Does a lighter fluid trick actually work on vintage mechanical Timex watches?

[Raykv423]

I have this late 1960s Timex Mercury watch I got seven months ago. It has a M24 movement 

And I read about lighter fluid trick that works on most vintage Timex watches (Someone on YouTube even claimed they put their, or their dad's, I forgot who, Timex watch in a lighter fluid and they run smoothly for years). The question is, does that actually even work? Or is that a myth? And is that really safe for mechanical movements, even the M24? 

[Knebo]

Hi @Raykv423 and welcome to the forum.

Can you please try this out and wear the watch regularly for 1-2 years. Then show us a timegrapher reading. And disassemble and show us the wear on the pivots and keyless works.

I think it's a great idea......

 

 

 

.....as an experiment for the benefit and entertainment of this forum.

In all seriousness, this sounds like a horrible idea. Lighter fluid is a cleaner that should remove all the oils from the movement. It may still run, but without oil, amplitude (and timekeeping) should be low. Worse even, everything in the watch should wear out quickly -- effectively, be damaged over time.

 

[Raykv423]

3 minutes ago, Knebo said:

In all seriousness, this sounds like a horrible idea. Lighter fluid is a cleaner that should remove all the oils from the movement. It may still run, but without oil, amplitude (and timekeeping) should be low. Worse even, everything in the watch should wear out quickly -- effectively, be damaged over time.

Someone told me a lighter fluid acts like a lubricant and can lubricate the mainspring but I guess not. At least my gut tells me the lighter fluid may not work.

I forgot to mention the listing of the Timex Mercury I bought said it's overwound, any suggestions to make it running again? I wanna get that running but unfortunately I don't have a watch tool kit to take them apart. 

[tomh207]

8 minutes ago, Raykv423 said:

Someone told me a lighter fluid acts like a lubricant and can lubricate the mainspring but I guess not. At least my gut tells me the lighter fluid may not work.

I forgot to mention the listing of the Timex Mercury I bought said it's overwound, any suggestions to make it running again? I wanna get that running but unfortunately I don't have a watch tool kit to take them apart. 

There isn’t really a state as “overwound “ in a watch. Lighter fluid is a degreaser so will remove and oils in the watch and lubricate nothing whatsoever.

there is a technique specifically for Timex vintage which does the dip in lighter fluid method but requires removing the hands and dial and it requires still to be lubricated with specific watch oils.

Timex though simple and robust movements are not really suited to learning about watchmaking if that is your end goal.

 

 

Tom

[LittleWatchShop]

13 minutes ago, Raykv423 said:

Someone told me a lighter fluid acts like a lubricant and can lubricate the mainspring but I guess not. At least my gut tells me the lighter fluid may not work.

I forgot to mention the listing of the Timex Mercury I bought said it's overwound, any suggestions to make it running again? I wanna get that running but unfortunately I don't have a watch tool kit to take them apart. 

I suggest you find someone who will repair it for you. You will not likely succeed at anything you try.

[Knebo]

11 minutes ago, tomh207 said:

There isn’t really a state as “overwound “ in a watch

 

26 minutes ago, Raykv423 said:

listing of the Timex Mercury I bought said it's overwound

 

Often, people use the word "overwound" when referring to a broken mainspring. I.e. manually (over-)wound, until the mainspring broke.

That would require a replacement of the mainspring and in most cases a disassembly of (most of) the movement. Not sure if the M24 calibre has a "shortcut" by which the mainspring barrel can be extracted without disassembling the train and escapement.  

 

[oldhippy]

Lighter fluid is not a lubricant. It cleans dirt and is very good for cleaning hairsprings and pallets that have shellac on them as the fluid is  shellac friendly. 

Edited January 28 by oldhippy

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 hours ago, Raykv423 said:

I have this late 1960s Timex Mercury watch I got seven months ago. It has a M24 movement 

And I read about lighter fluid trick that works on most vintage Timex watches (Someone on YouTube even claimed they put their, or their dad's, I forgot who, Timex watch in a lighter fluid and they run smoothly for years). The question is, does that actually even work? Or is that a myth? And is that really safe for mechanical movements, even the M24? 

I was going to ask what the lighter fluid trick is, I had a few of those pyro tricks up my sleeve as a kid. But then decided to read on. Depends what your expectations are afterwards or for a Timex just in general.

