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Member
Posts: 43
Location: Peoria< IL | Hi All,
Had our '55 Savoy at a local show last month and on the way home, it would not restart after a short stop at a farm stand. I got it to putter a little and then nothing. No spark at the plugs, so I swapped out the original coil with a new one and got us home. The car has a lot more power, especially under load. I think the coil was probably weak for a while.
The interesting thing is now that that's been fixed, the horn doesn't work. Is it possible that I fried the horn relay somehow? Electrical short somewhere? The two issues shouldn't be connected, right? This is my first positive ground car so I'm learning things are a little different.
Thanks for any advice,
-D |
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Expert
Posts: 3393
  
Location: Chestertown, NY ( near Lake George) | Sounds coincidental assuming you didn't disconnect something around the relay by mistake. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1102
Location: Hayward, Calif | Ya might check the connections, wiggle the wire terminals. Sometimes they build up a bit of corrosion. Jump a hot wire directly to the horn, if it doesn't work , there is an adjuster ( funny looking screw head thing ). Turn a little bit at a time, one way or another and hot shoot it again. Check the ground with a test lite. It's probably something simple. Jerry |
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Member
Posts: 43
Location: Peoria< IL | Thanks for the tips, I'll check this weekend when I have time to noodle. I didn't touch anything except the wires to the coil. One of my grounds may have some off since the wiring is a little brittle. I'm trying to keep from putting a harness in the car, but for safety I may just bite the bullet.
Thanks again, I'll report back once I get it working again. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 360
| You need a service manual and schematic. I just fixed my horns over the weekend 58 imperial (most likely wired the same). There is a positive wire that is shared on the coil circuit and the horn relay, both get the positive hot from the ignition switch when in the run position. Originally I fried this wire many months ago when replacing the coil, so I replaced the wire at the ignition switch and ran it to the coil not knowing the horn relay needs the same positive signal from the ignition switch. I ran another wire from the same spot on the ignition switch to the horn relay and all works like a champ now.
There are other possibilities but this sounds like the most likely since it happened after a coil replacement. You may have fried the relay, wire, horns or didn't connect something back up correctly. There is also 2 switches on the steering column, one under the steering wheel center and one near the dash under a cosmetic blockoff plate. again this is my 58 imperial I am referring to but likely your car is very very similar. The switch under the blockoff cosmetic plate is a roller type switch that needs a clean surface to make contact. I used a scotch brite pad to clean that surface, just held it up in there with my finger and rotated the steering wheel a few times.
There are some troubleshooting techniques that the service manual goes over to help determine if the relay is not functioning but that can be misleading if a wire is burned up or not connected. |
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Member
Posts: 43
Location: Peoria< IL | Thanks for the advice. I do have a shop manual and schematic at home, but the car is in storage as I've been working on re-siding the garage. I'll go through and double check what you mentioned, especially around the steering column. Good info here on the shared wire and your experience with the Imperial. That gives me a good place to start.
I have a feeling something broke off as the wiring on this car is a little crispy here and there. There was a black wire that looked like it was for a sending unit and it was a little raw, but I didn't trace it really well. I should spend the money and rewire with a new harness.
Edited by throwinwrenches 2016-09-21 9:28 AM
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Member
Posts: 43
Location: Peoria< IL | Well, I finally had time to play with my cars, and get the manual out and trace stuff. I discovered the horn problem is due to a wire that snapped off under the steering column in the engine bay. Looks like it was knicked or severed previously since it had electrical tape on it. I may have just enough coming out of the column to solder a new jumper on there... but maybe not. Thanks for the help on this everyone. |
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Coil Died, Replaced. Now Horn Doesn't Work
