'56 Clock doesn't run- what is the typical problem?

[Charlie CLC#18187]

What is it that typically goes wrong with clocks of this type?  I took mine apart to look at the works, and it appears pristine as new inside.  I am not a clock expert, but I can't see anything that looks burned, broken or bent.  Do the coils go bad internally somehow? 

Is there any trick to get these going that doesn't require sending out for repair?   

Thanks,
Charlie

[Glen]

Is the main spring wound?  If it is wound the electrical contacts will not be touching.  The big reason for them not to run is the oil is old.  The clock needs to be cleaned and oiled with clock oil.  I’ve never found a substitute for clock oil.

If the contacts are touching then put power to the clock and see what happens.  If it contacts jump apart then the coil is OK.   

Let us know what you find and we can go from there. 

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Try testing the coil leads with a multi meter to see if there is a short within the winding.

If there is, then there will be no actuation of the winder.

Bruce.

[TonyZappone #2624]

More than once over the years, I have% exposed the electrical movement on the bench, sprayed it with WD40, and let it dry.  Works about 70
% of the time.

[J. Gomez]

Charlie,

The 1956 had two clock suppliers Borg and Westclox, which one is in yours? The mechanical part of the clocks were almost identical, however the electrical were totally different.

The Wesclox have two coils side by side while the Borg only has one large coil. The principal is the same for both, the clock gears would unwind causing a contact (a small tab on the Westclox and a set of contact on the Borg) to briefly extend a ground from the clock to energize the coil; this action would rewind the clock. The reaction from unwind to rewind was repeated approximately every two min.

The drawback is the +12V wire for the clock was not fused, and the brief connection to ground cause a spark causing the contact to deteriorate with age and use. Most would just chatter once the contacts made thus created a large spark eventually burning the coil.

This article on clock lubrication from the British Horological Institute Limited provides more details on the subject.
http://www.nawcc-index.net/Articles/BTI-The_Practical_Lubrication_of_Clocks_and_Watches.pdf

Good luck…!

[R Schroeder]

Ebay has a few of them for sale.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313&_nkw=1956+cadillac+clock&_sacat=0&_from=R40

[Walter Youshock]

I've brought several clocks back to life using the WD-40 trick.  I had one Westclox burn up and have seen a few others in the junkyard also burned up.  The winding mechanism doesn't catch and it will go into a winding cycle until it overheats and burns out one or both of the coils.  The Borg clocks don't seem to suffer this fate.

[Charlie CLC#18187]

I played around with the (Westclox) clock and oiled it and it is now running (certainly not the right spec oil per your article Jose, but we'll see what happens).   I was manually moving a rather large flat bar that rotates in front of the coils, but I see it does not move when the clock is running- is that something to do with the speed adjustment? 

I'll see if it's still going on the bench tomorrow morning.   

I appreciate all of your help very much.  Next is the windshield washer- trying to get everything working for the National- except for A/C, most likely.

Charlie

[Walter Youshock]

Here's what I've done and it's worked so far:  remove the adjusting knob from the front of the clock holding the stem with needle nose pliers.  Then remove the bezel, hands and face.  Testors model paint has a flat orange that's about as perfect you'll find for the faded second hand.  And you can spray the hour and minute hands white.

Wash the mechanism in mineral spirits which will get the old gunk and years of dust and, possibly, nicotine out of the works.  (Everybody smoked back then!)  Gently shake it out and let it dry on a paper towel.  Then spray it with the WD-40 or even PB Blaster, but don't soak it.  Again, let it dry up a bit.  Whatever you do DO NOT disassemble the mechanism!  They were adjusted at the factory for balance and you'll never get it back.

When ready, take your battery charger and hook up the positive to the terminal on the back of the clock and the negative to any free spot on the mechanism frame as it is ground.  The clock should quickly wind and start ticking.  If it winds, great.  You may have to manually move the balance wheel to get it started.  Once it's running, it will wind down then rewind again.  I usually let them run for a day on the bench to check the accuracy.  Reassemble and put it back in the car.

