Topic: How to test a rally pac clock?

[Hipo giddyup]

Can anyone tell me how to test a rally pac clock while its out of the pac??? I would think you could bench test it??

[midlife]

Easy!  Just connect 12V power to the green/yellow wire and ground to the black wire.

[Hipo giddyup]

Wow! that is easy... But, the blue light cover inside the back of the cup is loose.. I need to take the clock apart to fix this. (it  is also burnt through so i will have to scavange another from an instrument cluster, I hope they are the same.)  The big question is how to remove the clock stem??? If you pull it out it does move the arms.. which is good. But I do not want to break it, or the clock, finding out how to remove it. I also want to try and polish the lenses and or replace..

Also, I have heard that there are "contacts" that can wear out?? Should I clean these or at least check Maybe now is the time to replace with a quartz set???

Any opinions would be great from those of you who have "already invented this wheel"!

[rocket289k]

Wow! that is easy... But, the blue light cover inside the back of the cup is loose.. I need to take the clock apart to fix this. (it  is also burnt through so i will have to scavange another from an instrument cluster, I hope they are the same.)  The big question is how to remove the clock stem??? If you pull it out it does move the arms.. which is good. But I do not want to break it, or the clock, finding out how to remove it. I also want to try and polish the lenses and or replace..

Also, I have heard that there are "contacts" that can wear out?? Should I clean these or at least check Maybe now is the time to replace with a quartz set???

Any opinions would be great from those of you who have "already invented this wheel"!

To remove the adjustment stem is pretty easy.

1 - Pull the stem out like you would to adjust the clock

2 - Use a piece of cloth to protect the stem and use needle nose pliers to hold the stem in place

3 - Turn the stem handle counter clockwise and the stem handle will unscrew from the clock adjustment stem

Like I mentioned in my other post - unless your lens are in good shape just order a repo lens.  The Scott Drake lens are very nice. 

Rebuild or change over the quartz....

I'm currently researching to see if there is someone who can properly rebuild my clock.  Sometimes you can get away with just filing down the contacts (they look like points) and lubricating the clock.  The "points" trigger a spark which winds the clock for approximately 2 minutes.  There used to be folks who would rebuild automotive electro-mechanical clocks but they are getting very hard to find.  Personally I want have a true clicking clock in the car which will go away if I convert it to a quartz movement. 

If I recall the blue lens in the clock are smaller than the instrument panel ones (I can't remember).  I last had my rally pac apart around 4 years ago. 

Regards,

Ron

[Hipo giddyup]

Thank you Ron!! Such a big help!! I will try and get the stem off today. As for the light cover, i might have to rig something if the cluster peice is too big. I can see if definitley has a hole in it.. I will post more pics the more i get into it and hope that this thread helps other in the future as it is helping me know...

[Hipo giddyup]

So i have removed the clock and gently sanded/cleaned the contacts. While opening the contacts you can see the watch functioning. Sometimes it runs all the way until the contacs close, (where they would then spread apart due to the voltage opening them), other times it simply stops? Can you oil or grease this mechanism and what to use and where? Thanks

[jwc66k]

So i have removed the clock and gently sanded/cleaned the contacts.

There's a special contact burnishing tool for contacts. Basically it's a very fine curved file designed to remove pits and crud from contacts. I would classify the grit at 1000 or better with a hard surface. Simply sanding does not do the job. I've cleaned up several clocks this way.
Jim

[rocket289k]

So i have removed the clock and gently sanded/cleaned the contacts. While opening the contacts you can see the watch functioning. Sometimes it runs all the way until the contacs close, (where they would then spread apart due to the voltage opening them), other times it simply stops? Can you oil or grease this mechanism and what to use and where? Thanks

The symptoms you describe indicate that the mechanical clock mechanism (gears, pivot points, spindles etc.) all need to be cleaned an lubricated.  I hunted around for clock cleaning and lubricating solutions and wasn't able to find anything other than very large quantities and no good way to apply the solutions to such small and precise parts).  Having said that, I finally did discover a solution.  Once again a hobby store came in handy.  I found a model train cleaning kit which contained an gear lubricating oil and a cleaning solution both with needle point applicators.  Once I cleaned everything up and greased the moving parts (less is more in this case as to not attract dust).  The clock ran great.  The key is to ensure the clock runs on a regular basis or the parts once again will begin to stick a bit.

Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of the clock parts the I cleaned and lubricated.  However I did reference some information about maintaining mechanical clocks and applied the same principals.  Servicing these old automotive clocks really appears to becoming a lost art.  I had to do a ton of research to figure a bunch this out I'm glad I've been able to help make this a bit easier for you.

Regards,

Ron

[rocket289k]

There's a special contact burnishing tool for contacts. Basically it's a very fine curved file designed to remove pits and crud from contacts. I would classify the grit at 1000 or better with a hard surface. Simply sanding does not do the job. I've cleaned up several clocks this way.
Jim

+1 Jim - I found that a very fine "points" file worked quite well.

Regards,


Ron

[rocket289k]

The train cleaning kit that I used is sold by Aero-Car Hobby Lubricants (www.aerocarlubricants.com).  I bought the "train pak".  It was expensive (I seem to recall paying $30 locally) but literally this kit should last me forever.

I've attached a picture of the kit

Regards,

Ron

[Hipo giddyup]

Again, great info. Thanks guys. This makes this forum worth it's weight in gold! Thanks for responding.

[jwc66k]

+1 Jim - I found that a very fine "points" file worked quite well.

I think they may be one in the same. Mine are inherited from my father's WWII tool collection he used in the Navy.
Jim