Clock is Running Slow

[mluder]

So my original dash clock has been working perfect for the 3+ years I've owned the car... Now suddenly it's running slow.
I'm loosing a few hours a day.

Anyone else run into this and found the cause/fix?

Thanks...

[valdez]

So my original dash clock has been working perfect for the 3+ years I've owned the car... Now suddenly it's running slow.
I'm loosing a few hours a day.

Anyone else run into this and found the cause/fix?

Thanks...

Have you been driving faster than 88mph lately? I'd start there.

[vps3922]

have you been driving faster than 88mph lately? I'd start there.

Epic!

[Bitsyncmaster]

Since the clock is crystal controlled, I would guess you have a bad IC in the clock that is missing counts. You can open the clock and look for broken solder joints but my bet is you need to get one of the new clocks.

[Henrik]

Have you been driving faster than 88mph lately? I'd start there.

:thumbup::thumbup::bigclap:

[Spittybug]

Have you been driving faster than 88mph lately? I'd start there.

+1 very good.

[jawn101]

I thought I remembered there being a potentiometer you could adjust the "beat" with... is that not the case?

[David T]

I thought I remembered there being a potentiometer you could adjust the "beat" with... is that not the case?


Maybe a bad connection or low battery voltage.

[Michael]

I thought I remembered there being a potentiometer you could adjust the "beat" with... is that not the case?

I have read the same thing. Mine runs a little fast but not bad, maybe gains 5 min per week. I wanted to check that out next time my center console is apart.

[ccurzio]

The new clock I bought on the forum runs slow too. Loses maybe 3-5 minutes per week.

[Elvis]

there is an adjustable capacitor inside

you can turn it endlessly as, it has no start or end like a potentiometer.


adjust it in little steps and take your time (days ?) to see if it's running right.

[mluder]

I'm leaning toward some sort of bad connection as it seems to have corrected itself. The first noticed it over a couple of days. I had to reset it twice as it was off by several hours each time - as if the battery had been disconnected. The last two days it seems fine - no loss of time. I'll keep an eye on it.

[Nicholas R]

There were instructions on the .com site for how to adjust it. Wish that information was still available. Are the .com archives ever going to become available??

[NightFlyer]

Are the .com archives ever going to become available??

:hysterical:

[robvanderveer]

When i was designing my clock i learned all sorts of stuff that influence time keeping. First is the standby voltage of course. Second is the quality of the crystal used, and third is the temperature of that crystal. To overcome these issues, i decided to use battery that lasts at least 4 years, and a Clock RTC Chip that has an internal crystal, factory calibrated with built in temperature correction, so technically it should be accurate to the minute in 10 years. it must be said that all clocks, even the best ones in the world have 'drift', and need regular adjustment. Hey even Time itself had an adjustment recently! http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_second

[mluder]

More funny business today. It's got to be an intermittent standby voltage issue as the clock is basically jumping back to 12:00 at odd intervals. I looked at the fuse and it seemed OK. I will try swapping it out to see if that makes a difference. If there's still issues I'll check the connector behind the dash next.

[mluder]

Update...
OK, the clock is not resetting at random intervals. It resets with the activation of the climate control mode knob. Specifically when I turn it to "vent" setting, the clock resets to 12:00. Not sure if it's electrical or something physically happening behind the panel. I haven't the time right now to look into it.

[robvanderveer]

Sounds like a short or a broken wire to me. There are 4 wires going to the clock: GND, 12v continuous, 12v switched and 12v headlamps. Each of these 3 shorting to gnd is going to give you other troubles than just a clock resetting. Seeing that the clock resets it could be a bad ground or a bad 12v continous, because that is how the clock keeps time.

[mluder]

Sounds like a short or a broken wire to me. There are 4 wires going to the clock: GND, 12v continuous, 12v switched and 12v headlamps. Each of these 3 shorting to gnd is going to give you other troubles than just a clock resetting. Seeing that the clock resets it could be a bad ground or a bad 12v continous, because that is how the clock keeps time.

Yep - Starting to think there may be something pinched behind the console.
Another possibility - I don't have the wiring diagram in front of me - but could the activation of the vent on the mode control affect something in the ground? Isn't the mode control all vacuum driven? There wouldn't be a common ground between them would there be?

[DeLoreanVIN]

Some ideas that may be of help to you.
Maybe there is a voltage drop because of bad wiring. When switching the climate mode knob this could worsen (because of quick swithing of the fan). Check the wiring and contacts.
Also elimination of disturbances (by switching the fan) could be low because of bad capacitors in the clock.

If the problem turns out to be in your clock and unsolvable, consider the Replacement dashboard clock module that i've designed:rolleyes1: (€160; http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?3751-Replacement-clock-for-DeLorean-DMC-12).

Unlike a certain inaccurate forum-sold-clock Accipiter mentioned a few posts ago, my clock is adjusted at a temperature of 21°C by a calibrated frequency counter and then tested at least a month so the inaccuracy is three minutes or less a year.

Anyway good luck.

[robvanderveer]

Looks like the Netherlands is now ahead of Switserland in producing accurate clocks. I was unaware of your clock project, DeloreanVIN :thumbup: i'm sure you didn't miss my attempt (http://www.simplicate.info/declock).