by billski Thu Aug 13, 2009 7:36 pmI believe our vans have what I call a horn relay or regulator, if that's what it's called. Anyway, if there is such a thing as I believe, does it do anything other than work the horn? The reason I ask is this...I have had an electrical short for some time. If I leave the battery connected something drains the battery, thus I put a quick disconnect on the battery cable as a temporary resolution. While I was working on the van this evening my hand touched the "horn relay" and it was HOT leading me to believe that I finally found my short. I had also noted that whenever I reconnected the battery cable disconnect I would hear a faint "click" which I believe came from the relay. I disconnected the relay and within minutes it was cool to the touch. So...back to my original question. If in fact there is a horn relay and I disconnect it, am I disconnecting anything else? And my horn has not worked for some time so I couldn't test the relay connected or disconnected to see if there is any difference. The "relay" resembles a solenoid and has two screw-type connections and a plug-type connection, which I unplugged. Hope I was clear enough. Thanks in advance!
+4
donivan65
savage
Digz
billski
8 posters
Horn Relay...?
billski- Number of posts : 262
Location : white lake, michigan
Age : 69
Registration date : 2008-05-20
Digz- Number of posts : 3794
Location : United States Six Lakes MI
Registration date : 2008-05-17
The thing with the horn relay on these is that they are the junctions for all of the power feeds usually. I wouldnt think it would be to tough to come up with a new one from an auto parts store. chevy must have used them on tons of stuff.
savage- Number of posts : 2626
Location : Where Rust Never Sleeps in Ft Wayne IN
Registration date : 2008-05-15
Like Digz said the screw terminals are for the power feeds and the plug is for horn. You can get new ones, I have seen ones with connectors for the plugs or with screw termanas for horn wires. You can check your horn by jumping from the red wire to the green that goes to horn. Your spring washer under horn button might be getting worn(weak) & is making contact all the time.
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
And if you want to check out the system,,,,,unplug the connector from the relay and if you send 12 volts to the bigger(green) wire,,,,it should blow the horn,,,,,,connect a 12 volt test light to the screws which have all the 12 volt wires in it and probe the smaller (black), wire in that connector,,,,it should only light up IF you press the horn button,,,,,if it is on, pop off the horn button and start taking out the pieces to see if you can get the light to go out. The idea is that when you press the horn button, it pushes the contact plate, which that black wire is eventually connected to, onto the nut that holds the steering wheel on which grounds it.
Guest- Guest
Does the horn relay have to be grounded on the doghouse???? I have it unbolted and I accidentily bumped it on the doghouse and got sparks..... Grounded?????
DanTheVanMan- Commissioner
- Number of posts : 7900
Location : Escanaba, Michigan
Age : 62
Registration date : 2008-10-08
malibusurfer,
It "Does" need to be grounded. I thought it didn't on mine but found out the hard way!! Yeah! lots of sparks and 2 blown fuses.... I was told it didn't but learned....
Dan
It "Does" need to be grounded. I thought it didn't on mine but found out the hard way!! Yeah! lots of sparks and 2 blown fuses.... I was told it didn't but learned....
Dan
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DanTheVanMan
1965 Chevy G10 Sportvan Custom
1984 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo, Restored
2004 Kawasaki KLR650
1997 Jeep TJ Sport
My Mini Gallery
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
The horn relay has 2 jobs,,,,those 2 screws on it with probably red wires on it is the 12 volt junction where the battery, voltage regulator, alternator and fuse box meet and divvy up all the voltage. It is on all the time,,,,touching those wires or screws to ground could blow out the fusible link at the starter solenoid or the alternator diodes. It's other job is to take the signal from the horn button,,,,grab some of that 12 volts from all those red wires and blow the horn by using that 2 wire connector that is on it,,,,AND the relay has to be grounded for the horn to work,,,,,
ChevyVanMan1- Number of posts : 425
Location : Your Nation's Capital
Registration date : 2009-07-19
Does anybody know, off hand, the part number for the stock horn relay?
Thanks!!!
Thanks!!!
Twinpilot001- Number of posts : 6186
Location : spokane ,Wa.
Registration date : 2009-09-28
Heres something to also check- as Ive had this happen many times. Check the Positive feed wire @ alternator-In the dark! If the diodes inside are bad it(alt.) will drain the battery. Disconnect the red wire@ the alt. - then see if (in the dark) with a flashlight using to locate the terminal- if there is a spark?? if so =with everything turned off - the alt is at fault. You can also try just disconnecting the same wire- covering it up - and leaving the van sit for a day or 2 & see if it starts up?? No drain on batt - & caharged batt - should not drain off the battery- hope this helps. By the way -the diodes are replaveable in teh alt as a unit- just in case youve spent big bucks on a alt.
DanTheVanMan- Commissioner
- Number of posts : 7900
Location : Escanaba, Michigan
Age : 62
Registration date : 2008-10-08
Last edited by DanTheVanMan on Wed Sep 29, 2010 11:26 am; edited 1 time in total
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DanTheVanMan
1965 Chevy G10 Sportvan Custom
1984 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo, Restored
2004 Kawasaki KLR650
1997 Jeep TJ Sport
My Mini Gallery
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
Those don't fit the vans,,,,,,,,,,
DanTheVanMan- Commissioner
- Number of posts : 7900
Location : Escanaba, Michigan
Age : 62
Registration date : 2008-10-08
Really? Got one in mine! And it works great!
Listed for 64-70 G10 vans
Listed for 64-70 G10 vans
_________________
DanTheVanMan
1965 Chevy G10 Sportvan Custom
1984 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo, Restored
2004 Kawasaki KLR650
1997 Jeep TJ Sport
My Mini Gallery
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
The REAL relays have 2 screws and 2 spade terminals on them,,,,,,,so if those ones have them on it, then they are correct,,,,,,,otherwise there has been some cutting and splicing of wires to get a different type of relay to work,,,,,,
DanTheVanMan- Commissioner
- Number of posts : 7900
Location : Escanaba, Michigan
Age : 62
Registration date : 2008-10-08
They are identical to the one that was in the van. 
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DanTheVanMan
1965 Chevy G10 Sportvan Custom
1984 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo, Restored
2004 Kawasaki KLR650
1997 Jeep TJ Sport
My Mini Gallery
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
The Nova one won't work and that 2nd one is probably the right one,,,,,,its hard to see the connectors,,,,,,that's the one you probably got,,,,,,,and while we are on horn relays,,,,,,what amp fuse does your horn have?
Eagle1- Number of posts : 144
Location : Prescott, MI
Registration date : 2010-09-18
I got mine from Rock Auto and it is the correct part for my 69 van
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php
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