CJT74 Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Hey guys, it's been a while. A few years ago I built a franken sub. I have a 3035 movement in my watch and for the last 3+ years it has run perfect. Now it won't keep running. I took the back off and I can see the balance wheel struggling to keep running. If I lay the watch face down with the back off under a warm lamp and kick start the balance wheel it will run and keep accurate time. But as soon as I start moving the watch around it slows down and stops. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
folex Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Get it serviced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJT74 Posted December 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 (edited) Not sure where to take a half real half rep watch without getting strange looks. I'm pretty handy working on them as long as I don't have to go too deep in the movement. I was hoping to hear someone say "just adjust ........... and see if that works" I have blown it out and it does run longer now. Before it would stop within a few minutes. Now if I leave it alone it will keep going for the most part. But I can tell the balance wheel is moving slower than it should. Maybe a weak hair spring? Edited December 6, 2012 by CJT74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dmb350 Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Service my friend. Lubricants dry up or gum up the works. Here's the deal, most watch makers that I've dealt with don't care about who made what. Their business is to be paid to get your watch working again. There are several very skilled members on the different forums that provide a full service to your watch if you need it. Most of them are watchmakers that do it for a living so they are 100% reliable. Spend the money and do it right. If your car was running like that would you just open the hood and spray the engine off with a hose and hope it works better? I doubt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJT74 Posted December 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Service my friend. Lubricants dry up or gum up the works. Here's the deal, most watch makers that I've dealt with don't care about who made what. Their business is to be paid to get your watch working again. There are several very skilled members on the different forums that provide a full service to your watch if you need it. Most of them are watchmakers that do it for a living so they are 100% reliable. Spend the money and do it right. If your car was running like that would you just open the hood and spray the engine off with a hose and hope it works better? I doubt it. Any recommendations of someone I can ship the watch to? I'm in Florida in the USA so someone within the lower 48 would be ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dmb350 Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Sure. If your over on RG also you'll see a lot of recommendations for Vac. He has one of mine right now. He's actually in FL also. I'll pm you his contact info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoFaster Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Yes your Rolex Movement needs a Good service. I have had a Movement Rolex which was like yours and same problem with the Balancer and there was dirts inside it... After a good service it worked perfectly Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcollector Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 professional watchsmiths wouldn't have any issues working on a gen Rolex movement. What they avoid is dealing with Asian counterparts since they have neither the experience nor the parts for a proper repair. Why deal with the liability? I doubt they would care if the dial/hands/case are not gen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Your movement needs an overhaul. All mechanical engines (the movement in your watch is a spring-driven engine) require regular servicing. But, unlike a car engine, watch engines require complete overhauling on a regular basis to remove old, dry oils and to apply new oils. Rolex, like most watch companies, recommend that your movement be overhauled - completely disassembled, cleaned, oiled & adjusted - every 5-7 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJT74 Posted December 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Sure. If your over on RG also you'll see a lot of recommendations for Vac. He has one of mine right now. He's actually in FL also. I'll pm you his contact info. Thanks for all the info guys. Oddly enough the watch is working now. I took the balancer bridge out and put a microscopic drop of silicone oil in the jewel where the balancer wheel rides. I put it back together and as soon as I pushed the crown in it started on it's own. Before I would have to kick start it with my tweezers. Though I can tell the balancer is still moving a little slower than it should. I put the back on and have been wearing it for an hour and it is still keeping accurate time. I will give a shout to Vac anyway because I'm sure this old movement needs servicing anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJT74 Posted December 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Well it was running smooth for about 3 hours then stopped again. If I shake the watch in a clockwise motion it will start again but it will stop minutes later. Strange, I figure it would either run or not. I guess I'll have to get it worked on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 I guess I'll have to get it worked on. Yes, exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJT74 Posted December 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 I have to say Rolex movements are beautiful, when I serviced my uncles older datejust I was looking at it and thinking Rolex should consider putting clear casebacks as an option for their watches. I'll see if I still have the pics in my computer when I get home. Vac's a good guy and I believe he's also in Florida (+1 for you) good luck. I agree, in addition to this franken sub with gen guts I also have a 100% GEN and authentic 14060 and I sometimes take the backs off the watches just to look at them. They are a work of art inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Watchgeek Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 That's what you pay such a high price for is the movement and quality of workmanship , I did have a non date submariner once , a genuine watch I wish I kept it also had a gen sea dweller again wish I'd kept it but , money was more important at that particular time when bringing up two small kids , wish I'd kept one of them though , but saying that I have a few roles reps now and it's quite hard to tell the difference anyway . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJT74 Posted December 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Amazing, this watch ran all night and kept perfect time. But, the balance wheel is still moving slower than normal. And if I shake the watch a little hard it will stop, but not every time. Then a quick clockwise shake gets it going again. That's much better than it was a couple days ago. It seems like the problem is the balance wheel can't get momentum. Which is why is stops if the watch is shaken vigorously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 How much amplitude are you getting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cib0rgman Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Hey guys, it's been a while. A few years ago I built a franken sub. I have a 3035 movement in my watch and for the last 3+ years it has run perfect. Now it won't keep running. I took the back off and I can see the balance wheel struggling to keep running. If I lay the watch face down with the back off under a warm lamp and kick start the balance wheel it will run and keep accurate time. But as soon as I start moving the watch around it slows down and stops. Any ideas? Service it you post say for the last three years and when was the last time the movement was service, they do need service once in a while. like any machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJT74 Posted December 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 How much amplitude are you getting? Can you tell me what that means? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmj Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Sounds like a good service is needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJT74 Posted December 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 (edited) In lamein terms Amplitude is the measurement in degrees of how far the balance swings. Gotcha, toug to tell with the eye but I would say at this point probably 80% of what it should be when comparing to my other sub which is a gen 14060. Funny thing. If I leave the watch on the desk or dresser it will keep running, as long as I keep winding it of course. If I wear it it will keep running no matter how much I shake it. But if I put it in the winder it will stop, but not right away. I put it in the winder at about 7pm last night and when I woke up I couls see that it stopped at 4 am. I took it out of the winder and gave it a shake and it started up again. I have been wearing it all morning just to test it. I made breakfast and washed both cars which involved lots of movement and it's still running. Yeah, it definately needs some professinal attention. Edited December 8, 2012 by CJT74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJT74 Posted December 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 OK gents I got this 3035 going. By luck and a little help from above I didn't screw it up. I removed the bridge and balance wheel assembly. Then I removed the pallet bridge and pallet so I could take a look and clean it out. This is where it got a little funny and scary. I didn't power down the main spring or pull the crown. The instant I took the pallet out the watch started making a buzzing sound. I turned it over and the hands were spinning like crazy. The second hand was going so fast you couldn't even see it. LOL. I though it was trashed for sure. But it came to rest in one piece, after it had advanced about 2 days. LOL. Anyway, I carefully cleaned it out under there, it was filthy. I put it back together, which was painstakening, and bam. I wind it up, set the time, push in the crown and the balance wheel is off and running. I opened up my gen 14060 (3130 movement) to compare the balance wheel speeds and there was no noticable difference. The watch has been perfect all day. Though I will still seek service. But now I know at least it works and is just dirty inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msp Posted December 13, 2012 Report Share Posted December 13, 2012 balls of steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmj Posted December 13, 2012 Report Share Posted December 13, 2012 Wow.. Great work. You're a brave man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted December 13, 2012 Report Share Posted December 13, 2012 If you don't service it it will just get worse quickly You have cleaned 10% of it (proberbly badly) there are at least 4 different oils you should use after a complete tear down and clean and believe me non are simple house hold oils Do you self a favor and get it done properly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJT74 Posted December 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2012 Yes these were some tense moments. And I agree it still needs to be serviced. I have been tossing around the idea of mailing it to someone but I don't think I can do it. While this is not a true GEN watch, inside the case it is true GEN and I have about $3K into this thing. I am reluctant to send it to someone I have never met, I'm even more scared of putting it in the hands of the post office. That leaves me with finding someone local. There are tons of watch repair places in my area that work on Rolex but I need to find a REP friendly one. As I understand it many watch repair shops that deal with Rolex won't touch one unless it's 100% authentic. I am actually getting pretty good working on them. I have two ETA 2863 movements that I plan to use as practice. One is mint and works perfect and the other doesn't. It's complete but won't stay running. Basically the same problem my 3035 had. I plan to tear it down for practice. I ordered a complete set of watch maker tools to make it easier. It's tough doing work on these with general tools and holding a scratched up magnifying glass in one hand the whole time. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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