[J. Gomez]

Charlie,

That flat bar is driven by a large spring load gear at the bottom of the clock during the unwinding cycle. The bar has a small metal tab (see picture attached) that makes contact with the clock ground to energize the coil. The bar would then rewind the large gear to start the cycle again, this is done approximately once every two min or so.

The attached picture is from the one I’m currently rebuilding (back burner project) showing the coils, the bar and a small piece which extends the ground to the coils.
The rotation of the bar is roughly 1/3 turn when the coil is energized.

If I may suggest check the electrical piece first making sure the coils do energized so the clock to be rewind.

Good luck..!

[Walter Youshock]

And I've seen Westclox where the teeth that are supposed to catch the winding mechanism so worn down that it won't ratchet.  It'll just keep winding.

The Borg is a simpler and more reliable design.

[Charlie CLC#18187]

Clock ran on the bench for 24 hours, lost about 5 minutes.  I'm not too worried about that, as long as it keeps running.  I used a mix of light lubricating oil and WD-40, semi-judiously applied.    Fortunately, the clock was extremely clean and I see no wear.  Thanks again to all- I learned more about clocks than in all my life to this point. 

Walter- Are you going to the National? 

Charlie




   

[Glen]

I think these clocks had automatic speed adjustment.  I know the 61 Cadillacs had it.  To make these clocks keep time you should adjust them daily.  Once a day set the clock to the correct time.  Be sure to turn the hands in the right direction first.  If you move them the wrong direction and then reverse direction it may not adjust the speed.    Each day the adjustment changes the speed of the clock by a small amount.  So eventually it will keep good time. 

[dplotkin]

Charlie, with any luck I'll make the nationals with your former Fleetwood, but my clock & washer will not be working, so no fear. (I have no time, and after a strip, re-paint & re-chrome, little money).

Dan

[Charlie CLC#18187]

Glen- This clock has an adjustment screw in the center of the set knob.  I haven't tried it yet, but you turn left to slow it and right to speed it up.  One "click" equals a 30 sec/day adjustment. 


Dan-Hope to see you there.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that I don't have the same problem with the gas tank that you did- I bought both tanks at the same time. 

Charlie

[dplotkin]

I don't know if I told you this...the problem with the tank was a peice of plastic debris floating around inside it that would get sucked up the stand pipe & starve it. We though it was vapor lock, but it wasn't. I cut the tank open to find it, so I ended up replacing it. You will be fine I'm sure. make sure you tell her where you are going and why!

Dan

[Walter Youshock]

Charlie--I'll be in Boston.  Maybe we can get together with Mike Cascio who is also very adept at getting clocks (and just about everything else) working.

As for the speed adjustment on the clocks--setting the timing forward one hour is supposed to make it run 5 seconds per hour faster.  Setting it back makes it run 5 seconds slower per hour.  Unless the battery is ALWAYS connected and the clock is ALWAYS running, as in a daily-driver, the time loss or gain is no big deal.  Every time the battery is disconnected, you'll be resetting the clock so it will never be totally accurate.  The thrill is hearing that "chungk" every time it winds and the fast "tick, tick, tick" of the second hand.  No need to go quartz!

[Coupe Deville]

Hello everyone. I just removed the clock from my 57 Sedan. I cleaned the contacts and with power the clock rewinds. But the gears don't catch. If that makes sence. The points touch and it throws the wheel but it comes right back. I rewound it by hand once and it worked but it has t worked after that. For some reason when you rewind it, it just doesn't stay. Any help is appriciated.

Thanks

-Gavin

[Walter Youshock]

Which movement (manufacturer) is it--Borg or Westclox?  Sometimes, the spring-loaded catches on the winding gear wear out on the Borgs and the mainspring won't hold tension. 

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Just a note on why NOT to use WD-40 on clocks. My son-in-law is a master clockmaker, and when I was working with him, we normally charged the price of a new bottle of electronic cleaner (about $35) when we found a clock had WD-40 on it. It gunks up everything. It may not right away, your clock may run for awhile, but it is not for clocks. As mentioned in the first reply, use regular clock oil.