82 vette horn and steering problem!!

[allenc74]

I was wondering if you could help me or at least point me in the right direction. I have been working on my 82 vette. I am trying to solve a horn problem. With the old contacts the horn would only work sometimes. I purchased a rebuild kit but am still not getting anything. (not sure if I installed correctly since the old one had been taken apart by previous owner.) The one part that I'm not sure about it the contact pin and spring. I'm not sure that I have installed it correctly. Also: what roll does the spring and the lower contact play in this? I haven't had much luck finding a diagram that shows enough detail to see what it looks like. Hopefully you can help me out with this.

Also I am having a blower problem "doesn't work". I read on one thread somebody mentioned that if the started was wired incorrectly the blower would not function. Have you heard of this? The reason I ask is that i recently had a started installed. (It just started acting up. I have to have the car towed to the shop to get it checked out. Went to start today and the starter wont stop spinning).

Thank you for your help!

Allen

 

[TimAT]

The horn thing is common- my 77 just had it's horn fixed. The spring goes in first, then the contact pin and retainer/insulator. I had to get the complete kit- contact,spring,retainer and the switch and screws along with the new shims. I had to cut the contact pin down- as delivered, it was long wnough the horn was on all the time. I never did find any specs on the length of the pin so it was a trial fit thing.

The heater blower not working is probably your shop missed the ground that was probably on a starter bolt- (incorrect place for it, but it will work, it should be on a bellhousing bolt).Now, the starter won't stop spinning is either a stuck solenoid or the start wire (purple) and the power feed wires are touching. I'll guess the stuck solenoid.

 

[allenc74]

The horn thing is common- my 77 just had it's horn fixed. The spring goes in first, then the contact pin and retainer/insulator. I had to get the complete kit- contact,spring,retainer and the switch and screws along with the new shims. I had to cut the contact pin down- as delivered, it was long enough the horn was on all the time. I never did find any specs on the length of the pin so it was a trial fit thing.

The heater blower not working is probably your shop missed the ground that was probably on a starter bolt- (incorrect place for it, but it will work, it should be on a bellhousing bolt).Now, the starter won't stop spinning is either a stuck solenoid or the start wire (purple) and the power feed wires are touching. I'll guess the stuck solenoid.

Thanks for the quick reply. You don't have any pictures I could use to reference this do you? Also I/m not sure why the started wiring would have anything to do with the blower. I'm not an electrical guru so this is new to me. I have a flat bed tow truck coming on Monday to take it to the shop and have it checked out. What should I tell them about the wiring to insure that it is wire correctly?

I have noticed that the blower relay will trip back and forth as I move the the fan speed control.

As for the horn. Can you explain how this works a little for me? Just so I am strait on the pin and spring: the spring fits first into the insulated hole and makes contact to the back contact at the bottom of the hole, then the pin fits in with the round head into the hole and is held into place with the retainer?

Thank you for your help! Again any pictures or diagrams would be great help!

 

[TimAT]

read all the notes on this picture-- PLEASE. The wire with the "d" is the ground for the blower- it's in the wrong place in this picture, and the description is wrong. It should go on a bellhousing to block bolt..

You're correct on the sequence for the horn contact- spring in first, then the pin, big end against the spring, then the retainer. The switch assembly has a lug on the back that sets on the end of the pin. I'll see if I can find a picture. In the meantime, try

Jim Shea’s Steering Papers

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