troubleshooting inoperative horns - '39 Packard Six
Posted by greybeard On 2024/8/1 19:02:40
From the photos I have seen on this forum, it appears I am dealing with non-Packard components - see attached photos.
As you can see, the wiring is a mess - I have had this car two weeks, and have made no modifications. Anyway, the horns do not sound, except when I apply power from a separate battery with the horns on the workbench. A previous owner bypassed the steering wheel horn button with one mounted under the lip of the dash.
I traced the new horn button wiring - 2 black wires - to what I believe is the horn relay, and they connect on the upper and lower right sides of the relay assembly. The red wire connected to the lower left side of the relay connects to both horns. The other black wire connected to the lower right side of the relay becomes part of the wiring harness off to the left of the relay. The other black wire connected to the upper right flange on the relay connects to what I suspect is the voltage regulator. The black wire connected to the lower right side that is routed to the left is the mystery. I have consulted my copy of the owner's manual and the wiring diagram - is there no fuse block or other protective device for the horn circuit? This is 6 volt positive ground, so I would expect perhaps that mystery wire to provide a completed circuit to energize the relay. I did give the relay case a couple thumps with the butt-end of a screwdriver to make sure it was not stuck. Maybe this relay is not wired correctly. I am reluctant to replace the relay before first knowing the way it is wired is correct. Going back to a near-stock condition would be attractive. I am just not grasping something here. Any insight would be appreciated.
As you can see, the wiring is a mess - I have had this car two weeks, and have made no modifications. Anyway, the horns do not sound, except when I apply power from a separate battery with the horns on the workbench. A previous owner bypassed the steering wheel horn button with one mounted under the lip of the dash.
I traced the new horn button wiring - 2 black wires - to what I believe is the horn relay, and they connect on the upper and lower right sides of the relay assembly. The red wire connected to the lower left side of the relay connects to both horns. The other black wire connected to the lower right side of the relay becomes part of the wiring harness off to the left of the relay. The other black wire connected to the upper right flange on the relay connects to what I suspect is the voltage regulator. The black wire connected to the lower right side that is routed to the left is the mystery. I have consulted my copy of the owner's manual and the wiring diagram - is there no fuse block or other protective device for the horn circuit? This is 6 volt positive ground, so I would expect perhaps that mystery wire to provide a completed circuit to energize the relay. I did give the relay case a couple thumps with the butt-end of a screwdriver to make sure it was not stuck. Maybe this relay is not wired correctly. I am reluctant to replace the relay before first knowing the way it is wired is correct. Going back to a near-stock condition would be attractive. I am just not grasping something here. Any insight would be appreciated.
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