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Tue Aug 19, 2003 7:33 am

Does anyone know how to get into the vdo clocks.I've removed the three nuts in back, but it seems like the chrome bezel must come off also. This I don't know how to get off.

Thanks,
Jeff

Mon Aug 25, 2003 6:11 pm

You mean cracking a clock open to get to its inards?

Tue Aug 26, 2003 6:03 am

Tue Aug 26, 2003 6:04 am

Wed Aug 27, 2003 8:20 am

You have to pry the chrome bezel up all the way around. Not at the front by the glass, but at the rear where the chrome meets the housing. I've done it on a speedometer, but not a clock.

Wed Aug 27, 2003 12:31 pm

you do not have to pry off the bezel to get to the motor of the clock, the power tab must be push in as you are pulling the plastic cover back.
It goes thru to the electric solinoid, so it is not detached during disassembly. If I gat get a pic of a clock I have recently dismanted, I will post it tonight.
Ken

Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:12 pm

Plastic cover?
I don't know about your Ghia, but the clock in mine has a metal housing.

Wed Aug 27, 2003 3:43 pm

Mine has a metal housing.

Thu Aug 28, 2003 9:37 am

I think there's some confusion about whether we're talking big clock (speedo size) or little clock here. What year Ghia is you clock off of?

Thu Aug 28, 2003 12:51 pm

Looking at his avatar, I'd say it's a 70 or 71. Small clock.
I beleive it's the same as what in this article, a 914 parts place calls a "Type II clock"
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/mult_vdo_clock_repair/mult_vdo_clock_repair.htm

Thu Aug 28, 2003 4:45 pm

Oh, if it's the small clock I can't help. If he had the large clock on the other hand I could tell him how to bend the f**ck out of the bezel and break the glass trying to get it open. I am a bit of an authority on that. Small clock, you're on your own.

Mon Sep 01, 2003 6:43 pm

Someone sent me this awhile back.... Erik G I think....

it is for the small clock.... good luck.

How to fix a VDO Kienzle Clock
Read all of this before starting.
-Once the clock is removed from the car you must remove the chrome trim ring. The trim ring houses the faux glass clock cover, so be careful not to crack the plastic! I would suggest studying the ring so you are familiar with how it mounts to the housing. Hold the base of the clock and turn the ring, this will help loosen it a little. The part of the chrome that wraps around the base of the clock, the portion facing the dash cannot be seen when the clock is in the car, this is the area I pry about a 1 inch area of the chrome lip up using a small (eye glasses type) screwdriver.
-Put the base of the clock in a vice and tighten it just enough to make it temporarily ovalize. At this point you should be able to pop the chrome off (this is the hardest part of the entire procedure).
-Once the ring is removed, turn the clock over and remove the three small nuts with a slot screwdriver or pliers. There may be some green paint, or a plastic piece on these nuts, just scrape it off. Once this is removed push the clock out of the housing using the electrical contact. At this point, you should have six washers, three that go inside and three that go under the nuts, put them aside.
-Inside you will find a series of gears and a coil and a couple of springs. There is a steel disk about ¾ inch in diameter near the rear end of the clock which has an electrical contact mounted under it. When this electrical contact is closed, current is sent to the coil, which spins the steel disk around about ½ turn. This is how the clock is wound. The disk is spring-loaded and will slowly over the course of about 2 minutes return to its original position - operating the clock as it goes around. When the contacts close, the process starts all over again. For this reason, this clock only uses power for a fraction of a second every 2 minutes. You can turn the disk manually and see how this all works. The rest of clock works like a regular clock with all of the gears, etc.
-These clocks have a built-in fuse, which is normally the cause of the clock not working. Right next to the coil is a set of metal tabs, which should be soldered together. With the clock facing you, 12 at the top, the tabs are located at the top of the clock against the back piece of circuit board material. It is a little copper piece of metal with a hole in it. This connects to the top of the coil. It works like a spring, when the solder melts it pops to the back of the clock disabling power to the coil. If your clock is not working, chances are that these two tabs are no longer soldered. The process to repair it is simple: re-solder the connection. To do this correctly, you need to use a low temperature solder (solder with a fusing point of 120C or 248F). Using regular solder is an option that will work fine, but someday your clock will really get fried because the tab fuse didn’t melt like it was supposed to. When you solder the two tabs together, be sure that the top tab is pulled down (so it is spring loaded) to meet the other tab and then soldered. Don’t try to bridge the large gap because this spring loading is what helps to separate the tabs when the fuse melts.
-I used regular solder and am currently in the process of assembling an in-line fuse, which is external to the clock, making it easier to replace in the future.
-Well, that’s about it! Spray the entire clock mechanism with wd40 (chances are it is seized up from not moving). Clean out the black dust inside the housing, pop the clock back in (don’t forget the washers) and pop the chrome on. With a small hammer and punch you can bend the chrome lip back. Adjustment of the clock speed is made by the small brass slot screw, which protrudes through the rear cover. Counter-clockwise goes faster, it seems each 1/8 of a turn affects the clock by about 5 minutes per day.
-If this doesn’t fix your clock there is a possibility that the coil or the resistor is burned out. These clocks are pretty rugged and generally the mechanism (gears & springs) will not wear out. If you want to test the clock outside the car, find a low amperage 12volt power source (4-6 amps). The electrical contact on the rear is the positive and the housing of the clock is negative. When you apply power the wheel will wind and ticking can be heard. My inline fuse idea is being held back by not knowing what amp fuse to use. The circuit in the car has an 8.5 amp fuse on it. I am waiting to get the car assembled and will probably start with a 1amp fuse and work my way up until I stop blowing fuses.

