Context : The quasar B0605 - 085 ( OH 010 ) shows a hint for probable periodical variability in the radio total flux-density light curves .

Aims : We study the possible periodicity of B0605 - 085 in the total flux-density , spectra and opacity changes in order to compare it with jet kinematics on parsec scales .

Methods : We have analyzed archival total flux-density variability at ten frequencies ( 408 MHz , 4.8 GHz , 6.7 GHz , 8 GHz , 10.7 GHz , 14.5 GHz , 22 GHz , 37 GHz , 90 GHz , and 230 GHz ) together with the archival high-resolution very long baseline interferometry data at 15 GHz from the MOJAVE monitoring campaign .
Using the Fourier transform and discrete autocorrelation methods we have searched for periods in the total flux-density light curves .
In addition , spectral evolution and changes of the opacity have been analyzed .

Results : We found a period in multi-frequency total flux-density light curves of 7.9 \pm 0.5 yrs .
Moreover , a quasi-stationary jet component C 1 follows a prominent helical path on a similar time scale of 8 years .
We have also found that the average instantaneous speeds of the jet components show a clear helical pattern along the jet with a characteristic scale of 3 mas .
Taking into account average speeds of jet components , this scale corresponds to a time scale of about 7.7 years .
Jet precession can explain the helical path of the quasi-stationary jet component C 1 and the periodical modulation of the total flux-density light curves .
We have fitted a precession model to the trajectory of the jet component C 1 , with a viewing angle \phi _ { 0 } = 2.6 ^ { \circ } \pm 2.2 ^ { \circ } , aperture angle of the precession cone \Omega = 23.9 ^ { \circ } \pm 1.9 ^ { \circ } and fixed precession period ( in the observers frame ) P = 7.9 yrs .

Conclusions :