Hands rotate one way but not the other

[Chopin]

Hello everyone, I just got a quartz watch with an ETA 955.114 movement and everything works as it should except for one weird thing. The hands will rotate anti-clockwise but not clockwise.

I can hear a clicking sound as well (like when you're rotating the crown on a mechanical watch opposite to the winding way).

Is this normal ? Can it be fixed by not removing the dial and hands ? Is it possible that some part might be damaged or simply a need of servicing ?

The hands do seem to try and rotate in the other way as well but only stutter a bit and then nothing...

[Eckehardt]

Could be a problem with the setting lever yolk not engaging properly or out of adjustment or might be jammed. The grease does dry up over time and can cause sticking issues  It does require servicing. Prolonged use can cause more damage. The dial has to be removed to do proper service on this movement. Does this have date adjust? You may want to also see if the crown has an adjustment as well.

Edited January 22, 2018 by Eckehardt

[Chopin]

The watch has date complication and it changes with no problem.

I'm just stumped as to how it can rotate in one way but not the other ?

Edited January 22, 2018 by Chopin

[Eckehardt]

Setting lever spring could be weak or caked. That has to be accesse through the dial side. A good cleaning and regreasing would be the best. I had a watch that did the same and the problem was the spring.

[Chopin]

Thank you! I guess I'll have to dismantle it and service it. Is that component easy to find ?

[Eckehardt]

Here's a video of a simular caliber. But its a 412.

 

[rodabod]

Cheaper and easier to replace the movement for a new one. Likely a slipped keyless works component as mentioned, or possibly an issue with the motion works (eg. minute wheel not mating with castle wheel correctly).

[MrRoundel]

I can't remember, but I may have had an issue like that on another ETA quartz movement (805.111). It ended up having a stripped winding gear on the stem itself. Maybe if one side has an angle of wear that the other side doesn't have, giving it an undesirable ratcheting effect? Just throwing it out there, as I've seen a stem get stripped at the integrated gear.

[Tiktok]

Have you tried pulling into hand set and pushing back in a few times, a sharp pull from date change to hand set rather than pussy footing about trying to be too careful and push all the way back in, do this a few times, it may be that the hand set has gone dry but doning this can sometimes spread a bit of remaining grease about and sort it out. 

Could also be friction on cannon or damaged tooth, but worth a try.

[Chopin]

I have stripped down the movement completely and will check and re-assemble it tomorrow. Here's a pic of what the stem area looked like. Notice anything wrong ? I'm a newbie with quartzes so I certainly don't.

[Eckehardt]

It's a bit hard to tell. Looks like the adjust wheel looks grimy tried to zoom the picture but it's a bit blurred. What I would do is put the stem back in and check the enguagement to see if it engages smoothly and isnt binding. Check the squared end of the stem to see if the corners haven't been rounded.

Edited January 22, 2018 by Eckehardt

[rodabod]

Looks for wear signs due to slippage on the castle wheel, intermediate wheel, minute wheel and on the stem (as someone else suggested). I'd pop the stem in and try it with the dial off as photographed. Be careful none of the parts go flying when you move the stem in and out.

[Eckehardt]

One can do that in a small ziplock bag to prevent parts from flying.

[Eckehardt]

If this movement has 2 adjustments midway should move the hands and full pull out should adjust the datejust.

[Chopin]

Yes. That is what I will try tomorrow. I'll check for damage (not that I can tell very well as I'm not familair with such movements) an then I'll just re-install the stem and everything around it.

[Chopin]

Coming back with an update. Also thanks @Mark for the servicing guide on youtube of the 955.412 which I used as reference which @Eckehardt also posted.

The problem is as follows. I can't see anything wrong or damaged but I've noticed that the lever (not sure if that's what it's called) that is holding the little gear (red arrow) is sometimes keeping the gear a bit further than necessary (seems to swivel just a bit) from the clutch/pinion which makes it slip and not engage the gear.

Any suggestions ?

