Seiko 5J22A Kentic "auto Relay" Complete Service Walkthrough

[Lawson]

Seiko 5J22A Complete Service

 

Hunting through my cupboards I found my old Seiko Kentic "Auto Relay" that I purchased sometime in the 90s, when this was the latest cutting edge Quartz Watch on the market offered by Seiko.

 

 

It's been sitting for over a decade without use, and I decided to really push myself and, with the Lord's assistance, completely strip and service this watch. 

So I tracked down the Tech Specs, and if you are thinking of embarking on servicing the 5J22 YOU WILL NEED THEM!! :)

So here they are:

5J22A.pdf

 

I will be using the part names from this document for this walkthrough, so download and print it out for you own sanity.  The parts in this movement are incredibly small, so much so that my camera had trouble focusing on them ... so part names will help you as much as the visuals aids for this service.

Once again, I've had no one to guide me on this, so this is the way "I" stripped the movement down, the correct factory procedure may, and probably does, differ from my way ... so I give a warning here: CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

 

Disassembly

 

Unscrew the back cover and store the rubber gasket away safely.

 

 

With a 2.0mm Screwdriver, pry the Location Ring out with the slots provided in the plastic ring.

 

 

Remove the Oscillating Weight with a 1.20mm Screwdriver ... and this will be the driver you use on all further screws.

 

 

To remove the Stem, you need to have the Stem push all the way home, to move the Yoke into the correct position so you can depress the lever (Location shown in picture after I removed the movement to make it easier to see the spot where you push)

 

 

The movement should now come out of the case along with the internal Bezel Ring.

 

 

Remove the Hands

 

 

Remove the 7 screws for the Circuit Block Cover A, and the Rechargeable Battery Clamp

(Sorry referred to an older pic to so you the location of screws)

 

 

Remove the Insulator for Rechargeable Battery, and then the Battery itself.

 

 

Remove Circuit Block Cover A

 

 

Remove Circuit Block Cover D

 

 

Reference picture of Circuit Block Cover D

 

 

Remove Circuit Block Cover B

 

 

Reference picture of Circuit Block Cover B

 

 

Remove Oscillating Weight Bridge

 

 

Reference picture of Oscillating Weight Bridge

 

 

Remove Circuit Block Cover C

 

 

Reference picture of Circuit Block Cover C

 

 

Remove Circuit Block

NOTE: The pin with the yellow arrow pointing to it holds onto the Circuit Block very firmly.  Be CAREFULLY and GENTLE, as the Circuit Block can be easily damaged.

 

 

This is the angle of attack that I recommend. Coming in on an angle just in front of the Crystal Unit, and gently push upwards ... and I mean GENTLY.  Patience wins the day!

 

 

Remove the Intermediate Wheel for the Generating Rotor

 

 

Remove the Generating Coil Block (grasp with tweezers where indicated with yellow arrow)

 

 

Remove the Second Coil Block (grasp with tweezers where indicated with yellow arrow)

 

 

Remove the Hour and Minute Coil Block (grasp with tweezers where indicated with yellow arrow)

 

 

Remove the Train Wheel Bridge

 

 

Remove the Second Wheel and Pinion, the Third and Fourth Wheel

 

 

Remove the Intermediate Second Wheel

 

 

TIP: Next is this first of three sets of Stators and Rotors that make up this Quartz Movement.

Be sure to place all the Stators and Rotors into a piece of Rodico for safe keeping.

As shown below:

THESE PARTS ARE MAGNETIC AND WILL ATTRACT PARTICLES, SO DO NOT PUT INTO THE BASKET FOR CLEANING

 

 

Remove the Second Stator and Second Rotor

 

 

Remove the Minute Wheel and Pinion, Intermediate Minute Wheel, and Setting Wheel

 

 

Remove the Center Wheel and Pinion

 

 

Remove the Generating Stator and Generating Rotor

 

 

Remove the Setting Lever Spring

 

 

Remove the Yoke and Setting Lever

Note: Release tension on the Yoke Spring FIRST

 

 

Remove the Clutch Wheel and the First Intermediate Wheel for Calendar Corrector

 

 

Remove the Hour and Minute Stator and Hour and Minute Rotor

 

 

This side of the Main Plate is now finished ... time to flip it over and start on the Calendar Works

 

 

Remove the two screws indicated and remove the Hour Wheel Guard Spring, and the Date Dial Guard

 

 

Remove the Intermediate Date Driving Wheel

 

 

Remove the Intermediate Hour Wheel, and Hour Wheel

 

 

Remove the Date Dial

 

 

Remove the Day-Date Corrector Wheel, Second Intermediate Wheel for Calendar Corrector, Date Driving Wheel and Spring

Note the position of tension of the Date Driving Wheel Spring (bottom of page 9 in the Tech Specs)

 

 

Remove the Circuit Block Spacer

 

 

... and the disassembly is complete!

 

 

I started work on this rather late at night and took my time and studied each part before removing, making sure to document everything carefully.  So I'll clean the parts and begin reassembly fresh tomorrow.  I can see this one is really going to push my abilities, and I'm looking forward to tackling it and uploading the reassembly steps.

[bobm12]

Way to go Lawson! Excellent post!

[autowind]

I must say you are a very brave soul with tackling a Kinetic,  also very interesting reading your write-up.

[RosscoInOshawa]

Thank you for sharing Lawson.  That looks like an incredibly complex tear down and a fantastic job of documenting it!

[Lawson]

Ok, back to work ...

 

Cleaning

 

I went through all the parts with a small compass to check if they were magnetized, as you don't want to put any parts that are magnetized into your cleaning machine.

