6 replies to this topic

[Meg15]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new to the mini forum and I've had my 1997 Rover Mini for nearly a decade now.

 

I know all minis have their idiosyncrasies: the dashboard clock on my mini has always gone backwards & I'd like to know if anyone here has some advice so it can show the correct time.

I have the Haynes manual & wonder if swapping the wiring connectors would solve the problem, but I would like to hear from anyone with some experience with this before I start messing with the wires.

Is it possible to access the clock without having to remove the dash board too?

 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated, thanks in advance!

 

[hulsmeier]

From memory the clock has three connectors. One is the light. And there should be a black (ground) and power, it sounds like they could be the wrong way around. Although I'm sure mine has slightly different connectors to stop this from happening.

[hulsmeier]

With regards to accessing the clock I'm sure you can only access it by removing the dash, which isn't too bad of a job, I've managed in the past to take the audio unit out and reach up through the gap

[Meg15]

Thanks very much for the suggestions 

[sonscar]

Generally with car electrics connecting them the wrong way around usually spells instant death,be carefully.Steve..PS not always your death.

[xrocketengineer]

Generally with car electrics connecting them the wrong way around usually spells instant death,be carefully.Steve..PS not always your death.

But he is getting younger by the second according to his clock! 

Edited by xrocketengineer, 22 July 2020 - 07:50 PM.

[hulsmeier]

Generally with car electrics connecting them the wrong way around usually spells instant death,be carefully.Steve..PS not always your death.

Absolutely true. I think the clock in this case is just a small motor which direction is affected by the polarity across the terminals.

Components with diodes, electrolytic caps, and chips cannot cope with reversed polarity unless there's a protection diode.

Best bet would be to check the cables going to the clock with a multimeter to be sure, earth the negative on a random location and find which wires has power supplying the clock by touching them with the other side of the multimeter. Just watch out as one will be for the back light too