Slow Wednesday at work

[Barb69]

Well it is slow at the salon so I brought my Bible to read. Need to trace all wiring from steering  wheel to horn relay. Then from relay to horns. I'm determine to fix Dusty's  horn. The new ones arrived yesterday.

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[elagache]

Dear Barb and mid-60s Buick readers of automotive "gospel."

Well it is slow at the salon so I brought my Bible to read.

Well, that's definitely an important volume, but their are other important volumes you might want to get your hands on someday.  The is the body manual and the parts interchange catalog.  Yesterday, I learned - da' hard way - how useful that can be!

Cheers, Edouard

[Barb69]

Oh this is the only one I have[emoji28]

kicking Dust.

[WkillGS]

No worry, that manual has the wiring diagrams. That manual covers the items specific to the GS. The horn wiring is similar to the Skylark, it just uses a different horn relay.

Check the actual horns first. just apply 12v to the terminal, it should sound. They do go bad.

Horn relays go bad too. Sometimes they don't work, or the horn goes off by itself!

The steering hub is another potential problem.... there is a spring loaded contact in there.

Finally, most of the manual are available online here at 65GS!
Go to the home page (not forum homepage) and visit the 'Electronic Garage'.

[Barb69]

The horn will not stop blowing. Replaced the relay and that did not fix it.  Educating myself with this diagram. . Ready to try anything. I need Dusty to get legal and this is all that is stopping it.

kicking Dust.

[schlepcar]

Nice looking car and good to see another one going back on the road. Walt's post is on the money. It is best to work backwards from the horns to the steering wheel. What is important to note is that there is no "power" as far as 12 volts to the steering column. The relay is powered and it receives a ground signal to activate it when you push the chrome horn button.

[elagache]

Dear Barb, Walt, Dan, and mid-60s Buick electricians,

The horn will not stop blowing. Replaced the relay and that did not fix it.  Educating myself with this diagram. Ready to try anything. I need Dusty to get legal and this is all that is stopping it.

You have a "super-deluxe" version of my chassis manual.  I only have the Special and Skylark version.  However, I see that section 10-G includes information on troubleshooting your horn system.  On the page just after the diagram you posted, I see a section called: "horns will not stop blowing."  There are some diagnostic procedures listed there.  To help you locate those pages here is the link to the online version of that manual.  First here is a link to all the manuals in the 65GS.com reference section:

http://65gs.com/manuals.html

Here is a direct link to the chassis manual:

http://65gs.com/65%20Chassis%20Service%20Manual/1965%20BUICK%20SPECIAL%20CHASSIS%20SERVICE%20MANUALindex.html

The page I am referring to is 477 on that online manual, or this link may take you directly to that page:

http://65gs.com/65%20Chassis%20Service%20Manual/1965%20BUICK%20SPECIAL%20CHASSIS%20SERVICE%20MANUAL00477.html

Perhaps that will help you zero in on why the horn won't stop blowing.

Cheers, Edouard 

[Barb69]

Dear Barb, Walt, Dan, and mid-60s Buick electricians,

The horn will not stop blowing. Replaced the relay and that did not fix it.  Educating myself with this diagram. Ready to try anything. I need Dusty to get legal and this is all that is stopping it.

You have a "super-deluxe" version of my chassis manual.  I only have the Special and Skylark version.  However, I see that section 10-G includes information on troubleshooting your horn system.  On the page just after the diagram you posted, I see a section called: "horns will not stop blowing."  There are some diagnostic procedures listed there.  To help you locate those pages here is the link to the online version of that manual.  First here is a link to all the manuals in the 65GS.com reference section:

http://65gs.com/manuals.html

Here is a direct link to the chassis manual:

http://65gs.com/65%20Chassis%20Service%20Manual/1965%20BUICK%20SPECIAL%20CHASSIS%20SERVICE%20MANUALindex.html

The page I am referring to is 477 on that online manual, or this link may take you directly to that page:

http://65gs.com/65%20Chassis%20Service%20Manual/1965%20BUICK%20SPECIAL%20CHASSIS%20SERVICE%20MANUAL00477.html

Perhaps that will help you zero in on why the horn won't stop blowing.

Cheers, Edouard 

You are amazing. Thank you.

kicking Dust.

[WkillGS]

..... What is important to note is that there is no "power" as far as 12 volts to the steering column. The relay is powered and it receives a ground signal to activate it when you push the chrome horn button.

