My clock stops running when the weather gets cold. How do I remove the clock from the dash and can it be lubricated ?

I had the same problem a few years back...don't lube it, it's bad capacitors. You need to remove the instrument cluster (2 screws behind the two black square on the right and 2 behind the headlight switch cover-pull off the dimmer and headlight nob and use a flathead screwdriver to pop of the template on the left and right of the cluster. Remove the felt paneling on the bottom of the dash and reach up and unscrew the speedo cable--you might be able to get it from up top by pulling the cluster out first. Unplug the two wiring harnesses...slide the cluster out sideways between the dash and steering wheel. Unscrew the screws around the perimeter of the clock back and pull it out. To replace the capacitors, follow the instructions on my post in the archives (it's really pretty easy). If you don't want to fix the clock, you could get a big tach from ebay or a junk yard and just plug it into the back of the cluster where the clock was--your car's pre wired...there's a white wire with a red stripe down the side that you plug into the back of the tach and you'll have a tach.

Archive--replacing clock capacitors:

http://brickboard.com/ARCHIVES/1998DEC/20018108.shtml

Mike Hale

84 240 223,600mi.

"reach up and unscrew the speedo cable--you might be able to get it from up top by pulling the cluster out first. Unplug the two wiring harnesses...slide the cluster out sideways between the dash and steering wheel."

On my '87 240, I was able to remove the clock and install a large tach without disconnecting any wires. Unless there's not enough slack in the speedo cables on the older cars, I would expect that everything can be left connected, thus reducing the chance of incorrectly reattaching the wires.

Buy a large tach form me on ebay and through away that big clock. Your radio probably has a clock on it anyway.

Bill D.

ps I will email my tach install directions which will cover how to remove the clock. if antone else wants that let me know

There are also instructions in the archives here that explain how to install the large tach, including instructions on removing the instrument cluster enough to to the clock/tach swap. Adding a large tach was probably the quickest, easiest, and cheapest upgrade I've done to my car.

You'll need to remove the instrument cluster to get at the clock. It's a simple part to remove (four Phillips head screws, I seem to remember). I'd just run to the local you-pull-it yard and buy a "new" one for about $5 instead of trying to fix what you have.

Peter --

If it's the little clock, to the right of the main cluster, you simply pop out the bezel and slide out the clock. It's held by three small rubber "grippers"—but don't lose 'em!

If it's the big clock in the cluster, you remove the cluster and then remove the screws securing the clock to the printed circuit board.

Lubrication is probably the WRONG soultion — and if anything, may cause problems (oil becomes viscous in the cold). Instead, replace the capacitor in the clock electronics. You can buy a replacement at Radio Shack. Get the same mfd value (or slightly higher), and be sure you buy one with a 15-volt or higher rating. Make a sketch of the polarity (+ and -) of the original cap, and be sure the replacement is properly polarized when you solder it in.

Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)