Horn don't work on the '78 Pace car. I took the center cap off the column, took out the 3 screws to remove the thingy with the spacer shims under it and everything appears to be in order. The little pin with the spring on it looks to be in place. Should I be able to short something in there to see if I got power to the horn button? Is there a fuse for the horn or a group it's part of? Wires are hooked to them up under the front. Don't know where to check next??


|UPDATED|4/22/2012 1:07:27 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

I would think as you took the horn button off that ring should have sounded the horn. the wire that goes into the steering column is providing the ground for the horn relay. the horn fuse provides power to the relay then to the horns when the relay is energized. i think the horn relay is above fuse panel. if pushing in on the post that rubs on slip ring if you ground that to the column the horn should sound

I'm wid Bob....I don't know how you got the horn cap, and the shim pack off without the horn sounding, or it shocking the crap outta ya! Check the fuses first, of course. That post thingy in the column that the horn rings ride on should have voltage all the time...if it don't, then it is a fuse, or wiring problem. If it DOES, the relay is prolly bad, or a connector somewhere is not making contact. 

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Joel Adams
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Thanks Bob and Joel, I'll climb up under the dash and check out the relay and wiring there. I did poke a thin screwdriver around in the column and got no noise or sparks. 

Just thinkin'  -- did ya try a bigger compressor -- more air?   

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finally arrived and rarin' to ride 
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That reminds me. A friend picked up an old train whistle at a flea market and put a fitting on it for his air compressor. Man, that thing is loud.

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Joe T

Is the horn relay the little square thing under the dash with a green, orange and black wire? If not, what is that? There's a little copper coil in there and its all cruddy and rusted from water getting in.

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Joel Adams
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Thanks, That sure looks to be the problem.

The orange(or red) is from the fuse box.
The green goes to the horn(s)
Black goes to the horn button, and provides the ground for the relay. If you jumper the green & orange(red) wires(with the relay unplugged), the horn(s) should sound. Assuming, of course, that the fuse is good, and the relay has power to it on the orange(red) wire....and that the horn(s) works.
With it all plugged in, you can ground the black wire, and see if the relay clicks/horn sounds. If it does, your problem is in the black wire from the horn button.
If you have an ohm-meter, you can check the horn button there, also. Black lead to a good ground, red lead to the black wire on the relay connector. There should be no continuity until you press the horn button.
hth


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Joel Adams
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Man Jeff, it really sucks when you can't blow your own horn.

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Lifetime Member #116
Dave's '82

   

I just had this problem occur yesterday, but the cause is a question. When I flipped up the tilt wheel on my 78 the horn went off and would not stop until I lowered the tilt wheel to the lowest point. Now it will not sound at all.

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John D. Grant "Corvette; Cure for the common mid-life crisis!"

Dammit....I just spent 20 minutes typing a response, hit "Post", and the dam thing went back to the topic page, without posting....

Anyway...long story short, John....the problem is most likely a break in the wiring in the column. Witht he tilt wheel, the wiring bends, and over time, can cause breaks in the wires, and sometimes the wires will short. If it happens to be the horn ground wire that shorts, the horn will toot until the wire is moved, and contact is lost. Sounds like you're going to be digging into the column. You might be able to find/repair the wiring. If not, you might wind up replacing the turn signal switch.
Would be worth removing the steering wheel and having a look, to make sure it is nothing simple on the top end, but your description of the problem points to a wiring break.


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Joel Adams
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Joel,

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John D. Grant "Corvette; Cure for the common mid-life crisis!"

I did replace my horn relay and got all excited when I got my first toot, but not much after that. Hit it just right and once in a while it works. looks like I gotta start checking under the button too.

Jeff, sort of make's sense as you had no brake lights at eboland!

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Got that figured out. Pulled the plug on the brake light switch, crossed the connection and shazam, Brake lights. Got a new switch coming.

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John D. Grant "Corvette; Cure for the common mid-life crisis!"