Tue Sep 02, 2003 12:53 pm

Keifernet,

Excellrnt tutorial, I also thought of using a vise to deform the case, but did'nt have a vise so I mangled the bezel more than I wanted. You're right though, it does'nt show when back in the dash. I saw the resistor and the winding wheel along with the contacts, but did not see the copper links. I'll pull it back out and have a friend take a look, I'm losing my vision, and have him do the soldering. I'll also use an inline fuse for future repairs.

Thanks Again,
Jeff

Wed Sep 03, 2003 6:58 am

Good info except the wd 40 part. The movement should be cleaned and oiled correctly that way the dirt that is in the old oil doesn't turn into a grinding compound once it's suspended in the wd ,which is not a good lubricant.

Wed Sep 03, 2003 6:20 pm

good tip Tim... I have about 3 or more of the old ghia clocks and have not had the chance to try an get any working. so when I do I will ask you about the cleaning and oiling part.

Wed Sep 03, 2003 8:49 pm

Thu Sep 04, 2003 8:48 am

I use a product called Action Blaster to clean gummed up gun actions. It sprays on like carb cleaner and disolves and rinses away old oil and grease, grime. It does'nt leave any residue, I'm not sure whats in it, I'll read the label later, but it works real well. I'd bet it would do a good job on clocks but it would remove all lubrication.

Jeff

Fri Sep 05, 2003 10:59 am

If you use that make sure not to spray directly on the hairspring as it could damage it.

Tue Sep 16, 2003 4:03 pm

Keifernet,

I got it running and cleaned up real well, looks brand new. Do you have the fuse figured out yet. I put a one amp in, not installed yet, so I don't know if it's going to blow. I'm waiting for a new dash face.

Thanks Again
Jeff

Wed Sep 17, 2003 8:22 am

I think that Erik G was going to try and figure out what fuse to use by starting with a 1 amp and going up one amp at at time until the draw from the clock stopped blowing the inline fuse. I suspect about a 4 amp inline clear glass type should be about right??? I don't know for sure as I have not re-done my clocks yet.

I keep waiting for Timgud to offer to do them for me :!: :roll: :lol: