'84 capri, 16' horn doesn't work

[Dave K.]

hi gents, the horn doesn't work. where do i begin to find out what is wrong? switch, is there a fuse? or could it be the unit itself that is fastened to the starboard side? any help or suggestions is appreciated. thanks dave

 

[Renny_D]

Re: '84 capri, 16' horn doesn't work

I was just working on that myself this weekend. It's a really simple circuit. I used a volt meter but you could use a check bulb to see if you have power to switch. The button just supplies the power. If the switch is good most likely it's the horn. Mine turned out to be rusted internally. I'm now looking for a cheap replacement - fortunately their is a boat salvage yard near me. If you've got a 12 volt power supply you could just unscrew the horn from the side of the boat and run a quick set of wires to test our horn first before you dive behind the dash.

good luck
Renny

 

[JoeCrow]

Re: '84 capri, 16' horn doesn't work

If it's electric, hit it with 12 volts
Any noise it's good, no noise, time for a new horn
If it works with 12 volts, then start back checking your power with a tester or a lamp.
If it's air, there should be a small compressor in the immediate vicinity check to see if that runs when the switch is engaged. If it is an air horn, the culprit is probably the compressor, they don't last very long, especially in salt air
Also the rubber hose going to it may be broken

 

[JAL51974]

Re: '84 capri, 16' horn doesn't work

Check the connection at the fuse panel. I have to once a year check all those connections, even a little bit of oxidation can interfere with the connection. I once had some little spiders nest inside the horn mechanism itself, once cleaned out it worked like new.

they are relatively inexpensive and available if you do need a new one.
Joe