Hi, I'm new here but I used to run around on the old fomoco forums before they disappeared.

I have a 66 coupe with a I6 200ci, and I've been having some electrical troubles since I made a recent trip from houston to fort worth. My horn stopped working, and the turn signals won't trigger. I was able to fix the horn briefly by replacing the turn signal cam in the steering column; the contact springs for the horn had been bent and didn't spring back anymore. It worked for a day, and now its stopped again. When I flip the hazards, all the lights flash just like they should. I replaced all the fuses under the console as well.

If the flashers work when the hazard is triggered, it leads me to think the turn signal problem exists in the wiring somewhere between the steering column and the flasher relay. But then that makes me wonder why the horn stopped as well. I flipped through my shop manual but couldnt find a section on how to test the horn relay, any suggestions?

Any help is greatly appreciated, as my inspection tag is due at the end of the month...

-Nick

 

I'm thinking you still have a problem with the horn/turn signal parts under the steering wheel. Those parts are really fussy. Did you install new parts or try to repair the originals?

PS the fomoco site is up again but under a different name. Seems ford didn't like the name. I've come across it on occasion when doing searches.

 

+1 on the Horn/Turn Signal Switch assembly in the column.

 

I replaced all the wiring in the steering column, but i'll check it again. I'll try to figure out a way to hook it up to my tester light to see if its tripping the connections or not.

 

Look under the steering wheel hub first just to make sure that nothing stupid is obviously wrong.

When you activate your turn signal, grab your test light and go to the electrical connector under the steering column.

Firgure out what wire goes to the turn signal and see if you get alight there. You should.

If not then I bet you have a problem with the switch itself. If you are able to turn on the hazards and they work properly, then you have power and a path to the lights themselves already established. That part is good. So all that is left is you have to figure out why the switch turn signal stalk is not activating the lights.

You seem like a reasonably intelligent guy, soget your schematics, put your drinking gloves on and noodle it through.

Dimes to doughnuts though it will be in the switch& horn assembly though since your horn crapped out at the same time.

 

Thanks for the kind words, I played with it a bit more today and the horn works intermittently, so the wiring in the column is solid and new, Im going to clean the contacts on the horn just to make sure its not a bad connection. from there I will just have to test each section of wiring, thankfully on the classics there isnt much. I helped a buddy work on his 99 malibu today, and jesus there was a fuse box the size of the car battery. i swore id never buy a car post-1975, too much trouble.

 

Make sure your hornshave a good clean ground tothe body. If not your horns will be weak and intermittent.

 

Be aware that there are 2relays. One for the emergency flashers, one for the turn signals.