# Seiko 7S36 Woes - Help?



## delays (Jan 20, 2009)

Dear all,

My dad's just off the phone asking for advice about a potentially faulty Seiko 5 auto with the 7S36 day/date movement - it's the well known Seiko Military watch.

Essentially, it appears to not want to hold a charge for more than 6/7 hours despite having been worn all day. He also adds that the counterweight sometimes appears 'sticky' or reluctant to move without a firm shake.

The watch is about 1 year and 3 months old, just missing out of retailer's warranty. I've checked it hasn't been dropped or immersed in water for too long, nor exposed to crazy temperatures (climate of Scotland excepted).

So, chaps, I'm at a loose end - what's wrong with it? I thought 5s were bulletproof?!


----------



## wookie (Apr 27, 2009)

sounds like the rotor could be coming loose, when the screw is loose it lets the rotor slightly rock so it can jam against the movement its self or the spacer this would also account for the low power reserve. if it is that it will be an easy fix, just take off the back and nip up the center screw that holds the rotor, it happens quite a bit with seikos, it's best to do it soon as possible as the rotor may comes off and jam the balance which is very easily damaged

wookie


----------



## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

A service should sort it out, It could well be the rotor screw or it also could be something else, loose rotors usually sound loose and you can feel / hear the scrape of it in the case, the length of time in water is largely irrelevant , if water gets in it gets in, I dont think the mil style Seikos have a huge WR ?....


----------



## aroma (Dec 11, 2009)

I had a similar problem with the day/date 7S26 from new. I worked it out that I would have to wear the watch for 6 hours a day for it to still be working the following morning. OK this is not too important if you wear the same watch everyday but I don't. I wish you could manually wind these movements but you can't and so you have to rely on the auto-wind which, in my case, just didn't work. When I bought another (dive) Seiko with the same movement, it was a similar story. I had to keep that on a winder when I wasn't wearing it.


----------



## delays (Jan 20, 2009)

Thanks for the sound advice so far guys. I'm not in any way mechanically inclined but it's good to hear that the general consensus is a fault rather than a "they all do that, sir".

I'll start scouting around for service places, unsure if my dad's willing to shell out for a Rytetime!


----------



## Service Engineer (Dec 28, 2007)

Why not try 'Our Host' Roy at RLT ? He's done a superb job on every watch I've sent him.

:rltb:


----------



## SNAKEBITE (Feb 13, 2012)

I know it is just of manufacturers warranty but I would have thought they might have offered a fix as a goodwill gesture, especially if it is a simple fix.


----------



## liamthompson (Jan 26, 2012)

Good to know. was thinking about a seiko


----------



## delays (Jan 20, 2009)

SNAKEBITE said:


> I know it is just of manufacturers warranty but I would have thought they might have offered a fix as a goodwill gesture, especially if it is a simple fix.


Problem is, it's a well-known grey market supplier he got it through, so a return has been deemed more hassle than it's worth.

I'll get him to send it off somewhere and report back. Thanks for the hints and tips.


----------



## ong (Jul 31, 2008)

I sent my recalcitrant 7S36 powered SNZB97J1 to Roy for a service and new crystal and its now running and looking like a dream. I'll recommend getting Roy to service yours as mine had the same symptoms .


----------



## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Service Engineer said:


> Why not try 'Our Host' Roy at RLT ? He's done a superb job on every watch I've sent him.
> 
> :rltb:


+1 for sure.


----------



## ajlongshanks (May 7, 2012)

I've got something of a similar problem, but in reverse. My 7S36 rotor is spinning quite faster than normal, and i can almost hear it spinning. Ive been regulalrly using the watch for 6 years so i can tell its spinning fast.

As far as the power reserve and accuracy, the accuracy is fine and i dont know bout power reserve coz i wear it most of the day. works fine. Just worried why is it spinning so fast, it it loose?


----------

