure to make it useable. If you don't make your clock adjustments every day at the same time, you just continually 'chase your tail' and never get an accurate clock.

Now, if you don't believe me....do as I suggest and try it. Your clock will be nearly 'spot on' in about 3 days. [That is, unless you use your battery disconnect. ]