Stoge

I've replaced my horn contact switch and power antenna that were broken. The dome lights quit working at a different time, but that was when the fuse on that circuit started blowing. I put the fuse back in tonight to see if I had fixed the problem, and it blew again. Any ideas where I may find a short?

Thanks!!!

Stoge

Now that I think about it, any chance the cigarette lighter is on the same circuit? I don't think it works either.

mapman

I presume that the following don't currently work: Clock, lighter, courtesy lamps,anti-theft alarm,glove box, dome, power antenna, horn, and power door locks.

When you replaced the horn contact switch how far did you disassemble the steering column? Did you note if the urethane c-clip retainer was broken. Although it is called a retainer, it also functions as the horn electrical ground path insulator. There is much more info in Jim Shea's papers on the steering column at http://www.corvettefaq.com/

When you replaced the power antenna did you disturb the wiring harness that runs to the rear of the car? The spare tire lamp is on the same #140 circuit as the dome lamp.

Stoge

Your presumption is entirely correct. :)

Is this the same part as the "eyelet" that comes with the eyelet and spring kit? If so, I replaced it, but I don't think I put it back together correctly. Boy I really need that backordered AIM to get here.

Thanks!

The only wiring harness that I messed with is the one behind the left rear speaker that connects the power antenna. I believe I got this one back together correctly.

And it doesn't work either. :crazy:

mapman

On the power antenna, I know you were not inside the rear wiring harness, I wondered if you might have moved it while working on the power antenna. If the insulation had worn in the harness where it goes through the body (beside the power antenna) then there might be a short there.

Sorry to grasp at straws. I think we have to encourage one another. I'm trying to change the body mounts on my car and some of the bolts are NOT cooperating. :smash: :smash:

Stoge

Oops... now that I've reread what I wrote, it sounds a bit edgy... hehe... sorry about that. Not even close to how I wanted that to sound.

As far as that wiring harness location??? where is it in relation to my LR muffler?

Stoge

Well, I unplugged the horns and put the fuse back in, it didn't blow. My power antenna, dome light, footwell lights, and spare tire light work!!! So i guess I've found the problem. I wonder if this means one of my horns is bad??? Could also be in the steering column though...

mapman

Just above where the power antenna wires and antenna lead go into the body.
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It sounds like you are isolating the problem. If you didn't mess with the horns it is unlikely that the horn itself is the problem, more likely in the steering column.

Jim Shea's articles on the steering column are useful. I know he writes about a plastic C-clip retainer under the large spring that gets brittle with age. It is also an insulator for the horn. If you didn't pull the steering wheel (used a steering wheel puller to remove the hub) then it seems to me this would be unlikely as the source of your problem.

Is that little spring loaded pin in the horn mechanism making good contact? Is the plastic sleeve that encloses the pin and spring intact?

Stoge

I have the pin, spring, and eyelet, but have no idea how they work. I originally thought I had them in correctly, but now I don't think so.

When I first put them in, I put the pin through the eyelet, then put the pin through the spring. Then, I slipped them in to the plastic sleeve and put the contact assembly on. Prognosis: Put fuse in, horn beeps shortly and fuse blows. That pretty well told me the way I put it in there is wrong.

Now I have noticed there is a key on the plastic eyelet piece that slips into a twist lock slot in the plastic sleeve. I am not sure how the whole pin / eyelet / spring / sleeve thing goes together after noticing the twist lock. What is really throwing me for a loop is that the pin is not long enough to touch both the bottom of the sleeve and the horn contact assembly at the same time.

I pretty well decided this evening to just quit working on the car until the guy in the brown truck brings my AIM. I hope the manual is detailed enough to show me how to put this thing together.

Stoge

Just clicked over there. Thanks for the heads up on his technical papers... they do indeed look like they could be quite helpful.

*edit* I just saw a pic in one of his papers of how that spring / eyelet thing works. Apparently, the spring goes down in the sleeve, then the pin, then the eyelet slips in and locks in to place.

I sat there and stared at my steering column for over an hour tonight trying to figure it out. Now that I saw that picture... i feel like a complete idiot.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Oh well... at least I haven't used any duct tape or bondo yet :crazy: :crazy:


[Modified by Simon Alexander, 11:16 PM 2/18/2003]

mapman

Gotta save the duct tape for the house. However, no shortage of duct tape here in Wichita.

What do those guys in Washington D.C. think are holding our houses together now? I guess the houses in my neighborhood have been protected for years! A day without duct tape is like a day without .... (even better than aluminum siding)

You are correct on the sequence of the pin assembly. When putting mine back together, I launched the eyelet out once - not a good color to look for on the floor.

Jim Shea

I might be wrong here, but if you short out the horn circuit in the steering column, all you are going to do is blow your horn. You are grounding the horn relay that feeds 12 volts directly to the horns. I don't think that the horn circuit in the steering column is fused.

Go to http://www.corvettefaq.com and look under Steering. There is a paper entitled "Horn Operation Diagnosis."

You might have a bad horn relay.

Stoge

One of my horns is broken (i think). When I plugged it in, it blew the 30 amp fuse in my fuse panel. When I plugged the other horn in, it sounded off. Talk about loud!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Jim, tell me if this way of thinking is correct. In order to test the relay, I can take the horn contact assembly off and plug the working horn in. If the horn sounds, then my relay is bad??? Maybe I should invest in a good multimeter.

I went over tonight and put the pin / eyelet / spring thing in the way it is pictured in one of your tech papers. I plugged my working horn in and it sounded off. I plugged my bad horn in and it blew the fuse. This is really making me think that my relay is bad.

;)

Stoge

I did the same thing with the spring last night. Luckily, I had an extra laying around. I bet my neighbors thought I was clinically insane, as when the thing went flying, so did the expletives!!!!!!!!!

:lol: :lol: :cuss :lol: :lol:

Jim Shea

That paper that I refered to in my last post has a couple of simple tests to perform to track down exactly were the problem is.

HcDave1

hey Simon Alexander,

can u take a picture of what fuse it is im not sure what year you have but my 78 has the same problems no lights inside and the intena will not go down, no power door locks as well......

thanks


[Modified by HcDave1, 6:13 AM 2/20/2003]

Stoge

HC.. I will take a pic the next time I go over to mess with my car. I don't keep it at my house since I don't have a garage. Don't want to leave my car outside.

If it helps, it is a 30 amp fuse (green blade type) towards the bottom of the middle column of fuses. It is not the slot on the very bottom of the panel, but in my car it is the lowest used fuse slot in that column. I do not have a rear defogger or CB, so if your car does have either of those options there may be a fuse below your antenna circuit fuse. This may not make much sense, but if someone can post a pic of their fuse panel I can point it out.