[Chuck Schwark]

Hello: yes, do not attempt to clean your dial with water or cleaners. I use mineral spirits to clean mine. Test whatever you use on a small part of the dial, like where the part number is, in order to be sure.

The dial drive rubber is often dry rotted, there are threads in this site that deal with how to repair this.

Definitely replace the "old repair" electrolytics. Be aware that 8mF electrolytics #87 and #88 do not have their negative sides going to ground. Additionally, 10mF electrolytic #75 has its positive side going to ground and it's negative side connected to the negative sides of #87 and #88.

Your version of the 16 also has a filter bank located inside a large metal can. The five caps in the can should be replaced. Make sure you diagram where and what was disconnected from the lugs on the bottom of the can. I like to use a piece of hard copper wire (like what you use to wire a house) to make a "buss bar" connected to the negative lug on the inside-side of the bottom of the can. This makes it easier to connect the negative side of your five replacement caps.

Make sure that you verify the resistance values of resistors in your set. The 16B cathedral still used the variety of resistors that age badly.

Good luck with your set, the 16B is an outstanding radio!

Quick and simple Bakelite block re-stuffing:

http://www.philcorepairbench.com/capbuild.htm

Chuck