General After a long break I have returned (youtube video link included)

[L8AGN2]

So after almost a year off from the X I have returned. Yet again I find myself in need of help, go figure!

So i have just put the X back on the road and the woes begin! little preface to the question first is in order I think.

Driving down the road a few days ago I was cut off by a Yukon (big and useless waste of fuel!) as I went to show the driver my appreciation I found that my horn didn't work! Guess that is the one thing I never checked since I have owned this car (almost 2 years now, scary huh?)

So on to the question at hand:

a: where should the horn be located?
b: what colour are the wires that go it?
c: which side of the car are they on?

The wiring diagrams I have are pretty much unreadable

btw, it's a 1980 if that makes a diff

Oh yes one other thing, a you tube video of some fooling around in the off time!!

 

[shaun]

Hi L8AGN2

There should be 2 horns one either side underneath the headlights.You can see them if you remove the headlight inspection plates,sorry cannot remember what colour the wires are.


Nice video

 

[L8AGN2]

Thanks for the reply but it would seem that a quick look through the access panels for the lights reveal that the horns and even the horn mount brackets are missing. To top it all off there are no loose wires to boot. It would appear that the only wire left in the horn circut is the one that goes form the wheel button into the steering column.

So the question is now how do i rewire what should be there?

 

[shaun]

There should be 2 wires to each horn one live and one earth if you get the live wire down to the horns you can take a wire from the horn to earth for the other.

Hope that makes sense

Cheers Shaun

 

[L8AGN2]

Makes perfect sense , too bad the p/o wiring skills don't! I have tracked down 3 loose wires (2 light blue and 1 a darker blue). However none of these are producing any voltage (horn engaged, acc power on , car running)

Starting to look as though there may be a relay or something not working (i assume the horn circut has a relay) Fuses are fine and everything else electrical work (except for the door chime as the relay for that has been pulled out!

With a circut tester i have determined that the yellow lead in the steering wheel isn't grounding at all. I would assume that it is actually a ground and not a live wire.

Starting to loose hope that this will be a simple fix!

 

[L8AGN2]

Okay , so i have sourced the ground problem i think. The ring in the steering column with all the wires that go into it (not sure the tech name) seems to ground on one side (the side where all the wires connect) but not on the steering wheel side.

Not sure how to go about fixing this, short of having the replacement part which seems like a job! Any other thoughts other then a momentary switch somewhere on the dash?

 

[shaun]

I think the back of the steering wheel is the earth for the horn,there is a copper ring on the back which makes contact

 

[L8AGN2]

Oh and as for the nice video comment , the part where you hear both of us make that oh sh*t sound , what you can't see is the ford f-350 off screen sliding through the intersection (you can kinda see his headlights make the video all bright). Needless to say bouncing of a curb a 40 mph in the snow is a little worrying!

Anyhow , i have fitted the momentary switch to the center console and hooked up an air horn , works awesome , looks okay