horn not working

[tjvending]

Can you tell me the next steps? I tested the horn with a hot wire and it works, I put a new horn kit in the sterring wheel, I see the relay, all wires attached, what should I do next. What steps do I test with a volt meter?

TJ

[Longhorn Man]

do you hear the relay click when you pres the button?
If not, then check to see if you are getting ground to the relay through the wire
If no switched ground, then troubleshoot the column/button. If yes, then replace the realy.
If you are getting a click, then trace the green wire to the horn for damage

[tjvending]

Is there a way to test the actual Horn relay, I have no clicking noise? TJ

[69gumby]

To test the relay you will need to attach the input side to a known 12 volt source ie the battery and see if you get the click or use a volt meter and check to see if you get 12 volts on the out put side. Good ground is very important.

[hotrodhomi]

Originally Posted by 69gumby

To test the relay you will need to attach the input side to a known 12 volt source ie the battery and see if you get the click or use a volt meter and check to see if you get 12 volts on the out put side. Good ground is very important.

I agree, good info. It helps to make little jumper wires with a male spade connector on one side. Use the spade to plug into the relay.

[Longhorn Man]

actually, it should have power at all times on the red wire, the black wire that goes to the column is the ground that triggers the relay, and the green wire is the switched 12 volt going to the horn

[dznucks]

you mentioned you installed a horn kit in the wheel. what brand did you install? i put in a grant steering knockoff and i had similar type problems.

[tjvending]

actually, it should have power at all times on the red wire, the black wire that goes to the column is the ground that triggers the relay, and the green wire is the switched 12 volt going to the horn


How do I test the ground wire (Black) going to the column to see if its working as a ground? Can I jump this wire ? I got power at the red wire.

TJ

[tjvending]

Here's what I did today, I test the red wire and got 12v, Green wire Nothing, I hooked up a jumper black wire to the ground terminal on the Relay while it was installed, I can touch my jumper (Black wire )to metal and I get the horn to blow. I'm getting there almost!!!! Now what do I do? I notice the black ground on the relay swicth goes behind the fuse block, I don't see it going up to the horn. I took some pictures , I see if I can get them uploaded. I did notice this black wire coming out of the column , I trace it and it goes to a small light bulb on th ebottom of the instr. panel. Any help to get this thig to work correctly?

TJ

[Longhorn Man]

the bulb is supposed to plug into the inst panel (inner hole on fuel guage) and the black wire attacjhed to it is actually a fiber optic cable to light up the shift indicator.
But, that's not important right now.
Jumping the ground like you did proves that the relay is good, the power suply is good, and the wire to the horn is good, as is the horn its self.
But you already figured that out.
That wire goes into the tirn signal switch harness and up to the column.
That part of it rarely if ever goes bad.
Odds are, the problem is either under the steering wheel, or in the horn kit. Gran GT is well known for crap kits... esp if is the style with the metal horn button. If you can remove the button, and snap some photos for us, we may be able to steer you in the right direction.
I know.... bad pun.

[tjvending]

Its a stock sterring wheel, here's some more pictures, I just took it apart, the black wire from the relay , I see it going into the back of the fuse box, does it still end up going to the column? Pictures should be in removing order. Except first picture is below...TJ

[tjvending]

1st picture below...

[tjvending]

Here's the first picture

[Ravenmocker]

I am having the opposite of your problem. I recently swapped my Grant for a stock kit. Question..the thin metal plate that goes over the Spring/contact device...should the metal plate be riding on that pin/spring? Once I install the remainder of the cup the horn does not stop blowing. I am including a thread by member Jeff5150 so credit to him for the pictures/diagram.

In step pic 2 Jeff states that you need that plastic ring??? Should the thin plate be encased in plastic? Mine is not. He mentions the same thing in pic5 being encased in plastic??

My wheel is attached with a new spring/pin, then the thin metal plate over the attaching nut (bow side up however it rides on the pin/spring, then the cup with the plastic spacers lightly snug. This is a small problem that is bugging me terribly.

