72 Horn Issues
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 218
Likes: 42
From: Hopedale Mass
72 Horn Issues
My horn stopped working the other day, It never really worked well when I got the car but now all I get is a clicking sound when I hit the button. I am in the process of replacing my steering wheel so I figured I would start there. I found that I had 12V on the spring loaded button. Is the correct? Should I have 12V at the wheel? What's the point of the relay If I have power at the wheel?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 218
Likes: 42
From: Hopedale Mass
I have removed the horn and tested with an external 12V supply. The horn works without issue. I have also attached a meter at the horn connection and do not get 12V when I hit the button.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 729
Likes: 118
From: Kelowna British Columbia
You have a problem with either a burnt heel ribbon in your horn relay, bad wire from relay to horn or bad ground at horn. Easy to troubleshoot. With meter on ground and positive lead at horn wire leaving relay push button , it should click and you should have 12 v on contact. If here check at horn.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 218
Likes: 42
From: Hopedale Mass
You have a problem with either a burnt heel ribbon in your horn relay, bad wire from relay to horn or bad ground at horn. Easy to troubleshoot. With meter on ground and positive lead at horn wire leaving relay push button , it should click and you should have 12 v on contact. If here check at horn.
I have placed a meter at both the Horn + and the relay contact using a different ground and I get no voltage just clicking when I hit the button. The horn works as I pulled them and tested with a external 12V source. So I am thinking relay?
Pro
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 729
Likes: 118
From: Kelowna British Columbia
Yes I would suspect relay. Do you have a schematic of relay? If it is picking up when you press the horn button you should get 12 volts out on the wire, Ensure it is picking up solid and not chattering.
Advanced
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 95
Likes: 7
From: Tolland Massachusetts
I have a weird horn issue on my '79 C3. This Spring, it worked, not too loud. Then it quit and came back periodically. I replaced the horn button contact and the horn stand/contact. It worked great (louder) for awhile. I've had this gremlin problem for awhile. The electric antenna stopped going up, I put a new unit in and it worked fine for awhile. Then it stuck in the up position, just sent the new unit back. I believe the horn problem is not related to the antenna. Does anyone have any ideas? I don't believe in ghosts or gremlins.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 729
Likes: 118
From: Kelowna British Columbia
grounds
as you have probably read all over the site it is usually grounds . With fiberglass car everything depend on a ground wire. There are a lot of ground connected to the frame and birdcage that get rusty or corroded. Taking the ones you can find apart and cleaning and re doing helps.
I have a weird horn issue on my '79 C3. This Spring, it worked, not too loud. Then it quit and came back periodically. I replaced the horn button contact and the horn stand/contact. It worked great (louder) for awhile. I've had this gremlin problem for awhile. The electric antenna stopped going up, I put a new unit in and it worked fine for awhile. Then it stuck in the up position, just sent the new unit back. I believe the horn problem is not related to the antenna. Does anyone have any ideas? I don't believe in ghosts or gremlins.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Crossville TN
Have you recently changed out the ragjoint (flex coupling between steering column and steering box)? By design, the ground path for the horn passes THRU that flex coupling. The stock part had wire mesh imbedded in the rubber so electrical ground would pass. Most aftermarket parts are just rubber/synthetic material with no metal conductor in it. If that's your problem, run a piece of braided ground strap from one side of the coupling to the other.
The relay could click and still be defective. Open up the relay (bend a few tangs at the base of the cover and remove it) to inspect it. Clean contacts if needed and put it back together [for another 40 years].
There is a plastic part in the steering column and under the horn button/details that breaks due to age. If that is not intact, or if a replacement is not indexed correctly, it can kill the horn signal.
The relay could click and still be defective. Open up the relay (bend a few tangs at the base of the cover and remove it) to inspect it. Clean contacts if needed and put it back together [for another 40 years].
There is a plastic part in the steering column and under the horn button/details that breaks due to age. If that is not intact, or if a replacement is not indexed correctly, it can kill the horn signal.
Advanced
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 95
Likes: 7
From: Tolland Massachusetts
79 horn gremlins
Have you recently changed out the ragjoint (flex coupling between steering column and steering box)? By design, the ground path for the horn passes THRU that flex coupling. The stock part had wire mesh imbedded in the rubber so electrical ground would pass. Most aftermarket parts are just rubber/synthetic material with no metal conductor in it. If that's your problem, run a piece of braided ground strap from one side of the coupling to the other.
The relay could click and still be defective. Open up the relay (bend a few tangs at the base of the cover and remove it) to inspect it. Clean contacts if needed and put it back together [for another 40 years].
There is a plastic part in the steering column and under the horn button/details that breaks due to age. If that is not intact, or if a replacement is not indexed correctly, it can kill the horn signal.
The relay could click and still be defective. Open up the relay (bend a few tangs at the base of the cover and remove it) to inspect it. Clean contacts if needed and put it back together [for another 40 years].
There is a plastic part in the steering column and under the horn button/details that breaks due to age. If that is not intact, or if a replacement is not indexed correctly, it can kill the horn signal.
Thanks, I just put in a new steering box and rag joint. I will check it out.