Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

I recently bought my 41 120 and about the only thing not working on it is the horn. My repair manual does not have a diagram of the steering wheel side of the steering column, but I have removed a lot of steering wheels.
This one was easy, and pretty clean design. Just a center wire to provide current, a horn ring attached to the button, and a giant spring to keep the critical components apart. Given the design of the center wire and the other parts, I do not see how the contact is actually made. I am trying to figure out if I am missing a spring or spacer somewhere.
I have a couple questions:
With the unit apart, how do I test the horn? Should be easy.
Does anyone have a picture, repair manual description or exploded diagram of the area so I can see if I am missing anything?
I appreciate the help.
BTW - How do you upload pictures of your baby to the site? Other than the one I uploaded to the registry, I don't see how it is done.
Thanks!

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You can upload pictures in via the "Packard Pictures" option on the main menu. Just go into the appropriate picture catagory (1941 for example), and their you will find a "Add Picture" or "Add New" link. Cant remember what it is called.

You can test the horns individually by just applying power to them, for example with a jumper wire from the battery hot post. Or you can check both (3 on some models) by just using a jumper to ground the terminal of the relay that goes up the steering column. If the horns power and honk individually but not by grounding the relay terminal, then the relay is suspect.

I am assuming the wire going up the steering column should be "hot" all the time.
With the key on (which i doubt really matters) I get nothing through the wire. There appears to be no current whatever, which is probably why the horn button does not activate the horn,
On the wiring diagram, I do not see any horn relay other than the horn button.
The horns (each and both) do activate when tested similarly to Owen's suggestion, but I am just pulling current from another source.
Where exactly would I find the relay switch?
Other thoughts?
The column wire looks to be in good shape at the steering wheel side.

The wire going up the column should be connected to the horn relay,follow that wire from the bottom of the steering column and it should lead you to it.
That same wire is a ground circut.Grounding the wire at the top of the steer tube to the chassis should make the relay close and the horns blow.If you only hear a click,then take a look at the relay and its circut.
There is a wiring diagram in the owners manual that Mal donated to this site.

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Perhaps you have no power to the relay. I don't recall just where the relay is located, but someone else will come along and tell us. But just follow the wire from the steering column or from the horns and they should lead you to a small (c.a. 1 x 1-1/2) relay with a stamped steel cover with may be embossed "RBM". NAPA still sells replacement 6 volt 3-terminal horn relays, it would be Echlin part# HR-100.

I believe the relay is on back of horn bracket on some models. A rectangular box with 2 wires plus the horns connected. I think it is powered directly from battery post on solenoid.

Gorgeous car. Was it a California car by chance? I know that is a popular combination but a good friend had one exactly like it he drove on lots of tours. Sometimes he'd take his Pierce Arrow but wondered where the Packard might have gone after he was finished with it.

Hello HH,

Thank you for the compliment. The two-tone paint on the car does turn heads.

I don't know if it was originally a California Car, but I have been over and under every inch on it and I see no sign of rust anywhere. The undercarriage is extremely clean abd not heavily undercoated, just painted.

The car was in a private museum since 1994 here in California. Based on the display signs and paraphernalia in the trunk, it was displayed in several shows.

I plan to have the chassis detailed and put it in local shows, but my wife and I want to drive it occasionally as well, so I don't plan on going over the top.

This is the first Packard I have owned and I really am impressed with it. It is a blast. Fairly complex, I think, for a car of its age.

I have a Plymouth Woodie as well, and it is 100% more straight forward. But this car is just a very sweet ride.

94 would be about right as I think it was sold around 90-91. Doug lived in Coarsegold, CA & if any of those items are for any car shows around Fresno or Central Valley area, that would be it. Whomever/wherever it was from, still gorgeous.