central52 Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 I'd like to get my 47 Dodge clock working. Can I do it myself? Or should I send it to a repair place that specializes in old car clocks? Any recommendations? Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 your call on trying it yourself....they quite simple in their design and such...if the hairspring on the balance wheel is good and the balance shaft is not broken..odds are a bit of cleaning and lube will go a long way. Most I have seen fall into the clean and lube category.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_shel_ny Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 (edited) Good chance you can do it. Very very very light oil (possibly sewing machine oil) is needed at the pivot points. Only a small amount of oil is needed. Excess oil will hold dust/dirt. The oil can be applied with something such as a tooth pick. The 2 amp fuse may be blown, but replacement will probably not solve the problem. The clock winds electrically approximately every 2-3 minutes. As the clock winds down the contact points close and rewind the clock. When they close there is still enough tension to keep the clock running for a bit of time, so there is no stopping and loss of time. Once you have it opened up, you can wind it manually if it is wound down. Then gently rotate to back and forth in the axis parallel to the action of the small spring and wheel (don't know the name) to watch everything move. You can also give the little spring wheel a light nudge, but be gentle. Pic shows some of the pivot points. EDIT: http://p15-d24.com/topic/36087-glove-box-clock/#entry369854 http://p15-d24.com/topic/14263-clock-repair-guy-ad-on-ebay/?hl=%2Bclock+%2Brepair Quote from a 2007 thread. Maybe not a send out job if you have any clock repair places locally. I have recently had my clock in my 38 Chrysler done as well as in a 48 Chrysler I am working on. Took both to a clock/watch repair place locally and he said both movements were in good shape and just basically needed cleaning. He said needing a good clean is very common with the older clocks that have probably never been opened up since they were new. He also filed the points very gently. http://p15-d24.com/topic/5163-clockwork-delight/?hl=%2Bclock+%2Brepair#entry42228 Edited January 23, 2015 by shel_ny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Yergin Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Purchased a container of cleaning solution specifically designed for clocks and watches that I found on line. I submerged the mechanism in the solution and let it sit there until clean. I then lubricated it with special clock oil. I also cleaned the contact points. Jim Yergin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P15-D24 Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 If no success try Instrument Services. Contact info on the links page. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_shel_ny Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Cleaning the clock: Seller on ebay will provide a secret family cleaning solution recipe by email for $10 Google search: http://www.ehow.com/how_5941541_make-clock-movement-cleaning-solution.html caveat emptor on both Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle-Pekka Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 The clock in my car did not worked when I got the car. I opened the clock to clean it and noticed by chance, that the hot wire of the small solenoid had popped off the contact due to defect solder or some shock. I soldered the wire back on and cleaned the clockwork gently, oiled with sewing machine oil and tested it with 6V battery - Bingo! It worked again! I never knew anything about clock gears, but the story prooves that once you only work careful, you should check for the obvious faults before going to expensive experts. I am sorry I failed to take any photos at the time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 I would not advocate sewing machine oil..as in 3in1 brand..it gums very quickly..use an instrument light oil..10 weight is avg...look to some of the air tools oils..they light and at 10 weight last time I searched on their product.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
central52 Posted January 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 (edited) Wow, you guys are great with all that info and advice. Got the clock out, looking at the innards. Followed Shel's advice. Moved the side plate back and forth, it started the wheels moving, but quickly stopped. But, if I kept moving that plate back and forth, the movement kept going, only when I stopped, after a second or two, everything stopped. What next? Ed Edited January 25, 2015 by central52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
central52 Posted January 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Hi, How does one "clean" a 47 Dodge clock? Is there a cleaning spray? Or do you soak the whole unit in a cleaning solution? Other threads mentioned cleaning the clock, but exactly how? Thanks, Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 clock cleaning solvent is a very high grade of varsol...I however find that the use of lacquer thinner to be a good cleaner..or you can use acetone...both readily evaporate without residue..do keep these solvent away from your electromactic coils..one doe s not want to break down the coating on the windings. Refrain from blowing solvent from clock..the hair spring on the balance wheel cannot withstand such abuse..if you feel a force dry necessary...sit movement in a prewarned toaster oven with door ajar.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solution P15-D24 Posted January 26, 2015 Solution Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Test post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niel Hoback Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Congratulations, you passed the test! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
central52 Posted January 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Ok, I have both products, lacquer and acetone. So, do I use an eye dropper to squirt the stuff on the pivot points, or can I dunk the whole thing in a bowl? I separated the two top parts. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Ed..place enough in a clean container to allow you to gently swish the fulid to agitate and clean the srufaces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niel Hoback Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Do Not Submerge the Electromagnetic Coil ! That will ruin it. Cleaning it will remove all the old lubricant so you will have to replace it with the lightest oil you an find. try to visit a clock repair shop and ask to buy some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Do Not Submerge the Electromagnetic Coil ! That will ruin it. Cleaning it will remove all the old lubricant so you will have to replace it with the lightest oil you an find. try to visit a clock repair shop and ask to buy some. that caution I mentioned in post 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niel Hoback Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Sorry, after reading post #14 I suspect that he didn't get the message when he asked "can I dump the whole thing in a bowl". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
central52 Posted January 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Yes, I've separated the clock into 3 parts. Definitely will not soak the electromagnetic coil. Speaking of which, how does it actually transform the electricity to whatever it's supposed to connect to? I can't see where the connections are to do this. Hope this isn't a stupid question. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niel Hoback Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 One side of the coil is grounded and the other gets 6 volts from the wire to the clock. when the points close, the coil becomes a magnet and pulls the lever towards the magnets core causing it to wind the main spring. When the lever winds the mainspring it also turns off the current to the magnet. The clock will run off the spring for a couple of minutes As the spring is winding down, it is also moving the points together again for a repeat performance. I hope this makes some sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
central52 Posted January 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Well, I really did it this time. Swished the movement in a bowl of acetone, and accidentally got the acetone into the clock face. Pic shows how it looks, Ugh. Tried to pry off clock handles, so I can get at the face and hopefully clean it up. The minute hand will not give, Stupidly, I scrunched the middle part with pliers and bent them. Help. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) when you stated you had it separated..my error in assuming you had the dial off....the lube holes for the movement require dial off for access and thus the same for cleaning...sending you a PM Edited January 27, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
central52 Posted January 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) Well, I'm having trouble trying to get the dial off. How to do it? Ed Edited January 27, 2015 by central52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niel Hoback Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Take it Tim, clearly you know more about this than I do. It's been years since I had one apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
central52 Posted January 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Ok. figured it out. Had to hold the minute sprocket wheel, while unscrewing the hand itself. The hour hand just springs up. When I used the acetone to clean the innards, some of the stuff got into the face and did a number on the plastic case. Is it repairable, with scratch spray, or is it beyond repair? Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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