2 hours ago, Knebo said:

.as an experiment for the benefit and entertainment of this forum.

I already did that with the Mickey Mouse US Time Corp. It worked ok...but in answer to the OP it still needs lubrication. Lighter fluid evaporates fast and though does leave a residue behind that probably has some extremely low effect lubrication..as it's derived from crude oil, certainly not enough to preserve the movement from wear. But as far as cleaning the M22 goes it was ok, I managed to oil almost everything, but to make the best job the movement should be stripped down to individual pieces and reassembled with a good oiling technique.....It was purely an experiment...on-going in fact. 

[LittleWatchShop]

Here is an experiment by JDRichard on a dollar watch--similar to a Timex in principle.

[fclass308]

Well, I am waiting on Jersey Mo to chime in here. He is the consummate Timex guru and has forgotten more than any of us will ever know about Timex watches.

Edited January 28 by fclass308

[LittleWatchShop]

18 minutes ago, fclass308 said:

Well, I am waiting on Jersey Mo to chime in here. He is the consummate Timex guru and has forgotten more than any of us will ever know about Timex watches.

Indeed!  I have serviced a few Timex watches in the traditional way I service Swiss watches.  It is tedious, but in a strange way...almost fun.  (I said ALMOST).  I recently acquired boxes of timex movements as part of an auction at the local guild.  Really did not want them, but was donating to a good cause.

[Knebo]

This is from the manual of the Elma RM90 cleaning machine. 

See what they say for "assembled watch works". Interesting. 
So maybe cheap movements like the Timex could be subjected to that treatment. But it's still three stages: cleaning, rinsing, and then lubricating with "Unimix". I doubt that OP wants to get a cleaning machine and all these cleaning fluids, though. And then there's still the (presumably) broken mainspring.

[tIB]

I might have sort of done this...

 

Not sure if you are supposed to soak in lighter fluid as I did or rest on something above it to evaporate. Outcome was a watch running about 20 seconds fast a minute, presumably because I stuck the balance spring together somewhere. 

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

A nights soak when wound and then hung in a jar in an USM for 5 minutes to clear out any old oil and dirt then 2 rinses...has you a clean movement. Being wound and left ticking during a long soak means the cleaning fluid can get inbetween the mainspring coils as it unwinds to some degree. Timex apparently researched this cleaning approach and only recommended removing the balance,  cannon pinion, ratchet wheel bridge, ratchet wheel and click. Definitely should be oiled afterwards though, its possible to get a lot of it if not all done if you think it through. The v-conic balance should be removed to fill the cups to their required levels. I managed to do this without removing the balance by very carefully adding oil to the inside edge of the cup with a super fine oiler ( it took some time ) the top cup was very tricky because of the closeness of the hairspring...a very steady hand is needed for that.

[Raykv423]

7 hours ago, Knebo said:

I doubt that OP wants to get a cleaning machine and all these cleaning fluids, though.

Unfortunately, too expensive for me  And of course, I really don’t have enough room for it.

[Raykv423]

2 hours ago, tIB said:

I might have sort of done this...

 

Not sure if you are supposed to soak in lighter fluid as I did or rest on something above it to evaporate. Outcome was a watch running about 20 seconds fast a minute, presumably because I stuck the balance spring together somewhere. 

 

I came across this Reddit post with that similar issue

And someone commented you just need a air blower and use it on balance wheel and spring (I’m guessing they meant hairspring?). I’m sure that might rectify that issue.

[tIB]

7 hours ago, Raykv423 said:

I came across this Reddit post with that similar issue

And someone commented you just need a air blower and use it on balance wheel and spring (I’m guessing they meant hairspring?). I’m sure that might rectify that issue.

I hairdried mine and gave it a good whack against my palm which freed it up for a short while, though it went back to running fast again a short while later.

[Neverenoughwatches]

8 hours ago, Raykv423 said:

I came across this Reddit post with that similar issue

And someone commented you just need a air blower and use it on balance wheel and spring (I’m guessing they meant hairspring?). I’m sure that might rectify that issue.

The hairspring coils are still filled with fluid when the movement is lifted into the air, when submerged the dynamics are somehow different...surface tension maybe  be a cause. 

