Topic: How I fixed my clock.

[pwrcat4000]

Now how do you adjust it so it keep time well or at least better any takers

[Grand73Am]

Yes, very helpful writeup. Funny thing about that type of electric/windup clock is that they used that same type of mechanism at least as far back as 1955, so it's quite an antique design.

The 79-81's have quartz clocks, which are much more dependable and accurate. The original one in my 79 still keeps great time.
If you decide to take your cluster out,  it might be worth seeing if a 79-81 quartz will swap into your earlier cluster. Of course, you'd have to find a working 79-81 quartz clock, probably by buying a used cluster. Or some of the clock and instrument repair services may be able to do a quartz conversion on your old clock.

[78ta]

As Grand73am mentioned, this design has been around a long time. The clock in my 70 442 is the same.

People have asked if the clock can be adjusted and, if so, how. Here's a couple pics. One from my 70 442 owners manual and one from the 78 pontiac chassis service manual. It's funny, the info regarding the TA is literally the next paragraph after what  ta78w72 posted regarding the disclaimer.
If I were to go to all the trouble to take mine apart to service it, I would hose it down with an electrical contact cleaner or at the very least plain alcohol. Something to break down the old gummy oil and dust that is in the bearings/moving parts. Then oil is with a light machine oil like 3in1. That said, I did this on my 442 and it worked for maybe a few weeks.
Some have mentioned the quartz conversion. I know they are available for the 68-72 Cutlass, Lemans, Chevelle etc so I would think there is a kit for the 78's too. The quartz 79 TA clock sounds like a great idea. Anybody personally done that?

[pwrcat4000]

Thanks randy that is awesome that you have that.

[78ta]

Thanks randy that is awesome that you have that.

You're welcome. The only problem with that procedure is that you kinda have to drive the car regularly and adjust it regularly for it to get close and stay close. Close still being a relative term. Unfortunately, most of us only drive our cars a few times a month. Maybe more than that in the summer but definitely less in the winter.

[pwrcat4000]

I currently have mine plugged in to a power supply





I have been moving forward 5 min at a time today it was only off by less than a min after 12 hours

[skisix38off]

I pulled my dash apart a weekend ago to try this fix and was so excited that my clock when I put it back in.  After 3 days of working, it stopped again. The only electrical connection that I didn't clean was the solder joint for the positive terminal on the clock itself.  If it's not that, it's mechanical somewhere in the little gears, I put a little lube on those.  If I pull the adjuster pin out to change the time, the clock will work for a few minutes and then stop again. 

Any suggestions?

Greg

[78ta]

I pulled my dash apart a weekend ago to try this fix and was so excited that my clock when I put it back in.  After 3 days of working, it stopped again. The only electrical connection that I didn't clean was the solder joint for the positive terminal on the clock itself.  If it's not that, it's mechanical somewhere in the little gears, I put a little lube on those.  If I pull the adjuster pin out to change the time, the clock will work for a few minutes and then stop again. 

Any suggestions?

Greg

If it only works for a couple minutes and stops, it sounds like the throw arm contact might not be making good contact with the solenoid as it comes back to make contact and get thrown again. Lightly file both sides of that contact if you haven't already.
Also, for anyone doing this, I'd recommend spraying some kind of electrical contact cleaner all over the moving gears to remove the grit and debris BEFORE applying the light machine oil to them. If you're just applying oil with out cleaning the gears, you're encapsulating the 40 years worth of crud that is already there causing the gears to bind.

[hada76]

anyone notice this thread jumped ahead 4yrs w/o missing a beat?

[skisix38off]

I pulled my dash apart a weekend ago to try this fix and was so excited that my clock when I put it back in.  After 3 days of working, it stopped again. The only electrical connection that I didn't clean was the solder joint for the positive terminal on the clock itself.  If it's not that, it's mechanical somewhere in the little gears, I put a little lube on those.  If I pull the adjuster pin out to change the time, the clock will work for a few minutes and then stop again. 

Any suggestions?

Greg

If it only works for a couple minutes and stops, it sounds like the throw arm contact might not be making good contact with the solenoid as it comes back to make contact and get thrown again. Lightly file both sides of that contact if you haven't already.
Also, for anyone doing this, I'd recommend spraying some kind of electrical contact cleaner all over the moving gears to remove the grit and debris BEFORE applying the light machine oil to them. If you're just applying oil with out cleaning the gears, you're encapsulating the 40 years worth of crud that is already there causing the gears to bind.

When I put it all back together the clock worked for 3 days and kept decent time in that period.  Then it stopped working, and I would get it to run again by adjusting the time and it would run ofr a n hour or so and quit...  Does that sound like the throw contact arm?  Where is the throw arm contact?  I don't know what to file.  Thanks for the good suggestion though!

[ntgarwood]

I'm 13 years late to this thread but this was amazing!!! My clock didn't work and I had the gauge cluster out so I gave it a shot. Worked exactly as mentioned and now the clock is functioning!! Thank you so much for this post