Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 7/3/2007

Question
QUESTION: I have a Pearl grandfather clock that I believe is model #471-2660.  On the back of the clock it says 1151-350H, 114cm. I just recently moved and the clock will not keep time anymore.  It stops after about 15-20 minutes.  I am wondering if the weights got mixed up and that is what is causing it to stop.  Also the clock will not chime anymore.  It has been about a year since the clock would chime.  If there is anyway I can figure out how to identify which weights go where please tell me.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

ANSWER:    Brian:the left side weight as you face the clocks is 4.7 lbs-- the center weight and the right side if they weigh both 7.3 lbs then there is no problem- if they do not both weigh the same then put the heaviest one on the right side.
   Check the following set up:The pendulum assembly begins at the top with a 1" two legged suspension spring pinned to a brass post sticking out of the back of the rear movement plate.
  Next a silver(probably) suspension leader about 5" long that hooks onto the bottom of the suspension spring and passes through the "foot" shaped forked brass piece (and must be in the center of the fork slot and not be rubbing front or back) that connects into the inside of the movement.
  Lastly the top of the pendulum hooks onto the bottom of this suspension leader. NOW if all is correctly assembled, swinging the pendulum will get it ticking. The sound of the ticking must sound even or balanced on either side. Not over-swinging one side or the other.
  If it is not sounding even, then push with your hand the top third of the pendulum over to the side that has the excessive overswing. You may feel some resistance but gently push a bit more then try the sound of the ticking after swinging the pendulum freely.
  If the sound is not improved in the balance then do more pushing -if it is now sounding like excessive swing in the opposite direction then push the pendulum to the other side till

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QUESTION: Now I have the clock keeping time.  It does however speed up about a minute every couple of hours and will not chime.  Any advise there?

Answer
unscrew the nut at the bottom of the swinging pendulum disk to lower the disk and slow the clock down as needed. Make sure the disk actually moves down and not JUST the nut.
 Many things can cause the chimes and then of course the strike not to work- condition of the movement, hammers caught somehow on the chime rods, switch by the number "3" on the dial face on "silent", etc. Check these and then try pulling some on the right hand weight to make it a bit heavier whilst moving the minute hand round to see if it will start chiming. Call a pro if nothing mentioned works.