My clock doesn't work in my 70 Chevelle ss and hasn't for some time. I was told to take it out and file the points and use a clock oil to lubricate it then bench test it. What is clock oil and how do I bench test it. Do I use a 12 Volt battery, ground the housing and apply the positive at the spade on the back of the housing??? :confused: Need Help please..Thanks...james

I don't know what clock oil is either but your testing it correctly.

Some guys use WD-40 for lubrication and it seems to work well.

I have old clocks, that need oiling. The oil comes in a small hard plastic tube, with a long small needle type tip. That way you can oil the pivots with just a small amount, and not get oil on the parts that don't need it. Work great for any small things that need oiling.

Thanks for working with me on this. I just didn't want to damage the clock by not testing it properly. I'll look for some clock oil...thanks..jc:thumbsup:

I just dunk them down in my drain pan of used oil.

J/K - I've used a couple of different name brands of spray lube.

Those old clocks were not much good when new and usually won't last long the second time around either.

I know, they get old and tired like me..I've had 3 major operations in the past 5 years to make me better..Hard tellin how much longer I'll last either. BTW..Your restoration on the 70 convertible looks like it was done up right but where is the rest of the photos.jc

BTW..Your restoration on the 70 convertible looks like it was done up right but where is the rest of the photos.jc

Seems like I don't have the money or time to get it any farther along. :(
I would have the time but I just can't stay away from the keyboard long enough. :D

The best thing to do with the old clocks is to send them off to be converted to Quartz movement.

Don't use a file on those poor little points.
They make a flex-stone that is made for this type of thing.
The points get a coating of "stuff" that resists the flow and causes the recoil that winds the clock to stop.
Get that flex-stone, some clock oil to the piviots and it'll be good for another 40+ years!
....Yeah, Right!!

Dan

If you get it working (I fixed mine, and it's cool to hear that little zing noise it makes when it winds up) be sure to put a 2 amp inline fuse on the clock wire. This will protect the coil windings if the contact points ever seize together.
BillL

If you get it working (I fixed mine, and it's cool to hear that little zing noise it makes when it winds up) be sure to put a 2 amp inline fuse on the clock wire. This will protect the coil windings if the contact points ever seize together.
BillL

Yeah! Let's see a china-made quartz replacement do that!!
+ you can hear the movement at work...
another subtle joy of having a classic car.

Dan

If you get it working (I fixed mine, and it's cool to hear that little zing noise it makes when it winds up) be sure to put a 2 amp inline fuse on the clock wire. This will protect the coil windings if the contact points ever seize together.
BillL
okay, good idea ,I will protect the coil windings if the contact points ever seize together.

I have had a love hate relationship with my clock over the last ten years. After fixing mine lord only knows how many times, you figure out what not to do.

Any electronics store will sell whats called burnishing stones, it's not a stone, but a very thin, about two inches long, about a 1/4 of an inch wide and comes in different grades (Grits) kind of like 1000 paper.

They are made specifically for cleaning electronic/electrical contacts.
Clock oil is well.......do a Google search and you will find clock oil is nothing more than an extremely light weight machine oil.

I opted to use a product called Tri-Flow on my clock, Good Stuff, Not cheap!
a 12 oz can might run anywhere from 8-12 dollars, just depends on where you buy it.

Lastly, if you take one of these clocks apart and look very closely, you will see that these 40+ year old clocks that all the pivoting parts ride in what looks like tiny bushings that over time become oblong, obround, and the mechanism is actually quite sloppy, and mostly sits in the garage day after day wearing it's self out faster and faster.

So to insure my clock runs when I want it to, I just installed a small toggle switch that I can reach under my console and flip to turn the clock on when I want to. It's just hooked to the power wire that goes to the clock.

I just cant bear to put a quartz mechanism in so I will preserve what I have as long as I can.


Rocky

I have had a love hate relationship with my clock over the last ten years. After fixing mine lord only knows how many times, you figure out what not to do.

Any electronics store will sell whats called burnishing stones, it's not a stone, but a very thin, about two inches long, about a 1/4 of an inch wide and comes in different grades (Grits) kind of like 1000 paper.

They are made specifically for cleaning electronic/electrical contacts.
Clock oil is well.......do a Google search and you will find clock oil is nothing more than an extremely light weight machine oil.

I opted to use a product called Tri-Flow on my clock, Good Stuff, Not cheap!
a 12 oz can might run anywhere from 8-12 dollars, just depends on where you buy it.

Lastly, if you take one of these clocks apart and look very closely, you will see that these 40+ year old clocks that all the pivoting parts ride in what looks like tiny bushings that over time become oblong, obround, and the mechanism is actually quite sloppy, and mostly sits in the garage day after day wearing it's self out faster and faster.

So to insure my clock runs when I want it to, I just installed a small toggle switch that I can reach under my console and flip to turn the clock on when I want to. It's just hooked to the power wire that goes to the clock.

I just cant bear to put a quartz mechanism in so I will preserve what I have as long as I can.


Rocky

x2:yes:

This is about what John at Redline Gauge and Clock Repair told me. I asked how long to expect my clock to work after he rebuilt it using the original movement. He stated that my clock would last another 40 years if I put a battery disconnect on the negitive post of my battery, and disconnet the battery when the car is going to be setting for a while.

He also stated that any car older than 1975 should have this battery disconnect switch. He stated that the 1975 and older clocks will drain down a battery quicker that the newer electronics (of course!). He also stated that this is what breaks these clocks. As the battery drains down to a point that there is not enough power to reopen the points, so the points remain closed and end up arc welding themselves together.

He also noted the amp gauge on the dash being live all the time, while the car is just setting for long periods of time. If a wire was to short with the car in your house's garage while you are vacation, well it would not be good!!!

Needless to say, he convenced me to put a disconnect switch on my battery!!!:D

Wow:hurray: This just keeps getting better every day. What a bunch of good information!! There is a large electronics store close by. More than likely they will have the burnishing stone and clock oil. I'm pleased to hear the suggestion about the fuse link and the battery...Thanks to all you guys..jc

x2:yes:

This is about what John at Redline Gauge and Clock Repair told me.
He also noted the amp gauge on the dash being live all the time, while the car is just setting for long periods of time. If a wire was to short with the car in your house's garage while you are vacation, well it would not be good!!!

Needless to say, he convenced me to put a disconnect switch on my battery!!!:D



The "amp" gauge in these year Chevelles are actually a zero centered milivolt meter. No more than 1.5 volts should pass through it. So they really are not dangerous like a true amp gauge.

I learned this years ago from the electrical guru's here on Team Chevelle. :thumbsup:

Mike

The "amp" gauge in these year Chevelles are actually a zero centered milivolt meter. No more than 1.5 volts should pass through it. So they really are not dangerous like a true amp gauge.

I learned this years ago from the electrical guru's here on Team Chevelle. :thumbsup:

Mike

:o

Good info Mike:thumbsup:

But I think I am still going to put a battery disconnect switch on my battery's negitive post and switch it "off", if the car will be setting longer than a week.

I would rather be safe than sorry:D

I'm not a big fan of the battery disconnects. Les Saville had one on his car and it had a weak contact point and smoked his battery cable when he tried to start it. It's easy to pull the "spring ring" cables off of the post and not much harder to use a wrench to take other cables off. That's what I do.
BillL

I'm not a big fan of the battery disconnects. Les Saville had one on his car and it had a weak contact point and smoked his battery cable when he tried to start it. It's easy to pull the "spring ring" cables off of the post and not much harder to use a wrench to take other cables off. That's what I do.
BillL
:eek:

CHINA part???:D