Ahh, ok, just checked my wiring diagram.

In other words, the wire between the horn relay and the horn button must be grounded (or shorted out) to ground for horn to blow (IF the relay is ok).

Try:
 unplug wires from relay.... does horn stop? Yes= wire to button is shorted somewhere. N0= relay probably bad.
  Wire goes thru the big wiring plug at the firewall and to a plug on the steering column. Column is called a 'mast' in the manual.
  Unplug the connector on the bottom of steering column.
  If horn doesn't stop, problem is likely in the steering wheel hub or wheel.
  Report back with your findings...

[Barb69]

..... What is important to note is that there is no "power" as far as 12 volts to the steering column. The relay is powered and it receives a ground signal to activate it when you push the chrome horn button.

Ahh, ok, just checked my wiring diagram.

In other words, the wire between the horn relay and the horn button must be grounded (or shorted out) to ground for horn to blow (IF the relay is ok).

Try:
 unplug wires from relay.... does horn stop? Yes= wire to button is shorted somewhere. N0= relay probably bad.
  Wire goes thru the big wiring plug at the firewall and to a plug on the steering column. Column is called a 'mast' in the manual.
  Unplug the connector on the bottom of steering column.
  If horn doesn't stop, problem is likely in the steering wheel hub or wheel.
  Report back with your findings...

I will. Thanks. It will be this weekend, if work does not interfere  with my plans.

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[elagache]

Dear Barb and mid-60s owners with a very strong relationship with their Buicks! 

I will. Thanks. It will be this weekend, if work does not interfere  with my plans.

. . . . What!?!?  Don't you know the most important rule about owning a Buick?  Don't let ANYTHING come between you and your Buick!! . . . .

Seriously, hope that work doesn't interfere and you can make some headway on this horn problem! 

Cheers, Edouard 

[Barb69]

Dear Barb and mid-60s owners with a very strong relationship with their Buicks! 

I will. Thanks. It will be this weekend, if work does not interfere  with my plans.

. . . . What!?!?  Don't you know the most important rule about owning a Buick?  Don't let ANYTHING come between you and your Buick!! . . . .

Seriously, hope that work doesn't interfere and you can make some headway on this horn problem!  [emoji106]

Cheers, Edouard 

I wish Dusty could get 120% from me. Here is a closer look inside the engine bay. Trying to figure out where to attach the over flow tank.  I like where you put your at, I ordered a plastic one. It has been like Christmas at my house. UPS keeps delivering packages for Dusty. Got the horns, trim for inside back window, mat for truck,  spare tire latch , now waiting for over flow tank.

kicking Dust.

[elagache]

Dear Barb and mid-60s Buick "stashing the presents for the car's Christmas" . . . .

It has been like Christmas at my house. UPS keeps delivering packages for Dusty.

. . . Tell me about it!  Ya' know, there was a time when I actually bought stuff for . . . . me!? . . . . 

I like where you put your at, I ordered a plastic one.

So which one did you buy?  I was going to still try to locate the exact kit I used in 2010.  There is very little clearance at that location and I had to buy a compact plastic tank to make it fit.  I'm kind of frustrated at not being to find this exact kit.  Just a year or two ago you "couldn't swing a dead cat" (figuratively speaking of course) in the eBay vintage parts section without running into one of those kits.  Now that I actually want to find one - where did they go? 

Trying to figure out where to attach the over flow tank.

If it is similar to the kit I bought, there is a hole on the radiator support framework about 1/3 of the way down.  I was able to use that hole for one of the bolts.  I had to drill a second hole for the other.  If you put the recovery tank on the driver's side, you need to route a hose from the overflow spout of the radiator (just under the cap) to the order side.  I believe my Dad routed the hose "in front" (away from the engine) and I just copied that.  That hose needs go to the "bottom" of the overflow tank.  That tank should have it's own overflow spout that will need another bit of hose to direct any overflow from the tank to the ground.  Make sure to make that hose long enough so hot coolant doesn't spray any part of the engine.

I hope that's enough to get you started!

Cheers, Edouard 

P.S. Just an idea but if you don't want a white tank detracting from Dusty's engine bay, you could paint it the same way I painted Biquette's windshield washer tank.  It went from this:



to this with a slick window to view the fluid level:



If you like the effect it isn't very hard to do.