59 electrical issues

[barrysmith]

I have many.
Horn is not working and after carful inspection the horn button is not touching the horn ring when i press down on horn, thats weird, is there a stering colom adjustment?

Next, none of the power windows work,
I can here the motors click on the front and have removed them, bench test and they go in both directions when put under a load, when i put back in car they just click

Ill get to the tail lights, dash lights and gauges later.

[YellowRose]

59 electrical issues

For the horn adjustment, down at the bottom of the steering wheel, where it meets the console, there are two bolts. With someone helping you (it is easier that way) loosen those two bolts and have the other person pull up on the steering wheel as far as it will go. Try the horn and see if it works. If so, tighten down the bolts. What happens over the years, is that the steering wheel can loosen a bit, losing contact with the horn contact piece.

As for the other problems, there has been a lot of recent discussion about tracing out problems with the windows. Check the threads that have been just recently posted in the last few days.

[Guest]

Hey Barry,
Go to search link in the black bar above and type in horn button. You will find a detailed post about the horn in one of the post.
On the windows, you may need to take the window regulator out and grease it. I took Christine's out to replace the door glass and it was dry. Also the gear that the motor turns, I took it apart and it was also dry. I'm waiting on a tempered door glass before I put it back together.
Christine's windows were slow and wanted to hang. I'm figuring this is the problem. Now to tackle the other side.

[FeFranco]

Power Windows

I would check out the switches for the window motors. It sounds like they are making poor contact. Be careful they are a little tricky and make sure you disconnect the battery! If you pm me with your phone # maybe I can walk (talk) you through it with more details.

[simplyconnected]

check this one:

http://squarebirds.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=6601

[Guest]

You might want to try running a seperate ground. About 80% of electrical problems are ground related. Mike

[JohnG]

Mike's point about grounds is important. I had the same thing - most grounds were poor. You can't take them for granted due to rust and re-paint.

A good thing to make and own is some jumper cables. Get about 20' of lamp cord and 4 alligator clips at a hardware store. 2 small clips for accessories and 2 large ones for the battery. Get 1 red and 1 black of each. Solder them on to the lamp cord and you can then go right from the battery (both + and - ) as needed to various places to test things. This allows you to quickly narrow down problems.

For example you are perhaps worried if your window motor is grounded properly. So you run one of the leads I just spoke of from the motor all the way to the Neg (-) post on the battery. That's the end of that as a possible cause. If the motor now works, you're on the way to sucess. Takes one minute.

Second item, if you dont have a multimeter, is a socket for a brake light and two alligator clips on it. you can quickly see if you have power or not.

Finally, the right attitude: take nothing for granted. Check everything involved with a given problem and often you get surprised by what you find.

john

[barrysmith]

Thats a good idea about the lamp cord and the brake light. I will make both for this issue and further ones I encounter.
As far as the horn, i did see the two screws, now for the loosen and pull upward method.

Will post results.

Thanks

[barrysmith]

Power Windows---- Houston, we have a PROBLEM

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.


The first is a picture of the contacts and part of the switch, the second is all the crap that came out of that one switch, wonder why the motor just whent clickety, clickety

[JohnG]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and then some!! Good work!! With a fine flat file you may have action yet. Be demanding on the contacts as they have to carry alot of current, relatively speaking, so you don't want them working for a few days and then getting all blackened up and failing on you.

It indirectly makes the point that the switches are in a poor location. Easy for dirt to get down into them. I guess if I had them I would try and vac them out every so often.

john

[barrysmith]

WOOHHH YOOHHH

WE HAVE CONTACT, At least the front motors are turning good, the back nothing, but I have not removed the motors or bench checked those yet, but I will soon.

Now to reinstall the front glass, I will lube tracks and all moving parts first.

Thanks for the insight on checking the switches

[FeFranco]

You are welcome!