Clock Not Working: 87 911
 

I just bought an 87 911 and the clock is not working. Is this a common problem? Is it a DIY repair or is there a recommended specialist out there?

Thanks.

Did you check the fuses?
 

The interior lights and clock are on the same fuse,:rolleyes:, so if they aren't working either...

jt
-84 targa

It's a common problem. I don't know of any specialists, but I believe there are some DIY threads here if you do a search. Many people just "delete" the clock and replace it with some other type of gauge or blank cover.

Before you move forward, check all your fuses and connections to make sure they are clean and tight. You will find that bad/dirty connections are the most common culprit on these cars. Also, the dash gauge cluster (including the clock) will gently pull towards you from the dash...a very simple removal if you choose to inspect it further.

Hmmm....I haven't driven the car at night yet, but I don't recall any interior lights coming on either.

I had figured that they were switched off.

North Hollywood Speedometer
Palo Alto Speedometer

...are two specialists that are mentioned positively here quite a bit. Google will find them for you.

Yeap common issue, either broken solder or internals. Check the tech article on DIY.

+1 check fuses 1st

North Hollywood Speedometer treated me extremely well. Dropped my speedo off and went to lunch. Came back and it was fixed and calibrated. Calibration was gratis and the service empecable. Wish I remembered the man's name.

S.

The clock is a piece of junk... When I bought my car the clock didn't work, then I bought a used clock, it worked for about 24 hours then took a dump. I removed the bezel (not pretty) and looked at the clock works, for a moment I thought the works had come out of a "Cracker Jack" box.

Bottom line, give it to a professional to repair. Palo Alto repaired mine and it's been spot on every since.

The clocks both work incredibly well in my 82 and 83 which has always surprised the he(( out of me given how old the cars are and they've both racked up a fair bit of mileage.

I too think the clocks are great-incredibly accurate, it stays in sync with my watch, which is renowned for its accuracy. As long as it is over 50 degrees. Below, it stops. Not bad for a 25 year old piece-nothing a good R&R wouldn't fix.

Not the fuses (interior lights work). Ill check out the DIY.

I recently had this problem on my 86 911. the clock comes out very easy and there are just three wires, a ground (brown) hot (black) and the wire for the bulb..no soldering. If you take it out, make sure the black wire never touches any metal or you can cause a short.

You can find used clocks on e-bay or send it to North Hollywood for repair, they will charge you $100 plus $15 for shipping.

I bought a clock from a friend of mine in my PCA club, for $50 sold me a clock from a C2, which supposedly are much more reliable. works great, needed just a minor modification/connector to get it hooked up, very easy.

If you are interested, carsinc has a C2 clock if you need one, probably he'll sell you one for $60 or so.

http://www.carsincnj.com/... ask for Dan, tell him Rob sent you.

Thanks for the tip. Can you post a photo of your C2 clock?

This one has a built in light so you'll need to snip the bulb wire and connect it to the back of this clock. The light is much brighter than the old clock, wish my other gauges were as bright. One more thing, this clock was slightly smaller than the stock one I had, wrapped electrical tape three times around and it snugged it up. This is a 15 minute job.

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/2360/58846186.jpg

Thanks.

A lot of people poo poo clocks. I like my clock but I fried it trying to connect my battery. I was trying to get the negative cable on and kept hitting the terminal until I got it seated. The clock apparently did not like the voltage surges.

I think I can fix it, I fixed the one in my '71, but I forgot what exactly I did. A small wire somewhere inside?

I took mine all apart , which was sort of an ordeal in itself, but did not see anything in there that I could fix myself. But now I know how it comes apart.

Dead thread revival, but seems like a good place to ask HOW DO YOU REMOVE THE CLOCK ?

From what i "think" i've learned, it just slides out from the dash. If this is true, whats the trick ? I've tried gently, and it hasn't budged.

Yes slides out from the dash; either the rubber seal/grommet stays in the dash hole, or it comes out with the clock body. Try twisting and rocking the bezel (turn and pull outward) with fingers to get it started. Might try another gauge (speedo), and if that comes out you can reach in the hole and push the clock from the back. Some people have access (older cars?) to use a broomstick or such to push the clock backside from the front trunk area.

or use a spoon as a tool

Clock.
 

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1471416619.jpg
^^^^^
Replace the two capacitors.
This might be your "fix".
Gerry

I've found 911 clocks to be very reliable, shockingly so compared to the norm.

However, my '85 911 clock had decided to only work while driving and die shortly after. I was ready to ship the clock off the North Hollywood or Moma in New Mexico for rebuild.

Around this time, my car battery died, and after replacing, the clock has never missed a minute. Someone on here could probably explain that, but nonetheless, this solved my intermittent running issue.

Possibly worth checking your battery's health. Many other threads point to capacitors.

Far as removal goes, if the rubber gasket has sealed itself to the dash face, most any vinyl protectant around the edges (possibly letting it sit) will loosen the seal enough to twist the clock and remove it.

I put mine at 4:00 (pm) the traditional start time of Le Mans.

Didn't try the soon trick, although that probably would have worked. Instead i used some plastic door panel removal tools from Harbor Freight. (think tiny plastic pry bars) They come in several shapes, and they did the trick nicely. No damage.

I need to get my clock out as well - under the rubber seal? Or does seal stay in the dash hole?

My clock did not work. I opened it up and changed the two capacitors inside. Bought the parts from radio shack several years ago. Anyway, clock has worked perfect for years. Tiny capacitors were just a few dollars . I uses a cheap solder gun . Do a little research on the capacitors and you can find them online.

Pig eye: seal is just a slip on ring so whether the seal sticks to the unit, or sticks to the dash hole it doesn't really matter. For my gauges, 1st removal under my ownership, the seal tended to stick to the unit for the tacho, but stuck in the hole for the clock. Outer surface of seal has ridges that gently grab. Just tilt and twist from front, or push from behind from different angles to work it out slowly. IIRC, I've sometimes gently put my finger tips on the seal lip to pull it with the unit, just don't be so harsh as to tear seal. I uploaded a photo of the back of my spare tach with the seal slid to the back of the unit with about 6mm of the seal hanging off -- so, you can see what the seal looks like.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1547964303.jpg

I did the same...easy fix once you get the speedo opened up. This thread really helped me...http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/874417-911sc-clock-repair-annotated-photos.html

Thanks Grant Lyon - got it out this am. Super tight tho

My clock works but not well enough and it's not enough of a issue for me to have it fixed, plus with it not working I am in the moment and not paying attention to time but to the gauges....I also set the clock to 5:00, because it's always 5:00 somewhere....

After 12 years in storage, the one in my 85' 911 does not miss a beat.