Seiko 7S26 has sluggish rotor . . . clean or replace?

[NewToWatches]

As I have stated in other threads, I am a novice when it comes to working on watches.  I have done some newby repairs (replaced a crystal, adjusted the timing a bit of a Seiko, affixed hour markers that had come loose, straightened a bent second hand on a Skagen (that, to be fair, I had bent in the first place when replacing the aforementioned crystal).   But I am at the video-watching stage when it comes to getting deeply into a watch's movement.

With that preamble, I have a modded Seiko SKX007 that I bought used off eBay -- the modification seems limited to crystal (domed, AR) and bezel.  The Timegrapher suggests that the new-to-me Seiko needs a service -- reasonably accurate at +2 s/day face up, but a beat error of 9.9ms and an amplitude of 168 degrees.  Oddly, the thing that caught my attention has been that when you give the watch a good shake, the rotor doesn't have that "clean" feeling that it does with a new Seiko.  Feels like the rotor is moving through mush. The watch will wind if you put your wrist into it and give it a good shake though.   I also have a Seiko NH36 movement that I bought with an eye to the future.   So my choices are a) do nothing until I have finished the Watch Repair Course videos b) use this watch to "learn on" in terms of a first cleaning, or c) swap in the NH36 movement as I think I have the skills today to do at least that.   I'd then have the 7S26 movement out of the watch and could work on it when I felt more confident.

So the question for all of you: what's your advice to a newbie?  Last week, the Seagull pocket watch movement that you all have recommended as a learning tool arrived by mail, so that's sitting on the desk behind me, but I have put off the big lubricant purchase until my wallet recovers from my recent spate of beginner's tool buying and don't know whether a full service on an automatic movement would necessarily be my next project if left to my own druthers.  But the sluggishness of the SKX's rotor is kind of eating at me. . .

Any advice appreciated.

[jdm]

2 hours ago, NewToWatches said:

.The Timegrapher suggests that the new-to-me Seiko needs a service -- reasonably accurate at +2 s/day face up, but a beat error of 9.9ms and an amplitude of 168 degrees.

That is not an acceptable amplitude by any standard. I hope you can fix it with just regulating the B.E. or full cleaning and lubrication,  but be advised that is not guaranteed.

Quote

the rotor doesn't have that "clean" feeling that it does with a new Seiko.

Give it a good clean and one tiny drop of 9010. Same as above, no guarantees, if the bearing is worn out replace the entire rotor or keep it as long it works.

Quote

I Have put off the big lubricant purchase until my wallet recovers

Why a big purchase, as a beginner all you need is 9010 and HP1300, what makes the difference in servicing a watch is the ability of not loosing and not breaking parts, work cleanly and detect any defective functionality to be corrected or parts replaced. Seiko are robust and toleraring mov.ts that don't need a boxload of oils to get running fine.

[NewToWatches]

Thanks for the response.  I had a look on eBay at the price of a 7S26 rotor, and to my surprise it is almost the cost of an entire NH36 movement.  I may manually wind the watch and see how it does overnight.  The rotor does turn, but just not with that clean "bearings on ice" feeling that you get from a new one.  Maybe it is overlubed?  Oh, and lubricants ordered. Thanks for the tip.

[Nucejoe]

The rotor should turn freely and at least fall under own weight with no slack to be felt axially. Rotor removal/replacement  to clean and lube is hardly risky 

As said amplitude is unacceptable in case correcting BE didn't help much ,the movement might need a service.

 

[jdm]

4 hours ago, NewToWatches said:

I had a look on eBay at the price of a 7S26 rotor, and to my surprise it is almost the cost of an entire NH36 movement.

I think for that mov.t you need to worry how it run on timegrapher and on wrist, not the rotor. 7S26 parts are beat obtained from watches or mov.ts sold cheap for parts, even small lots, so you can build parts insurance.