The Clock

GRKOALA

GRKOALA

Peter K
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South Australia
My Clock was working fine before I parked the car for the restoration. I reconnected the clock after 18 months and the clock didn’t work so I sent it in to be repaired and it was working fine at the repairers. I’ve reconnected the clock to the car and it’s still not working (positive and earth). The ignition lights work and the battery is fully charged. Just as a precaution I have replaced the fuse with a new one.
Is there a relay or anything else I should check?
 
Take out your clock and connect it straight to 12v (without backlight) on the back wall you have + & - connectors - maybe it is just wiring problem.
 
For what it's worth, I had a similar problem with mine after having it restored by a local, well regarded instrument repair guy. A friend who has an antique clock hobby and who also owns a couple of BMWs said he found the best oil to use on his clock mechanisms is the BMW recommended Castrol 10-60 M spec motor oil. I tried it and, bingo, problem solved. That was three years ago and the clock still runs perfectly.

Also, I bought a 12 volt power supply to use during my restoration, primarily for testing bulbs and instruments and used it to adjust the clock. Got it to where it looses about one minute a day. Decided that was close enough. I use the power supply all the time and highly recommend one if you do your own electrical work.
 
If you will be taking out your clock from the dash, look at this thread, last (or so) post.
https://e9coupe.com/forum/threads/help-disassembling-clock.1234/

I have two clocks out and almost apart, one mechanical/electrical from 1972, another electric from 1973. The early clock as the classic broken fusible link and I'm having trouble finding someone to do a pinhead-sized bit of low temperature (120 degrees C) soldering. The '73 clock is not yet separated from the housing, pending desoldering the ground connection at back, but I strongly suspect the two electrolytic capacitors will prove bad, and they will be replaced. Then, when I have two working clocks, I'll have to figure out what to do with them.

10-60 oil seems oddly viscous to put on the very sensitive pivots of a clock. I'd think a much lighter, mineral or synthetic (non-oxidizing) lubricant should be used. The mechanisms are sealed in the housings so there shouldn't be any dust in there to gum things up, but there are those who say otherwise. One old codger I spoke to about the '72 clock told my that whale oil is the proper lubricant, and of course that's not readily available at $80 US per half ounce, no I don't think so. Another question is what to use for a cleaner...
 
Whale oil?

I actually have several ounces from my grandfather... he used it on fine guns. I have the clock out of my CS and I need to get it working. I'll have to remember the whale oil.

Ed
 
Small amount of silicone based lubricant such as Loctite LB 8801 will do just fine. Make sure you don't use this type of oil anywhere near any areas that needs to be painted. Silicone based lubricants are(like other oils ) the enemy of paint adhesions. However they are very hard to remove or desolve for preparation for paint.
For painters that don't know such material is present when they are sanding or preping the car for paint they will have hard time finding out later what contaminants interfered with the quality paint job ....
 
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