[Cruisin63]

We'll see. I took it apart and wound it by hand to observe the movement. It would run for a few seconds to maybe 30 seconds then hang up and stop. It wouldn't make it to the points, which don't look fried. I figured it froze up mechanically long ago before the self wind solenoid had a chance to die the usual death.

I noticed if I pushed the second hand in, it would click and resume running. I also noticed it would run almost until the points touched, but stop just short. I thought it was the gear on the second hand shaft and spent a ton of time f-ing with it. I finally realized it was the little tiny pins that catch the saw blade looking gear with the wheel that springs back and forth.

After some close observation I noticed the pins would catch the leading edge of the saw blade. Some very slight leaning of the pins, with lots of trial and error got it working without hanging up.

So, the part about it not making it all the way to the points contacting was resolved by stretching the spring over a few rings and reattaching it.

I got the mechanical part running perfect, but sometimes the points would wind it back up, sometimes they wouldn't. I let them shut on some fine sandpaper folded to hit both contacts. A few good swipes, and a little bending of the tab made the contacts hit nice and square.

Still wouldn't "pop" every time. The car has sat for a long time and a voltage check showed 11 something volts. I threw a charger on at 2 amps and showed 12.75 instantly. Put the clock back on the battery with some jumpers and ZZZZZip, it fired right back up.

Is it going to run all night? A day? A week? We'll see, but a fun bit of research for no cost but time. If it proves too unreliable, I'll just swap in some modern guts but figured this might help others.

 

[Cruisin63]

8:15. Still running, still correct time.

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

Friggin SWEET!

 

[GT300TD]

Friggin SWEET!

X2, thanks for sharing

 

[Cruisin63]

Thanks guys, I need the encouragement apparently. Clock stopped at around 11 last night. Did not close the points. It is really tough to diagnose because opening it up tends to "kick" it back on so I can't see where it sticks.

I have concluded that wear in the pin holes allows the gears to walk a little looser, then tighter as they go around. I've pulled the plate with the solenoid so the main drive gear comes off, and I have much better access to everything else.

It looks like the problem is with the little gear on the second hand shaft, where the big drive gear turns it. I've bent the top tab to pull that gear slightly away from the drive gear to loosen the mesh a little. I mean LITTLE changes. With only about .020" of gear tooth this is tricky stuff!

It also looks like some of the gears were walking up and down which seems to add variables. I'll keep tweaking these little tabs and pins until it quits binding. The good news is that other than the occasional hangup, everything still works great, including the points.

Hopefully I can get the mesh "just right" and it runs continuously. My wife is beginning to think I'm obsessed.

 

[Hodad]

Impressive,......you did very well!

As a hobby I cleaned, repaired, adjusted pocket watches for years. So it was nothing for me to tackle the giant movement in my 63 1/2.

My results and conclusions mirror yours. At the end of the evening, I concluded that the pins had wallered out the holes, (I'm a *******), to the point of excessive misalignment of the gears,....after all, they are just metal to metal with no oil.
Which is the reason they use "jewels", (bearings) in good watches.

Unfortunately.....some things wear out and can't be fixed.

 

[Cruisin63]

Thanks for the info. I'm a machinist so if the "wallering" is too much, I'll figure a way around tightening up the holes. I'm not one to ever say something can't be fixed and just give up. Nothing to lose but some tinker time.

 

[Cruisin63]

Seems to be running very smoothly after opening up the mesh a tad. The ticking is also more audible which suggests a free movement. I set the time correctly and will see how it looks after church. I'll keep the updates coming.

 

[Cruisin63]

Still running, still correct time.

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

You can poke around the pin holes and tighten them up with a super sharp super fine punch and a tiny leather mallet.

If you keep this up, your wife's going to "clean your clock" LOL

 

[Cruisin63]

Yep, that's what I figured I'd do. So far, it's still ticking along perfectly. If it goes all day I'll put it back in the dash.

 

[ShotRod64]

One day I'll have to take mine out again and see what you are talking about with visuals. I took it out once, teeny bit of light oil and sanded the points but it didn't last long. It used to run for a little bit if i pulled out on the knob and let it snap back in but would only quit after a couple minutes. I can't remember if it worked when i got it way back when now. I do have a spare to play with also before i got into the original one just in case.

I'll have to see if i can find the directions on converting to batter operated. Basically replacing the innards with a modern clock but the face remains the same.

 

[ShotRod64]

It was Bumblebee that took a clock from a newer car to fix the one in his '65. The thread was still here with pics. I have another in a word doc i picked up somewhere but haven't found that one yet.

http://www.fordmuscleforums.com/int...-your-classic-car-s-clock-less-than-15-a.html

And a couple people had them rebuilt at this place.
The Clock Works

There's something on your thread for everyone depending on what they want to do except that battery clock i can't find!

 

[Cruisin63]

Well, it's still running along nicely, but has lost 10 minutes throughout the day. Now I need to figure out how to speed it up a little.

 

[Cruisin63]

So I took it apart again to see if I could tweak the speed. I noticed what seemed like the pins dragging on the escapement wheel occasionally. Over time that could explain the time loss. I watched the mechanism under a microscope (MUCH easier on the eyes!) and was able to really dial in the pin pallet.

The microscope also revealed a ton of tiny debris and lube all over the place. I blew it all out with compressed air, which screwed up the escapement but I knew how to set it this time. While the microscope was handy, I watched the points close and realized they were only contacting in one tiny spot along the edge.

I bend the contacts levers so they hit nice and square (removed from the clock) and filed them as flat and clean as I could get. The clock is back in the dash and so far is keeping perfect time. Oh also, the little pulley groove the winding mechanism slides in slipped a lot of the time. I sanded the groove at an angle with VERY fine sandpaper to clean it, and add some bite. Hasn't slipped since.

 

[ShotRod64]

I can just imagine that a microscope would be a big advantage as just seeing the tiny gears would be difficult for some, including me! You'll be a pro at how all of it works when you're done and then we'll send you ours!

When i was a kid i remember my dad tossing a clock in a pot of boiling water to clean all the dirt and old oil out of it. It kind of backfired as then it ran way too fast and the adjuster did nothing. Of course he didn't get a microscope out or magnifying glass as probably something got moved out of place. But it was a fun experiment that had worked before i guess but not this time. Us kids thought it was great!