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1951 "200 Sedan" Horn Issues!?

The car has dual horns. Sometimes the dual horns work. Most of the time only 1 horn works. Sometimes the horns do not work at all. But always a clicking sound is faintly heard in the background even when the horns are silent. I keep playing around with the horn ring to find that sweet spot, and sometimes...'Bingo"!

Suggestions on what to check?

Frustrated In Ohio!!

If you usually hear the clicking in the background when you push the horn button it sounds like the horn relay is working so probably the horn ring is OK. The relay could have dirty contacts and is limiting the current going to the horns so there is not enough available to work both horns but the more likely problem is with the contacts inside the horn enclosures. The contacts must be closed for the horn to start working and if they are dirty or pitted and not making a good solid contact when the horn gets power nothing will happen.

I would suggest you remove the dome cover and clean the points using a point burnisher if possible or you can use fine emery cloth if a burnisher is not available. Sand paper is not a recommended material because the grit can come off fairly easily and embed in the contacts but emery cloth will work if you try to remove any left over residue by running some rough kraft paper thru the contacts or spray them with contact cleaner after the emery cloth.

If you still have issues after cleaning the contacts then look further at the relay and then the horn ring.

Here is a photo out of the 55-6 manual showing the contacts you should check which are located in the piece at the end of the arrow. The top visible part is the fixed portion of the contact and the movable portion is attached to the round plate they show below the nuts being adjusted. The 51-4 photo in that manual is almost identical but is very poor quality. Cover has a small slot at a location under the edge where you can insert the blade of a small screwdriver. Just twist the screwdriver slightly and the cover will pop off. The horn ring photo is of a 47 and for 51-4 the horn ring is removed a bit differently but electrically they are identical.

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  horn.jpg (66.94 KB)


  horn ring electrical path.jpg (233.34 KB)

THANKS for the instructions and the detailed diagram!

I will begin here.

THANKS!

I will begin with the horn ring contacts.

Good advice from HH56, as usual. A check to make sure the horns' grounds are good would also be a good thing to do.