WHY DID MY CLOCK'S MOTOR FAIL? Some motors fail during electrical storms -- apparently because of power surges, but this is not very common. Most motors fail because of getting too hot.
WHY DO MOTORS GET TOO HOT? When I disassemble a Kit Cat clock to clean and service it, I frequently see dust, dirt, lint, pet hair, bug parts, kitchen grease, and many other things inside the clock. The original lubricants (from the factory) have dried up, too. All of this adds up to a heavy load for the motor to pull, causing it to heat up, then eventually to overheat, destroying the motor. Thus, the failure is really caused by a heavy load on the motor.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? When a Kit Cat clock has run long enough for its electric motor to fail, it has also run long enough to require a thorough cleaning and fresh lubrication before the new motor is installed in the clock. If a new motor is installed in a clock burdened by lint, dust, dried-up oil, and other debris, the new electric motor will probably also fail prematurely. So, obviously, the clock mechanism has to be cleaned completely and relubricated in order to eliminate the cause of the first motor's failure. If this is not done, it is easy to predict that the new electric motor will soon fail -- and it does!!!
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU SERVICE MY CLOCK? CLICK HERE
WHAT DO YOU CHARGE FOR THIS SERVICE? CLICK HERE to get to that information.
CAN I SERVICE MY OWN CLOCK? Yes, many people buy my 6-page, well-illustrated Kit Cat Clock Service Guide. CLICK HERE for more information. However, if you are not eager to try this, trust your instincts. Quite a few people try servicing their own clock(s) to save some money, learn there is a lot to the project, then end up sending me all the parts in a plastic bag along with a note asking for help!
WHAT IF I DON'T SERVICE THE CLOCK? That is your choice, of course, but there is no warranty on the new electric motor when the clock is not cleaned properly. You see, new electric motors have a 1-year warranty when installed in properly serviced clocks, but there can be no warranty when the clock is not correctly serviced -- see "Why Did My Clock's Motor Fail?" above. Should a claim for replacing a motor under warranty arise, I will ask the owner to send the entire clock to me, not just the motor. If the clock is dirty, there is no warranty! If the clock is clean and correctly lubricated, I will immediately replace the motor at no charge and with no questions asked!