[mbwatch]

Hi - I missed this yesterday. The lighter fluid method does work, if you apply lubrication according to the service manual afterward. I do about 1/3 of my Timex watches this way without full disassembly and following the service guide. I don't do it if they are really dirty inside because I want an opportunity to clean the pivots thoroughly. 

https://heritage1854.com/m24

So it isn't a lighter fluid "trick" - it is actually the published cleaning method for these movements. They don't specify lighter fluid, but if that is what you have as a solvent it will work just fine.  I follow that with a rinse in isopropyl alcohol. And as the manual says, keep it dial-side down so the mainspring drains properly.

[Raykv423]

8 hours ago, mbwatch said:

Hi - I missed this yesterday. The lighter fluid method does work, if you apply lubrication according to the service manual afterward. I do about 1/3 of my Timex watches this way without full disassembly and following the service guide. I don't do it if they are really dirty inside because I want an opportunity to clean the pivots thoroughly. 

https://heritage1854.com/m24

So it isn't a lighter fluid "trick" - it is actually the published cleaning method for these movements. They don't specify lighter fluid, but if that is what you have as a solvent it will work just fine.  I follow that with a rinse in isopropyl alcohol. And as the manual says, keep it dial-side down so the mainspring drains properly.

Much appreciated! Someone claimed the manual says don’t use lighter fluid and use a cleaning fluid and I got so confused. 

What brand of lighter fluid, or cleaning fluid, should I use for my vintage Timex?

[mbwatch]

1 minute ago, Raykv423 said:

What brand of lighter fluid, or cleaning fluid, should I use for my vintage Timex?

It doesn't say _not_ to use lighter fluid, but just says to use a cleaning fluid and ideally that would be in a parts cleaning machine. You can use whatever is available as long as it is something like naphtha. Ronsonol or VM&P Naphtha from a hardware store works just fine. I do recommend rinsing it in high concentration isopropyl alcohol after. 91% at least, and you can dry it with a hair dryer. I clean mine in a small jewelry ultrasonic cleaner, naphtha in a little jar with the movement face down on a movement holder. I don't put the movement directly down on its face because that will bend the seconds hand. But you can do this without an ultrasonic.

But you shouldn't dunk the whole movement without disassembling the outermost parts (as directed in the manual) because that would likely leave a lot of grease under all the winding and setting parts. Dealing with the weird domed copper washer that holds the ratchet wheel down takes some practice. You have to press down on it while rotating and it can fly off. Same motion to put it back on, but a little more difficult.

Also, the manual instructs how to remove the balance for cleaning. I would say for your first one, don't remove it. It's very difficult to reinstall and easy to mangle the hairspring, and easy to lose its pin.

Lastly, if you _like_ that Timex I would recommend buying another one for as cheap as you can find and practicing on it first. It's usually easy to find one ending at auction without bids and grab it for a few dollars. Aim for one without a calendar, and also aim for one that looks about the same age as yours.

There are 3 screws that hold the 2 plates together. Only remove the one as instructed for the winding and setting bar. If you remove the other two, you will be stuck putting the whole thing back together and that is quite challenging & frustrating until you've done it about 20 times.

[Raykv423]

9 hours ago, mbwatch said:

It doesn't say _not_ to use lighter fluid, but just says to use a cleaning fluid and ideally that would be in a parts cleaning machine. You can use whatever is available as long as it is something like naphtha. Ronsonol or VM&P Naphtha from a hardware store works just fine. I do recommend rinsing it in high concentration isopropyl alcohol after. 91% at least, and you can dry it with a hair dryer. I clean mine in a small jewelry ultrasonic cleaner, naphtha in a little jar with the movement face down on a movement holder. I don't put the movement directly down on its face because that will bend the seconds hand. But you can do this without an ultrasonic.

But you shouldn't dunk the whole movement without disassembling the outermost parts (as directed in the manual) because that would likely leave a lot of grease under all the winding and setting parts. Dealing with the weird domed copper washer that holds the ratchet wheel down takes some practice. You have to press down on it while rotating and it can fly off. Same motion to put it back on, but a little more difficult.

Also, the manual instructs how to remove the balance for cleaning. I would say for your first one, don't remove it. It's very difficult to reinstall and easy to mangle the hairspring, and easy to lose its pin.

