1958 Horn or Relay

[Eric S.]

Corvette Experts:

I have new horn contract button switch, wires and stuff under the chrome button plate and in the steering column. Also new is the horn relay. The horn is new but a cheap $100-$200 reproduction. All these were install over different period over 14 years.

When pressing the horn I can hear a slight sound coming from the horn relay. There is paint and undercoating and slight rust, but I think I got the horn wire grounded OK?

Why does the horn not work? I'm thinking a true vintage horn relay is required because of the ohms. Then if not a true vintage horn for big is needed?

Thank you,
Eric

[Ian G.]

Re: 1958 Horn or Relay

Not sure if this is the best way to test, but when I had my horns rebuilt I tested each directly off the battery to be sure they were good. Look at this thread:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...2-horn-problem

[Richard M.]

Re: 1958 Horn or Relay

It could be 2 bad horns, or.........

The relay click is the solenoid coil hitting the contact bar. The contacts may be dirty and not flowing current. You can carefully remove the cover and clean the contacts with a small flat file or 400 grit sandpaper. Disconnect the battery before removing the relay. The RED wire is always powered on a C1, and it is NOT fused.

[Philip P.]

Re: 1958 Horn or Relay

The horn cases have a ground wire attached normally at the mount bolt, these like all the grounds need to be clean. The horns tend to be a high current device that is the reason for the relay. I would be careful when cleaning the contact and use a point or burnishing tool if they are to rough after clean they can burn and that is not a good thing. Testing the horn directly from a battery will not hurt them if done intermittently. The horn button supplies the ground to the horn relay.
Philhorn.jpg

[Jack H.]

Re: 1958 Horn or Relay

It's a 'snap' to bench test a horn relay! Most of the C1-C3E relays were made by Delco Remy. The top cover is annotated with 'H' and 'S' designations which describe the electrical function of the contact post on the bottom of the horn relay directly below. The 'S' post represents the trigger to Switch the relay on/off.Disconnect the wiring clip to this terminal and connect a jumper wire. Touch the jumper wire to ground and the horn(s) should sound. If they do and they don't work when the car's wiring is connected to this pin, you'll have to work backwards through the firewall junction to the steering column and up to the horn button. Somewhere along this path you have a faulty connection.The 'H' emboss designates the pin directly below is the switched power output of the relay that drives the horn(s). Disconnect the existing wiring and connect this pin to ground through a trouble light. The light ought to illuminate when you press the horn button (or short the S pin to ground). If the test light doesn't come ON, it's the horn relay that's defective. If the test light DOES come on, but your horns don't sound when they're connected, either the horn(s) are bad or they're not making good contact to ground... Simple, eh?