Question: Should the thin plate be encased in plastic?
2. Should than thin plate fit over the steering nut/washer so far that it rides on the pin/spring or should it not touch the pin? If so should I shorten the pin or elevate the bowed piece of thin metal?

Again thanks to Jeff5150 I sent him a PM regarding the same however no response yet. Longhorn man you seem to be the best at this so your input is greatly appreciate. Let me know if you need pictures.
Thanks

________________________________________
REMOVE YOUR BATTERY CABLES FIRST!!!!

pic 1
my plastic bushing is in here
the pin and spring also go in here,

pic2
then this thin plate,
there is a slight bow,the bowed side goes up towards you (you need that plastic ring,it keeps the plate from contacting metal till you press the horn.
make sure that the 3 thru holes line up with the 3 threaded holes

pic3
this is the cup and another plastic spacer,and 3 screws to mount
(dont wrench down on these, just till they stop and a touch more)

pic4

make sure BEFORE you put that cup on ,it will be positioned to allow the tab on the horn button to set in the steering wheel correctly.

pic5
metal ring encased in plastic ring,
metal cup,
3 hole plastic spacer and screws


jeff
Attached Images

[tjvending]

I too was confused by his line: (you need that plastic ring,it keeps the plate from contacting metal till you press the horn.

Mine is just like the pictures, everything that was in the kit (stock with Sterring Wheel)

Here's my order of install:

Spring in hole
Plunger-pin
Plastic cap bushing
Metal bow piece
metal cup
3 hole plastic spacer and screws

[Longhorn Man]

In theory, I'd be able to figure it out if it was in front of me. I always have... since my first car, through many many aftermarket steering wheels, through late model wheels on early columns.... 'till now.
I have a late 2nd gen steering wheel in my burb, on a 79 or so van column. Put it all together, and the horn is screaming.
Cant get it to stop.
Took it apart, it all looked right
horn still screaming
So since I can't figure mine out, and yours 'LOOKS' good in the photos... I have to bow out now and let someone else step in.
Vet Vette is real good at electrical too, with any luck, he'll chime in.

[tjvending]

How about the ground wire in the column, is there a way to test it, if so, how?

I jump the black wire at the relay and when I touch it to metal the horn blows. Its works like a button, you leave it touch and it keeps blowing, take it off and it stops. Almost there, what's next?

TJ

[tjvending]

Now I might have another problem, when i went out today to work on the horn, I'm not getting any juice to the switch or something, radio plays but will not turn over. Do you think jumping the
horn relay groung wire did something? I checked all the fuses, must be something simple but I need help again.

TJ

[hotrodhomi]

did you knock a wire off the ignition switch when you were under that dash?

[tjvending]

Swict works fine, Itested it on another vehicle. Do you think it could be around the relay, I see another relay in th etop right corner, is this the saftey Switch, I tried shifted the shifter in all gears.

[VetteVet]

Here's the pics for post 14
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php?p=2995598
It looks like the thin metal plate is missing.
Is your battery low cause you left the horn relay on and unplugged the horn?
If you follow the procedure in the thread , it should go together and work just fine. It 's been awhile since I had mine apart so I'm going from memory.

[tjvending]

Battery seems to be find, I jump started at the starter and it started right up. How about in tread #9, top left corner above the relay, what is this relay to?

[72lb4x4]

Automatic trans w/ shifter on the column? Try moving it from park to neutral, trying to start it, then back and trying it again.

The black ground wire should feed up through the column to under the horn button. Manually ground it to verify the horn works from there. If it does, its the funky horn button acting as a switch. The cuplike steel thing under the horn button connects to something I can't picture when you press the horn button. Maybe the 3 screws insulated by the circular tan brittle plastic thing that breaks a lot.

What do those 3 screws attach to?

As I recall, if the column isn't grounded, the horn won't work. The column may have a ground only because its metal and bolted to other metal things. Try grounding the column better...

[hotrodhomi]

The first thing I would do is buy a multimeter.

[tjvending]

Automatic trans w/ shifter on the column? Try moving it from park to neutral, trying to start it, then back and trying it again.

Would this keep it for starting, this relay?