ahooga horn
 

My 6 volt ahooga sound like a sick cow. Took it apart oil & cleaned didn't help.
Motor turn freely & played with the adjustment. Whats next ???

Re: ahooga horn
 

With a couple of hefty clip leads connect it direct to a fully charged battery. If it Ahooguhs good the problem is you are not getting the full 6-volts to the horn. Probably a grounding issue.

Tom Endy

Re: ahooga horn
 

It may not be getting enough voltage to operate correctly. Check the wiring connections to the horn. The problem could also be with poor electrical contact at the horn button…..

To remove the button, the horn rod has to be removed from the steering column. A small clip at the lower end of the column holds the spider to the end of the horn rod. Once the clip is removed the horn rod can be removed easily on an open car. The steering column may have to be partially removed from the frame on an open car.

Once the rod is removed, the button can be removed by straightening 4 tabs un the underside of the light switch/horn button holder. This is a delicate operation with a risk of breaking the horn rod. If the button and spring are removed, they can be cleaned and checked for electrical conductivity.

Good luck !

Re: ahooga horn
 

Just overhauled (cleaned, painted, oiled, adjusted) my horn. The diaphragm looked like it had spent half its life in salt water and had been painted multiple times. I decided to replace it instead of trying to clean it up. The difference in sound quality and volume is amazing. Almost hurts my ears it is so loud. Just my experience.

Re: ahooga horn
 

[QUOTE=Conaway2;2025664]It may not be getting enough voltage to operate correctly. Check the wiring connections to the horn. The problem could also be with poor electrical contact at the horn button…..

To remove the button, the horn rod has to be removed from the steering column. A small clip at the lower end of the column holds the spider to the end of the horn rod. Once the clip is removed the horn rod can be removed easily on an open car. The steering column may have to be partially removed from the frame on an open car.

Be really careful with that small 'C' clip...it is a bit*h to manage because it retains a spring. Also, it can get lost on the garage floor if it gets away from you.

Re: ahooga horn
 

You could use a horn relay. Dirty horn button will operate the relay just fine, relay operates the horn.

Re: ahooga horn
 

As some mentioned it might be a ground issue. However, the simplest thing to check and I have found this problem a good amount of the time. You said you cleaned and oiled it. Specifically what did you clean and what oil did you use?


In order to get the horn to work at its best the armature must be cleaned & polished. Back off on the adjusting screw so the armature will spin freely when the button is pushed, then take some crocus cloth or very fine sand paper and lightly hold it on the armature commutator while pushing the button (move the cloth back and forth to polish the whole commutator). When the commutator is shinny stop, then clean out the grooves with a tooth pick. When you oil the horn use a very light oil such as WD 40. Each spring I have cleaned and oiled all my A's horn such as this for the past 50 years and they all have worked 100% fine never a problem with sound.

Re: ahooga horn
 

I would caution on the use of water displacement #40. It is a lot more solvent based with very little actual residual oil and it will evaporate. It works OK to clean but I'd use a light oil like 3 in 1 or similar to do the oiling.

These old units were designed to be serviced. I wouldn't go more than a year without servicing one.

Re: ahooga horn
 

If you go to a shop that sells Furness parts they sell a nice oil bottle with oil that is for electric motors and has a extendable skinny spout that every furness repair man has on their truck. Very handy not much cost

Re: ahooga horn
 

Wish I'd known that earlier.

Re: ahooga horn
 

Any decent Ace Hardware should carry this. "Zoom" oil spout as it was called.
I personally talked to the inventor of this product. Nice man.

Re: ahooga horn
 

If the horn still sounds like someone is trying to strangle a duck when you have a full 6 v to it, try taking about a foot of wire off each field winding, if it still isn't good, take another foot. Less wire, more current, more magnetism, more oomph.
A while ago, I thought I would solve that issue by winding the horn for 12 volts (my car is 12 v). It didn't help so I thought about it for a bit and realised the less wire thing. It's working well now.

Re: ahooga horn
 

Zoom Spout is the brand name ... Been using it for many years.

Re: ahooga horn
 

Re: ahooga horn
 

I use a horn relay on mine with excellent results.

Re: ahooga horn
 

Listed as the finest turbine oil.

Re: ahooga horn
 

Have you tried the hown when the engine is above idle? Mine whors best when I an driving. I use Singer sewing machine oin for lube.

Re: ahooga horn
 

2X post #7 (Frank55a) - my experience and recommendation as well

Re: ahooga horn
 

Zoom Spout works very well for lubricating table fans and window fans.

Even when the motor doesn't have a specific "cup" for oiling, just put some on the shaft and let oil find its way by gravity into the bearing or sleeve.

Frees up many motors that will not turn at all under power.

Just extent the long spout to oil these without taking the fan apart to get to the bearing / sleeve directly.

Re: ahooga horn
 

Although access is great with the extendable spout, I find it makes a mess when the spout is retracted. Oil peels off the OD of the spout and runs down the outside of the bottle, making a mess unless you wipe it off every time.