Re: old car clocks-long

[Mark Mucciacciaro <mmthrax@domain.elided>]

--- alfa-digest <owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided> wrote:
> 
> alfa-digest         Wednesday, January 8 2003       
>  Volume 09 : Number 163
> 
> 
> 
> Forum for Discussion of Alfa Romeos, etc.
>        Richard Welty <rwelty@domain.elided>
>        Digest Coordinator
> 
> Contents:
> 
>       >      why 70s Alfa clocks don't work?

   Hi all,

     Sorry for the ham-handed double post.  I am new
to the board and have been lurking for a short while.

 I am new to Alfa with a project GTV6.  I have never
even driven it, because I bought it in project status,
but I knew a good deal when I saw one.  I am excited
about the possibilities and enjoy perusing the
abundant knowledge on the board. 

    I figured I could put in my two cents worth
regarding the clocks.  I don't know how Alfa clocks
work, however the ones I have messed with---66 GTO, 66
Coupe DeVille, 72 Plymouth etc----were all basically
the same.

   It is an electro-mechanical device that basically
runs by itself.  There are two very obvious electrical
contacts within the movement that oppose eachother on
a half-moon kind of axis.  They look like a set of
points.  When together, they are at a theroretical 12
o'clock position.  When apart, the primary contact is
at twelve while the secondary is at about 4 o'clock.  

  The "mechanical" part of the device moves these two
contacts towards eachother and when they meet at
twelve---provided the clock is hooked into 12v----an
authoritive "click" is heard and the secondary contact
springs back to the 4 o'clock position and makes its
way back to meet its mate.  This is the "electro" part
of the device.
 
  In every case, (in my experience), these two
contacts had been burned and stuck together.  (like an
old set of points)  I merely separated them and gently
filed them with a point file or some emery cloth.
  
   Then you must liberally hose down the movement with
3M 4-way spray. (IMHO the best stuff-plus it smells
delicious)  This dislodges the years of dust from the
movement.  Don't be stingy. Keep spraying until you
don't see any more black stuff dripping away.  Try not
to get this stuff on the face of the clock.  Not that
it will eat the numbers off or anything, just try not
to.

   With the back of the clock still off, hook it back
up to 12v.  My dad had a remote power supply he made
for just such testing procedures.  This allowed us to
work on the kitchen table.  With the clock hooked back
up, you can then monitor the contact travel and watch
the "click".  The time between clicks is usually about
a couple of minutes.  

    You must now calibrate the clock.  Pick a time
that is convenient for you,say 7AM, and every 7AM for
five days straight, set the clock to 7AM no matter
what it says.  After a week of doing this it should be
 keeping good time and ready to go back into the car. 


   On my Cadillac, it was actually necessary to
manually calibrate the clock, because even after the
above procedure, it was picking up a couple of
minutes.
  
  If this is the case, you will notice on the back of
the movement a small screw with a "+" and a "-".
 BARELY, BARELY tweek this screw in the direction
needed and put the clock back into the week long
monitoring schedule.

    That's all there is to it.  Of course, if the
movement itself is damaged, pieces broken, etc., you
will need a clockmakers assistence, but like I said,
in every case that I've worked on, the above has held
true.

   I personally like the electro-mechanical clocks
because you hear them ticking, hear the "click", and
watch the sweeping second hand.  I guess I'm Old
World.

    Anyway, I hope that helps and happy digesting!

                              Mark Mucciacciaro
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