Edited January 23, 2018 by Chopin

[Eckehardt]

The set lever spring is on the other side ( caseback side ) may be weak or gummed up. If you feel uncomfortable with taking the circuit board assembly off the other side. I would suggest getting a new movement. If this is a beater watch you want to practice on then proceed further. One thing to note is though that the coil and circuit board come off as one piece. One screw will  be smaller. Take pictures as you go along. Take your time. You don't need to take the train wheel assembly off. Pretty much when you get this far you're better off servicing the whole movement. Usually when issues with the keyless work start. It's either due to no regular service being done to it and it just keeps getting used causing wear and tear on dried up components. Even if you did get it working down the line other issues may occur. You may want to put the movement in a clean ziplock if you proceed further there is a spring loaded clip that could ping out. Servicing watches is sometimes one of those trial and error things if you are new to it. Practice makes perfect. But if you're starting on an expensive watch I would go no further.

[rodabod]

The intermediate wheel (where your arrow points) is mounted on a post which swings according to the position of the stem.

Go to page 6 here:

https://secure.eta.ch/CSP/DesktopModules/ViewDoc.aspx?tabindex=1&tabid=28&DocId=647&DocType=DT

and look at lubrication points 4, 5, and 6. I think the post where the intermediate wheel mounts is part number 13 on page 5.

I believe you can lubricate these from the dial side.

[Chopin]

I have already COMPLETELY disassembled the movement. The last picture is of it put back together, partially.

@rodabod I know that the post that holds the wheel swings around but it's not supposed to move (I'm assuming) when the crown/stem is pulled all the way. The problem is that it moves just by 0,1-0,2mm or so and that is causing the clutch to slip instead of engage the little gear.

I don't see any damage or any issues so I can't work this out... Guess I'll have to disassemble it again...

PS: When I put it back together I followed Mark's video but I did notice that he didn't lubricate all the points in the manual...

Edited January 23, 2018 by Chopin

[rodabod]

Remember what I said about swapping the entire movement?

[Chopin]

Swapping the entire movement is NOT an option. We're on a watch repair forum. How can you guys so easily suggest replacing an entire movement because of a not-that-big issue.

[Eckehardt]

True. But it's good that you took the whole thing apart. When I was young. I worked with a watch repair  and watch maker he told me once the watch starts to have issues especially starting at the keyless work. The whole thing should be serviced. The parts that are more exposed to the watch is the crown then the stem and it works its way in Especially if adjustments were made in poor environment conditions. Now over time oils and greases dry out and cake. Metal to metal contact is more prevalent at this time and things begin to stick. Particles begin to break loose and work their way to other components. And of course we're dealing with gears here caked grease and metal particles transfer from gear to gear eventually fowling the whole movement and cause damage. I don't like taking shortcuts. It only leads to tearing down the watch again in short time. But good job on dismantling the whole movement.

[Chopin]

I just can't seem to figure out why there's a small play of around 0,1-0,2mm on that part which slightly draws the gear away from the clutch and makes these 2 parts not engage and therefore not drive the wheels.

I don't see any damage. It's true that the movement wasn't freshly lubricated but I didn't see any dried out residue or lubricant either.

Going to re-lubricate it by the book and see if I can solve the mystery.

PS: I've serviced movements before just that most have been mechanical. It wasn't hard at all especially since I had marl's videos on youtube as guide as well.

Edited January 23, 2018 by Chopin

[Eckehardt]

Setting lever springs do get weak though either bending slightly or wear at contact points. Check for burrs on components sometimes it's good to have a loupe for this. 

[Eckehardt]

3 hours ago, Chopin said:

I have already COMPLETELY disassembled the movement. The last picture is of it put back together, partially.

@rodabod I know that the post that holds the wheel swings around but it's not supposed to move (I'm assuming) when the crown/stem is pulled all the way. The problem is that it moves just by 0,1-0,2mm or so and that is causing the clutch to slip instead of engage the little gear.

I don't see any damage or any issues so I can't work this out... Guess I'll have to disassemble it again...

PS: When I put it back together I followed Mark's video but I did notice that he didn't lubricate all the points in the manual...

In that video he mentioned that he was not going to cover all the lubrication points. He used the video more as a service and reassembly guide