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Horn Relay????

Started by Bill Edmunds - #5484, January 03, 2006, 02:29:16 PM

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Bill Edmunds - #5484

January 03, 2006, 02:29:16 PM
When I attempt to blow the horns on my 1960 coupe, the only sound a get is a clunking at the horn relay.  Does this signify a bad relay or is the relay activating and the problem is further downstream in the wiring or horns?  I connected another horn that worked when removed a couple of months ago and get the same result.  Thanks for your thoughts.

Doug Houston

#1
January 03, 2006, 03:36:11 PM
The sound of a horn relay clicking when the horn ring is pressed usually means that the relay is working. Its unusual for the relay to operate and not have the contacts connecting the battery to the horns. This does tell that the supply, or Battery terminal on the relay is live.

You need to determine that the horn terminal of the relay is hot when the relay operates. A test light or voltmeter from there to the chassis will tell the tale. From that point, the actual wiring from the relay to the horn needs to be checked to insure that the wires to the horn are in good order.

Its entirely possible that the contacts in the relay could be burned from years of use, or a bad overload, though its uncommon. Horn relay terminals are pretty husky, because horns draw a lot of current.  Fortunately, if your relay is bad, new relays are still on the shelves in the poarts stores for about any car.

denise 20352

#2
January 04, 2006, 02:49:08 PM
> You need to determine that the horn terminal of the relay is hot when the relay operates. A test light or voltmeter from there to the chassis will tell the tale

   Be sure to do that with the horn connected.  Dirty relay points that cant carry the current will often pass normal voltage when there is no load.

-denise

JIM CLC # 15000

#3
January 04, 2006, 06:21:59 PM
01-04-06
Bill, If you have time on your hands and are just a little-bit machinely-inclined, you can take the horn relay apart and clean the contact-points, reassumbly, reinstall, test. You may want to paint it while it is out of the car. If you are careful, no one will ever know that it been apart. If the problem just showed-up, its most likely the relay. If the quality of the out-put of the horns has taken a while, I would suspect the horns require adjusting.
Good Luck, Jim
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