YES! you can fix your analog clock...

[kalispell365]

i have been blessed with so much information on here and wanted to share a link i discovered(not my own).it really works,i just repaired my own.this is for the old non digital clocks.
http://www.pauldottrip.com/84vanagon/analogclock/analogclock.html

my clock now keeps time and has a noticable "click" sound made for each second.i am so stoked!

[Ahwahnee]

Glad you found that site... I used it about 5 years ago to fix the clock on my '84 and it has run fine since. Tried to track the site down again and thought it was gone forever. Still have that peanut can around here somewhere.

[kalispell365]

another helpful tip is the positive side of the capacitor has a longer wire on the radio shack units,i had to hunt for that information as well.

[DAIZEE]

I hope it works. Dead clock using up space irritates me to no end!
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[Pascal]

Yeah, I did mine last winter after the clock started acting up in the fall. It's been back to it's normal soothing tic...tic...tic...all summer
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'84 Westy - 2.2wbx, GT Torque-Biasing Differential
'91 EA Cabby

[AndyBees]

The clock in my ole '83 has been ticking for 27 years. However, the clock in the '84 has been "dead" since I've owned it (fall of '07).

Although I am in the process of installing a TDI engine and cluster, I think I'll go ahead and repair the Vanagon Clock using the link and info.
_________________
'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI, two trips to Alaska, 2014 & 16. 1989 Tin-top unmolested.
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine, seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. 1975 Bay hopeful.

[rogerm]

Just did it and now I have the time-Thanks

[erdonline]

I'm wondering what the symptoms were for those of you who have used this repair. Was the clock not working at all?

My clock works intermittently, and I think I have discovered when it works and when it doesn't- it works in the warmest part of the day or when the sun is shining right on the instrument cluster. Once the sun is off of it, or the temp is down, the clock stops working.

To me this sounds like something different than the capacitor fix. Any ideas?

Ed
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'85 Vanagon Westfalia
'84 Vanagon 7-passenger
'98 Mexican air-cooled Beetle

[Ahwahnee]

[whafalia]

I'm looking forward to fixing mine, but then it will only be 4:20 twice a day.

[bangbus2.0]

[Mike Robinson]

This is a super easy repair.

I am so happy to have the clock working.

Mike

[johnt55]

Have an '81 Westy without the analog clock. Bought an analog clock on eBay which seems to work well when connected to 12 volts. But perhaps I've made a mistake? Please read on...

The owner's manual says that the clock is adjusted by simply pushing in on a button, (which I assume protrudes through the clear plastic front cover) and turning it. Problem is, since my Westy never had a clock in the first place, I don't know what this looks like and the shop manual doesn't show a picture of this either. Although the clock runs well and the ancient circuit foil tests ok, the unit I have doesn't have any knob on the front to adjust the time and the existing clear plastic instrument cover in my Westy has no hole for this knob since it never came with a clock in the first place. What I have now is the rather blank disc where the clock face would be and the gas gauge located at the bottom the same as the gas gauge/clock combo, (to make sure the original purchaser was constantly reminded they were too cheap to opt for the extra-cost option).

So, anyone know where I might find a picture of what this looks like when correctly installed? (Or even a written description?) The clear plastic with a hole in the middle? The mysterious Volkswagen clock knob?

Thanks in advance!

[GMByers]

John,

I installed an analog clock in my Doka. I carefully removed (hot exacto-knife) the non-holed clear plastic and replaced it with one with a hole. Careful placement and sparing use of clear glue was my friend in this project.

Check with speelyjoe in the classifieds. He is always advertising clocks. You can probably score the plastic and the rod that goes to the middle of the clock from him.
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And then there were two...downsized to 83 Doka &
74 Thing.

[johnt55]

Thanks for the information about your analog clock experience!

Assuming that I'm somehow lucky enough to drill a hole in the plastic crystal without it breaking, (that is a big assumption!) can you tell me, draw/take a picture, etc., which shows what just the knob looks like? Especially the end of it where it connects to the clock's spindle and adjusts the clock's hands?

On very close inspection I noticed two notches on the end of the spindle where it looks like something would fit.

See attached photo...

Had another photo but was not able to upload it.

[GMByers]

John,

Sorry you don't like my experience. No I don't have pictures of the knob or knob end.

Good luck on your endeavor.
_________________
And then there were two...downsized to 83 Doka &
74 Thing.

[ricebowl]

I have time! Thanks to finding this post. I went through all of the instructions, at the link in the first post step by step and now have a very functional, ticking clock. Thanks Paul!

The Chinese puzzle he was talking about was pretty hard to figure out until I realized the the tamp and fuel gauges slid out from the plastic mount by releasing a couple of tabs. then the clock mechanism slid right out.

The soldering was also a bit tricky since I'd never tried it before but understood the theory. I just took my time and watched a couple of Youtube demonstrations and got it on the first try.

I didnt have a peanut can, but just used what I had within reach to hold the clock and protect the arms/face while soldering.

Here's that link again.
http://www.pauldottrip.com/84vanagon/analogclock/analogclock.html
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Have fun and stay safe,
-Eriic

[plummerdesign]

Love the how-to for repairing the clock.
That said, it seemed to go well but in the end- the clock does not work.
May have purchased some bum capacitors or got the board too hot unsoldering. Unsure.
.
One thing I do know is that I tried a new Weller battery operated solder pen. It came with batteries (which were dead), but once new ones were installed- it seemed to run out of power way too soon. This tool will not stay in the cabinet; back to ‘Depot it goes.
.
Now to find a working analog clock…

Cheers,
Jeffery
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It is old and green and it makes me grin.
1984 Westfalia 1.9

[plummerdesign]

UPDATE:So this afternoon I went and re-soldered in a new capacitor. On the bench the clock worked great. Nice.
Reinstalled the instrument panel and…no clock.
.
Is there a fuse dedicated to the clock? Maybe I have a bad foil. Hmm.

Anyone?


Cheers,
Jeffery
_________________
It is old and green and it makes me grin.
1984 Westfalia 1.9

[DAIZEE]

That's why I'm probably not going to try fixing it. The temp gauge doesn't work but that may because I have an actual temperature gauge added; the fuel gauge doesn't work, the analogue clock doesn't work. mmm is it the foil?

Can you test the foil anyway? Can you bypass the foil for the clock to work?
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)