Simply move the parts near to the East or West of the compass and see if the North or South moves to point to your part ... if it does you'll need to clean it by hand.

 

DO NOT WASH THE BATTERY, BATTERY INSULATOR, COIL BLOCK, CIRCUIT BLOCK ... I hope this is  obvious, but better to add the warning than not. 

Rule of thumb, if in doubt, leave it out!

 

 

After going through all the parts here is what I had left.

 

 

All other parts, including the Plastic Parts, Stators and Rotors will be cleaned with a fresh piece of Rodico.

 

[Lawson]

Assembly

 

Place the Circuit Block Spacer onto the Main Plate

 

 

Clean all the Stators and Rotors before you re-assembly them ... yes they are that small!!

 

 

Fit the Hour and Minute Stator, and Hour and Minute Rotor

 

 

Fit the Clutch Wheel and the First Intermediate Wheel for Calendar Corrector

 

 

Fit the Stem

 

 

Replace the Train Wheel Setting Lever, Yoke, Setting Lever, and Setting Lever Spring

 

 

Fit the Generating Stator and Generating Rotor, and also the Second Stator and Second Rotor

 

 

Next is the Train and Motion Work, it is by far the hardest part of the assembly.  It is all housed under one plastic bridge, so to make it easier here is a location chart.

 

 

First the Motion Work - Setting Wheel, Intermediate Minute Wheel, Minute Wheel and Pinion

 

 

Slide the Center Wheel and Pinion in the affix the Spacer

 

 

Then add the Train - Third Wheel and Pinion, Intermediate Second Wheel, Fourth Wheel and Pinion, Second Wheel and Pinion

 

 

Place the Train Bridge on and locate all the gears into their jewel holes.

 

 

Next steps are easy, but be careful and gentle

Fit the Coil Blocks - Generating Coil Block, Second Coil Block, Hour and Minute Coil Block

Then CAREFULLY fit the Circuit Block

 

 

Place the Oscillating Weight Bridge; but do not screw down.

Then fit the Circuit Block Cover B, and only fasten screws indicated by yellow arrows.

 

 

Place Circuit Block Cover D but do not fasten

 

 

Continue and fit Circuit Block Cover C, this one you can screw down ... sorry forgot to take a photo, but it's the only cover left

 

Now place the Circuit Block Cover A Cover on and fasten down all the screws

Remember to leave the Battery Screw out ... as shown in the picture below

 

 

Flip the movement over and fit the Hour Wheel, then the Intermediate Hour Wheel

NOTE: I pictured the Intermediate Hour Wheel upside down ... sorry about that.

 

 

Fit the Intermediate date Driving Wheel

 

 

Replace the Date Driving Wheel, and the Date Driving Wheel Spring (Note spring location)

Replace the Day-Date Corrector Wheel (See fitting instructions on Page 9 of Tech Specs)

Replace the Second Intermediate Wheel for Calendar Corrector

 

 

Place the Date Dial Guard on, fit the Hour Wheel Guard Spring, and fasten

 

 

Install the Battery, and then fit the Oscillating Weight

 

 

Fit the Dial and Hands

 

 

Case the movement back up ... and you're done!

 

 

 

 

[bobm12]

Excellent work Lawson!

 

I have one question, any particular reason why the magnetized parts can't go in the cleaner? Thank you in advance.

[Lawson]

They will attract any of fine metallic particles in your washing liquid, much like the old magnetized sump plugs in cars.

[bobm12]

I see, thank you Lawson that makes sense. Therefore in a mechanical watch it should be demagnetized first before cleaning/servicing just for the same reasons! Excellent!

[autowind]

Lawson,  for a beginner you have done remarkably well,  another very interesting write-up.  With the very high cost of labour it probably would not be viable taking a Seiko kinetic to a repair shop as the cost would probably outweigh the value of the watch,  this is another advantage of being able to repair it yourself.  

[Lawson]

With the very high cost of labour it probably would not be viable taking a Seiko kinetic to a repair shop as the cost would probably outweigh the value of the watch,  this is another advantage of being able to repair it yourself.  

 

I have to agree with you there Autowind, assembly of the train gears inside that plastic "gearbox" was very challenging and time consuming: with nine pivot points to line up with the jewels.  It's interesting to see in Mark's Video, were he replaced that Generator Rotor in an updated Kinetic model, the Generator Rotor is now accessible without opening the gear train ... this is a HUGE advantage and improvement in design.  So the newer Kinetics would be worth repairing; but as for a similar job on the 5J22, you'd be looking at a complete strip and considerable dollars in labour to replace the same part.  It would be cheaper to buy a replacement movement for it, then to service, which is a real shame.

[xzqt]

Thanks for the tutorial.

[jdm]

Very interesting and well done. No lubrication was mentioned, isn't any necessary?

[clockboy]

Another great walkthrough Lawson.  Real pro presentation.

[coralnut]

5J22A.pdf seems to be corrupted -- when I download it I get a zero-byte file.  Can anyone check on the integrity of the attachment?  thanks.

[jdm]

9 hours ago, coralnut said:

5J22A.pdf seems to be corrupted -- when I download it I get a zero-byte file.  Can anyone check on the integrity of the attachment?  thanks.

We can't fix that. Search the internet to download from another place.

[Lawson]

Lawson to the rescue

 

Hope it helps mate.

5J22A.pdf

[looxuser]

any tips on lining everything up with the train bridge please?

[RichardHarris123]

Cool, only really replied so I can find the post again. 

 

[rossjackson01]

Lawson. Your post is excellent. What camera do you use for your photographs? Is it hand held or do you use a stand?