The horn

nicolette · 10-11-2001, 12:32 AM

Hiya!
I just wanted to let you all know that after 4 months i have discovered why my horn doesn't go!. Me and my father have been through the entire system, pulling the steering wheel off, the whole shibang about hmm... 6 times!. I even gave up and took her to an auto electrition when all else failed. He told me I needed to replace my whole steering wheel system, and it would be about $800!!!. Yeah right!!! Well oneday Dad noticed that the positive point of my drivers side horn was jammed hard against the radiator !!!. He shouted so loud i nearly fell over, thats how happy he was to have figured it out!. All my horn needed was for the point to be bent away from the radiator!!! So if your horn doesn't go. PLEASE look for the simplest thing that could be wrong with it. And DEFINATELY explore all the options! I would have been so miffed if i had spent that $800!! Thanks also for all your ideas on this, they have been a great help =)

------------------
nicolette, 1968 coupe, straight 6 and proud of it! ;p

jwboner · 10-11-2001, 01:16 AM

Too often we overlook the simplest things because if ya haven't figured it out in about five minutes ya figure it must be something big and start to disassembling perfectly good parts and making landfill out of them. It once took me 2 days to figure out why my car wouldn't start, almost replaced battery, starter, and solenoid when it was just dirty connections. Bet you are looking forward to the real big problems now. haha

------------------
65 fastback
347 DFI injected, TFS heads, T5, 4.11 9", tc subframe conns, torq thrust D's
A little history lesson using today's tech.

Rev · 10-11-2001, 07:31 PM

Nicolette, I'm wondering if the driver's side horn was grounded out, what did the passenger side horn do? Can't really remember how that's configured (parallel or series?)

Whenever some electrical gizmo fails to work, start testing with a test light from the source to to the gizmo. That usually tells you pretty quick where problem is.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Rev

------------------
'66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph
1/4 mi.

nicolette · 10-11-2001, 10:12 PM

Rev, Thanks for your thoughts.
Yeah it was grounded out. I tested the circuits first off and everything seemed ok. The tester reacted on both horns. After checking everything else in the steering wheel dad tried a live connection from the battery's poitive to the horns. The passengers side horn blared fine but when we touched the drivers side it just gave a muffled squeak. Thats when we realised the point was grounding against the radiator. My car had a tiny prang on the bumper when I bought it , so I am thinking perhaps the horn was grounded when that happened. Also the air con (which also doesn't work!) was installed VERY close to the drivers side horn. Which comes into contact with the positive point when you close the hood, NOT good!.So I remounted the drivers side horn about an inch to the left and now both horns go great!.
I wonder if my air con is post factory?
Anyway thankyou! ;p

------------------
nicolette, 1968 coupe, straight 6 and proud of it! ;p

TIP64 · 10-14-2001, 10:23 PM

Cool info
I have been trying to figure out why mine on my 66 will not work I will check it out.
Thanks

10-11-2001, 12:32 AM	#1
nicolette Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 63	The horn Hiya! I just wanted to let you all know that after 4 months i have discovered why my horn doesn't go!. Me and my father have been through the entire system, pulling the steering wheel off, the whole shibang about hmm... 6 times!. I even gave up and took her to an auto electrition when all else failed. He told me I needed to replace my whole steering wheel system, and it would be about $800!!!. Yeah right!!! Well oneday Dad noticed that the positive point of my drivers side horn was jammed hard against the radiator !!!. He shouted so loud i nearly fell over, thats how happy he was to have figured it out!. All my horn needed was for the point to be bent away from the radiator!!! So if your horn doesn't go. PLEASE look for the simplest thing that could be wrong with it. And DEFINATELY explore all the options! I would have been so miffed if i had spent that $800!! Thanks also for all your ideas on this, they have been a great help =) ------------------ nicolette, 1968 coupe, straight 6 and proud of it! ;p

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10-11-2001, 01:16 AM	#2
jwboner Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Under the hood Posts: 164	Too often we overlook the simplest things because if ya haven't figured it out in about five minutes ya figure it must be something big and start to disassembling perfectly good parts and making landfill out of them. It once took me 2 days to figure out why my car wouldn't start, almost replaced battery, starter, and solenoid when it was just dirty connections. Bet you are looking forward to the real big problems now. haha ------------------ 65 fastback 347 DFI injected, TFS heads, T5, 4.11 9", tc subframe conns, torq thrust D's A little history lesson using today's tech.

10-11-2001, 07:31 PM	#3
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	Nicolette, I'm wondering if the driver's side horn was grounded out, what did the passenger side horn do? Can't really remember how that's configured (parallel or series?) Whenever some electrical gizmo fails to work, start testing with a test light from the source to to the gizmo. That usually tells you pretty quick where problem is. Just a couple of thoughts. Rev ------------------ '66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph 1/4 mi.

10-11-2001, 10:12 PM	#4
nicolette Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 63	Rev, Thanks for your thoughts. Yeah it was grounded out. I tested the circuits first off and everything seemed ok. The tester reacted on both horns. After checking everything else in the steering wheel dad tried a live connection from the battery's poitive to the horns. The passengers side horn blared fine but when we touched the drivers side it just gave a muffled squeak. Thats when we realised the point was grounding against the radiator. My car had a tiny prang on the bumper when I bought it , so I am thinking perhaps the horn was grounded when that happened. Also the air con (which also doesn't work!) was installed VERY close to the drivers side horn. Which comes into contact with the positive point when you close the hood, NOT good!.So I remounted the drivers side horn about an inch to the left and now both horns go great!. I wonder if my air con is post factory? Anyway thankyou! ;p ------------------ nicolette, 1968 coupe, straight 6 and proud of it! ;p

10-14-2001, 10:23 PM	#5
TIP64 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 13	Cool info I have been trying to figure out why mine on my 66 will not work I will check it out. Thanks