Clock calibration

[Zymurgy]

I decided I wanted to calibrate the mechanical clock I had rebuilt last year in Goldie. It was gaining about a minute a day. That wouldn't be so bad but you can only advance the time when setting clock, so a minute slower would be better.

I hooked it up to a trickle charger and set it to the atomic clock on my phone. The second picture I circled the tab on the calibration adjusting wheel. Moving it to the left, as it is positioned, slows it down. There is quite an area of adjustment we will see how it goes.

 

[Big_John]

The clocks are self regulating. As I understand it, that adjustment is a coarse adjustment to get the clock "close".

Believe it or not... If you set your clock back (or ahead) to the correct time every day, the clock will be no longer losing time within a week or so. I've done this for years. In fact the clock in my 300 was off about 5 minutes a day when I got it back from being repaired. It keeps almost perfect time now. I just kept resetting it every day until it started keeping time.

 

[Zymurgy]

The clocks are self regulating. As I understand it, that adjustment is a coarse adjustment to get the clock "close".

Believe it or not... If you set your clock back (or ahead) to the correct time every day, the clock will be no longer losing time within a week or so. I've done this for years. In fact the clock in my 300 was off about 5 minutes a day when I got it back from being repaired. It keeps almost perfect time now. I just kept resetting it every day until it started keeping time.

Interesting. It may just be a viscous cycle for me. I disconnect the battery when ever I don't drive it for a while. It was fast all last year so I need to at least slow it down a bit.

 

[mr. fix it]

Where can I find a clock knob? I have 4 clocks but none have a knob...

 

[Big_John]

Where can I find a clock knob? I have 4 clocks but none have a knob...

Ebay. Search "Mopar clock knob".

I know they repop the B body knob and that will probably fit, but may not be the correct style... It might be close enough though. You might get lucky and find a NOS or used one too.

Be sure to get the screw too.

 

[Zymurgy]

The clocks are self regulating. As I understand it, that adjustment is a coarse adjustment to get the clock "close".

Believe it or not... If you set your clock back (or ahead) to the correct time every day, the clock will be no longer losing time within a week or so. I've done this for years. In fact the clock in my 300 was off about 5 minutes a day when I got it back from being repaired. It keeps almost perfect time now. I just kept resetting it every day until it started keeping time.

Big John I will admit I thought you were full of **** about the clocks being self regulating, but after a whole summer of driving and resetting it about once a week, my clock has been dead on for 2 weeks straight.

It is not like it is jumping around either. It has been fast all summer but slowing getting better with each adjustment.

Sorry I doubted you.

 

[cantflip]

Big John I will admit I thought you were full of **** about the clocks being self regulating, but after a whole summer of driving and resetting it about once a week, my clock has been dead on for 2 weeks straight.

It is not like it is jumping around either. It has been fast all summer but slowing getting better with each adjustment.

Sorry I doubted you.

If it helps, I am slow to put my faith in others too... This group has really helped me with that.

 

[live4theking]

I decided I wanted to calibrate the mechanical clock I had rebuilt last year in Goldie. It was gaining about a minute a day. That wouldn't be so bad but you can only advance the time when setting clock, so a minute slower would be better.

I hooked it up to a trickle charger and set it to the atomic clock on my phone. The second picture I circled the tab on the calibration adjusting wheel. Moving it to the left, as it is positioned, slows it down. There is quite an area of adjustment we will see how it goes.
View attachment 71775 View attachment 71776

I know this is an old post, but did you do a thread on rebuilding your clock. Mine is like Superman - - - faster than a speeding bullet.

 

[Zymurgy]

I know this is an old post, but did you do a thread on rebuilding your clock. Mine is like Superman - - - faster than a speeding bullet.

No I ended up sending it away. It only lasted a year. Before that I just cleaned mine and it ran the whole summer. I am going to do a quartz conversion and be done with it.

I really feel like the issue is it winds itself every 3 or 4 minutes. It leaves a carbon deposit on the contact point. If you pulled the clock every spring and clean that contact point I think it would run all summer. It is not that hard to get in and out buy it is not a 5 minute job either

 

[Zymurgy]

I know this is an old post, but did you do a thread on rebuilding your clock. Mine is like Superman - - - faster than a speeding bullet.

If you want to try it here is a video on just cleaning a mechanical clock it is basically the same process for any clock. The additional component you have to clean is the electrical contact point. I have learned you do not use sand paper, but a points file I clean mine first with a Q-tip and denatured alcohol.

 

[live4theking]

Thanks