Electrical: Fix my horn please

[jimmijim8]

55 Stude horn sounds a bit as I'm manuvering the steering wheel to make a right hand turn. Just started doing this. I hate when that happens. If it were the 60's type, I know the fix but I know these 55's are different. Help please. I can't find a breakdown pic or any info in the repair manual. My buddy who know's everything and I who just think's I know everything will appreciate any tips from anybody that knows the fix. Previous owner had my car fxed to the tune of 400.00 { Problem}, hard starting when hot. Compression check normal. Shop diagnosis= vapor lock. Suggest fix= electric fuel pump installed above the tank outlet tube{ not correct} NOS mechanical fuel pump, Replaced plugs and 1 plug wire, new points, condenser, remanufactured carb was installed his last go round, a year ago. Insulated metal fuel line from mechanical pump to carb. After not finding a cure they blamed it on a worn out distributor. My first go round showed that after car got up to operating temp and if you shut it down and let it sit and then try to restart it would not fire. Also at drive up banking or burger joint car did not run cool like it should. It had stalled on me many times but never on the highway under tolerable engine temps. Hmmh. Had the tank cleaned of the liner it never needed as it was deteriorated and clogging the fuel filters. Figured problem was solved but it still got hot at Idle in the burger line and would not want to keep running. Any how----long story short.


Not a thing wrong with Distributor
installed new thermostat{ now temp is in normal but not restarting easily. Once started, only after chugging to get on the road into the traffic flow, within a few miles engine will run correctly.
4 barrel highway kick down yields fluttering response. however cruising at 60 is very good. Although all the money spent at it was benefitting to me and not out of my pocket, all it finally needed to run like it is was sposed was a new coil.
This little 259 has got some arss compared to my low mile 63 GT 289 2 bbl. Moral: Replace a years old coil before it has the opportunity to cause you grief. This one was a whopping 23 bucks. If I get this horn fixed, I'm a goin road trippin. cheers jimmijim

[Welcome]

55 Stude horn sounds a bit as I'm manuvering the steering wheel to make a right hand turn. Just started doing this. I hate when that happens. If it were the 60's type, I know the fix but I know these 55's are different. Help please. I can't find a breakdown pic or any info in the repair manual. My buddy who know's everything and I who just think's I know everything will appreciate any tips from anybody that knows the fix.>>>cheers jimmijim

Regarding the above; it would be helpful to know if your '55 has Saginaw Power Steering ...or not.

[jimmijim8]

this hath the manual steering box as in 55 with a later Bendix PS added to the box to include controll valve and power piston, Eaton pump. 55 wheel and jacket/column assembly. cheers jimmijim

[jimmijim8]

bump bump bump

[jclary]

OK Jim...I was doing some chores and came in, checked the forum, and saw your thread. Tired as I am, I slipped my shoes back on, ambled back out to the man cave and managed to claw my way through the clutter to get to my old un-restored 55 Prez. Risking kinking the hood...I managed to get it up high enough to use the prop rod and (using a flashlight) located the manual steering gear.

If yours is like mine, the horn wire extends all the way from the steering wheel down through the steering rod and exits through a small hole in the end of the steering gear box. Remember, this was the beginning of the modern insulated wire and on the 55's it is not unusual to find a mixture of both types of wire. Where that wire exits the steering gear, it is prone to flexing and chaffing. I'd bet that nine times out of ten, that is where your horn wire is shorting out. You have a couple of choices. You can replace the wire completely or, if it has a small bullet connector somewhere after it exits the gear box, you could slide a snug fitting piece of heat shrink tubing up the wire into the gear box and re-insulate the wire that way. The best fix would be to put a string on the wire and pull it out at the steering wheel and replace it completely.

Good luck with it.

[RadioRoy]

The most common problem with the horn honking when turning a corner is the insulation on the wire gets rubbed thin right where the wire comes out of the steering column, under the hood. Often you can disconnect the bullet connecror on this wire and slip a piece of heat shrink tubing over the wire to shield it from the edges of the hole.

The second most common problem is that the mechanism in the center of the steering wheel has a bad spring, or a bad rubber pad. You can usually figure that out by wiggling the horn ring or horn button while the car is sitting still.

As a nice gesture for the neighbors, you can disconnect the horn relay and hook up a light bulb, so that the light will light instead of the horn honking while you are working on it. There is nothing quite like being a captive audience when someone is trying to fix their horn.

[RadioRoy]

Wow! We both answered the same way at the same time.

[jclary]

How 'bout that, Roy! A simultaneous 3000 mile solution! Internet...amazing!

[jimmijim8]

Thanks guys, I'm sure I'm looking for what you say. My 63 just needed the end of the wire near the horn button tweaked up a bit. This being a pos gnd system, I don't know what I'm in fer. Thanks again. cheers jimmijim

[Skip Lackie]

Thanks guys, I'm sure I'm looking for what you say. My 63 just needed the end of the wire near the horn button tweaked up a bit. This being a pos gnd system, I don't know what I'm in fer. Thanks again. cheers jimmijim

All the rules are the same. It's just that the electrons are going in the other direction.