Lastly, if you _like_ that Timex I would recommend buying another one for as cheap as you can find and practicing on it first. It's usually easy to find one ending at auction without bids and grab it for a few dollars. Aim for one without a calendar, and also aim for one that looks about the same age as yours.

There are 3 screws that hold the 2 plates together. Only remove the one as instructed for the winding and setting bar. If you remove the other two, you will be stuck putting the whole thing back together and that is quite challenging & frustrating until you've done it about 20 times.

And what about the mainspring? Are they easily replaceable with newer ones, or do they only work with M24 mainsprings?

[mbwatch]

4 hours ago, Raykv423 said:

And what about the mainspring? Are they easily replaceable with newer ones, or do they only work with M24 mainsprings?

Unless it is broken, don't try to replace it. They are different enough in construction that any aftermarket spring will be hard to find and fit, and Timex old stock mainsprings are not very easy to find.

In my experience, I have never needed to replace one. They are typically not "set" having lost the capacity to deliver good power and can be reused. With a Timex, unlike with a high quality jeweled movement, you are not trying to get maximum high balance amplitude in all positions. They were never made to achieve that and can't. The goal is to get them ticking and keeping time within about a minute a day, and you'll have done well. So replacing the mainspring is way overkill.

But also, you cannot replace the mainspring unless you fully disassemble the movement, which takes  you outside the lighter fluid cleaning strategy and into the much more involved and challenging one.

[JerseyMo]

As the resident "Timex Guy"...wait as the resident "Vintage Timex Guy" The new stuff is imported crap...

I can state confidently that the soaking in lighter fluid is not recommended.  I use a 3 stage soak and rinse followed by lubrication and grease.  This process was pioneered by the members of the now offline "Vintage Timex Watch Forum" on Network54.  Of which I was a very vocal member and our mantra was "Keep them ticking".   Beware it is not as simple as it sounds and the professionals will be quick to have a chuckle and inform you that Timex watches were not built to be serviced.  And you know they are 100% correct. They absolutely were not meant to be serviced in the traditional strip down method.  But they can be made to run again.  and that bugs the crap out of them......

 

On 1/28/2025 at 3:30 PM, Neverenoughwatches said:

A nights soak when wound and then hung in a jar in an USM for 5 minutes to clear out any old oil and dirt then 2 rinses...has you a clean movement. Being wound and left ticking during a long soak means the cleaning fluid can get inbetween the mainspring coils as it unwinds to some degree. Timex apparently researched this cleaning approach and only recommended removing the balance,  cannon pinion, ratchet wheel bridge, ratchet wheel and click. Definitely should be oiled afterwards though, its possible to get a lot of it if not all done if you think it through. The v-conic balance should be removed to fill the cups to their required levels. I managed to do this without removing the balance by very carefully adding oil to the inside edge of the cup with a super fine oiler ( it took some time ) the top cup was very tricky because of the closeness of the hairspring...a very steady hand is needed for that.

YEP!   this is spot on....

[Raykv423]

On 1/30/2025 at 6:46 PM, JerseyMo said:

As the resident "Timex Guy"...wait as the resident "Vintage Timex Guy" The new stuff is imported crap...

I can state confidently that the soaking in lighter fluid is not recommended.  I use a 3 stage soak and rinse followed by lubrication and grease.  This process was pioneered by the members of the now offline "Vintage Timex Watch Forum" on Network54.  Of which I was a very vocal member and our mantra was "Keep them ticking".   Beware it is not as simple as it sounds and the professionals will be quick to have a chuckle and inform you that Timex watches were not built to be serviced.  And you know they are 100% correct. They absolutely were not meant to be serviced in the traditional strip down method.  But they can be made to run again.  and that bugs the crap out of them......

 

YEP!   this is spot on....

I appreciate the answers @JerseyMo and @Neverenoughwatches! I just wanted to get my vintage Timex running but after reading the answers, yeah, I can see why some people told me repairing a Timex isn’t for beginners. 

Strange question, Jersey but do people send you vintage Timexes to repair them? I’m considering sending my Timex for repair (I had a few people in mind) but I am more worried and I’d feel bad about having a watchmaker servicing a notoriously difficult movement.