Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 23:30:21 -0400
Reply-To: Cory Sammons <slagskot@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Cory Sammons <slagskot@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: '90 Westy Horn not operating
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
mike
if you disconnected the wires from the contacts at the steering wheel
"honking" the horn does no good because you are holding the two wires which
should make contact when the horn is pressed.
make sure your wires are connected at the horn again.
measure the voltage between the two wires at the horn button as you did
before (should be ~12V - if you register nothing, switch wires on the
multimeter. i cant remember which is hot on the horn)
if you dont get a reading either way, the problem is most likely between the
fuse box and the steering wheel
if you do get a reading, take the two wires from the steering wheel and,
WHILE HOLDING THE INSULATED PARTS, touch the metal of the wires together
if the horn honks, you probably have a problem where two halves of the horn
button are supposed to be touching
try cleaning your contacts with electrical contact cleaner (Radio Shack)
and make sure that when you compress the horn the two metals are actually
making contact
if not you may need to build up the contacts
there are probably several ways to do this and im not going to claim to know
them all
but i would simply dab a bit of electrical solder on each contact to "raise"
it agian so the two sides touch when pressed
also make sure that there are no breaks in the copper leading from the wire
connections around the horn (baseball anyone?)
if the horn doesn't honk when the wires touch, but you do have a reading at
the horn button, check the wires at the horn with the multimeter again as
you did before
this time have someone touch the wires together at the steering wheel
instead of "honking"
when the wires touch, you should get a reading at the horn
again, try switching the wires on the multimeter as i dont know which is
positive! (some multimeters read both + and - voltage - mine doesnt)
if there is no reading at the horn, your problem should be between the
steering column and the horn
if you do get a reading, your horn is probably shot
try cleaning the contacts with contact cleaner, but probably need a new
sounder
good luck!
cory
84 Westy
N. Bridgton, ME
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Korsak" <mkorsak@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, July 16, 2001 8:20 PM
Subject: '90 Westy Horn not operating
> Hey List,
>
> I've been off the list since May since I'm not able to
> check e-mail daily and keep up with the influx of
> mail.
>
> But, now I'm back with a question. The horn on my '90
> Westy is not working. Searched the archives tonight,
> but thet were not working for some reason.
>
> So I just noticed this today. Checked the fuse, it
> was fine. Then I took a multi-tester and tested the
> wires at the horn. Disconnected wires, attached red
> end of multi-tester to red/blue wire and black lead to
> black/yellow wire. With the van running, had someone
> "honk" the horn, no change in voltage read on the
> tester. So, I took the cover off the steering wheel
> and played with the contacts. Disconnected leads from
> the contacts and again put red lead into positive, and
> black lead of tester into negative. "Honked" horn, no
> change in voltage.
>
> I hope that I was doing everything right, as I'm no
> electrical whiz. Can anyone lend some insight into
> what it might be. Thanks to all who reply.
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail
> http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
>
|