Kienzle Clock Repair - Help

[spacebiscuit]

I've started this thread as I am going to attempt the repair of my Kienzle dash clock.

First up how do I remove the back cover. I have removed two small nuts (green arrows), but I remember reading that there is another step required.

Anyone able to give me a pointer? Thanks!
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1972 Type 2 1600cc
1990 MKII Golf 1.6 CL

[raygreenwood]

[SGKent]

[spacebiscuit]

Thanks for confirming it is the blue plastic that I need ot break off.

I have trawled the Samba and Google and Youtube extensively and I have the PDF which explains the tear down and reapair process. But it's all just theory until I have the clock in front of me to look at.
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1972 Type 2 1600cc
1990 MKII Golf 1.6 CL

[raygreenwood]

For the record.....decades ago.....I was just a guilty as anyone....of just cleaning these clocks with circuit cleaner and lubing them up with tri-flow or similar instrument oil like Starrett M-1.....thinking I was doing the clock a favor.

In virtually every case....I got the clock working. In most cases along with my lube and cleaning....the fusible link needed repair.
But.....in almost every case.....a handful of months later or less.....the clock is off (slow or fast)....and I have to get inside again and adjust the +/- adjustment..... or a year or so later....they start having the start and stop problem. I just assumed they did not have a great lifespan......so I would just pick up another clock or two from the junkyard.

In later years I would come to understand that these are relatively fine clocks....by the way....my parents have a 110 year old Kienzle grandfather clock in their hallway just ticking along...and that my sloppy cleaning and lubing....is what did them in....not that fact they they are just some kind of cheap automotive clock.

These are real clocks with jeweled bearings. They can last a looooong time....but the cleaning, lubing and adjusting needs to be done correctly....no different than what you would do for a fine watch.
Ray

[spacebiscuit]

[my59]

[wihr]

I have had the "fusable link" burn on two of my Mercedes clocks. Simply replace it with a thin wire of solder. It is a solder wire. When it gets too hot it melts.

WW
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WIHR

1970 Campmobile "Van Ordinaire"
2009 Lincoln Town Car "Behemoth"
1969 Lambretta 150 DL "Nina"
1962 Matchless G 12 CS 650cc

[spacebiscuit]

I've removed the back cover, looks like the fuse is the issue?

Otherwsie it looks fairly clean I guess.
_________________
1972 Type 2 1600cc
1990 MKII Golf 1.6 CL

[wihr]

Easy repair!

WW
_________________
WIHR

1970 Campmobile "Van Ordinaire"
2009 Lincoln Town Car "Behemoth"
1969 Lambretta 150 DL "Nina"
1962 Matchless G 12 CS 650cc

[spacebiscuit]

I'm not sure how to solder this though, anyone got in pics of a repaired solder joint? I have the low temp solder for the job but the gap is not insignificant. I can see solder dripping where I don't want it to if this goes wrong!
_________________
1972 Type 2 1600cc
1990 MKII Golf 1.6 CL

[wihr]

With a short length of solder "wire" simply 'touch' both ends with your iron. That is what I did.

WW
_________________
WIHR

1970 Campmobile "Van Ordinaire"
2009 Lincoln Town Car "Behemoth"
1969 Lambretta 150 DL "Nina"
1962 Matchless G 12 CS 650cc

[70Crew]

No photos but I do remember (carefully!) wedging a small piece of wood in there (toothpick or popsicle stick?) to hold the contacts together while I soldered the joint. Also be sure and use flux.
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1970 Crew Cab

[spacebiscuit]

So the two contacts shuld be together when I solder, rather than bridging them together with a piece of solder "wire".

I've just read back over some of the other threads on the repair process it seems that when the fuse has blown the contact have "sprung apart". So I should be able to move the top contact down to make contact with the bottom?
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1972 Type 2 1600cc
1990 MKII Golf 1.6 CL

[70Crew]

Correct, you will be able to push them together. There should probably be a small gap left for the solder to fill, but not much of one - say 1/32 of an inch or so. Heated solder flows easily and will fill that gap.
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1970 Crew Cab

[spacebiscuit]

OK make sense now, I used a very small screw drive to pull the upper contact down. When using flux, do I add this to the top iron or should I try to get some on the contact, or both?
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1972 Type 2 1600cc
1990 MKII Golf 1.6 CL

[70Crew]

Both.

From Wikipedia: As cleaning agents, fluxes facilitate soldering, brazing, and welding by removing oxidation from the metals to be joined. ... By preventing the formation of metal oxides, flux enables the solder to adhere to the clean metal surface, rather than forming beads, as it would on an oxidized surface.
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1970 Crew Cab

[spacebiscuit]

Here is my repair:

I tried it in my box, initially there was some activity then nothing. I removed the white plastic back cover and manipulated a few of the gears manually and I had some life. I then wiggled the time adjustment knob on the front of the clock and it was running intermittently. I'm not sure if my battery wasn't a little low so need to test again after I have charged it, or it could be there I need to lubricate the item a little?
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1972 Type 2 1600cc
1990 MKII Golf 1.6 CL

[spacebiscuit]

Tried the clock agian today, it runs for about 30-45 seconds, once it stops if i wind the adjuster on the front very slowly it comes back to life until it stops again.

With the power disconnected if I turn the 3/4" steel wheel the clock runs for about 3-4 minutes and the hands move to show this. So perhaps I need to lubricate the mechanism, I found this does it look suitable:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Precision-Oiler-Clocks-Wa...=clock+oil
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1972 Type 2 1600cc
1990 MKII Golf 1.6 CL

[spacebiscuit]

For those who have oiled these clocks, are there points that should be oiled. I am guessing given this is a precision piece I shouldn't be indiscriminately spraying oil.
_________________
1972 Type 2 1600cc
1990 MKII Golf 1.6 CL