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| | | | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 222 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: May 2007 Posts: 222 | 49 Chevy 3100 panel truck, the horn does not work well and at times not at all. Installed a new relay, and horn. Replaced all the wiring and eliminated any shorts. Grounds seem to be good so why is the horn so problematic. Sometimes it works most of the time it does not. The pressure plate under the horn button is clean, with the rust removed. So what is the problem? I need to get this vehicle inspected and on the road. Thank you for your help.
God bless,
Dave
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,464 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,464 | Nothin' worse than a finicky horn. They didn't use a horn relay in '49 so I'm going to assume you had to change the horn wiring a little. Originally one terminal of the horn was "hot" all the time, being fed right off the ammeter, the other horn terminal was wired to the button on the steering wheel and when pushed, that button would provide a ground.
My assumption is that when you wired in the relay, you're switching a hot lead to the horn and that the other terminal of the horn is grounded. So, seems to me the logical thing to do would be to isolate the problem either to the horn, the relay, or the button. If you short the hot lead to the lead going to the horn at the horn relay (you could use a screwdriver, a quarter, or whatever is handy) that horn should honk every time. If it doesn't, the problem is either the horn or the ground. If it does, test the relay with a short jumper wire to the other relay terminal (not the hot side, or the horn) momentarily grounded the horn should honk everytime. If all is well at this point the problem is either in the button or the wiring going up the column. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | If you apply direct power to the horn and it doesn't always go off, you probably need to adjust the points in the horn. Pop the round cover off the back and you will see an adjustment there. Take a thin piece of carboard, like from a match pack, put some elctronic cleaner on it and run it through the points. Next adjust them slightly one way or the other until it works correctly. | | |
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