Is my horn broken?

[Arthurdaily]

I have two horns on my 71 saloon - a high and a low. They are fed from one live wire which splits into two, and a similar earth wire. It was like this when I got the car. Now, I took them off to paint the engine bay and thought I'd test them to see if they work. The low one does - but the high one doesn't, two wires direct from a battery to the terminals produces nothing, so my questions are:

1. Should there be two horns on a 71 saloon?
2. If so the simple splitting of the wires, is that how it should be? Can't imagine there is a relay...
3. Is the low one broken??? Can you take them apart to try and fix?

Thanks you!

[cadetchris]

1- no, they had single horns
2 and 3 i dont realy know, but if they are the standard lucas ones, which are quite chunky, you should be able to undo the screw in the middle of the dome, which will reveal the innards.
the horns are sounded by a set of contacts (very much the same as the fuel pump), these can be cleaned with a fine file and this should fix it. they are very basic and not alot to go wrong with them

[kessey]

I had the same problem with my 64 saloon take the horn apart give it a good clean out and if your lucky it should be fine a replacement horn wont cost you alot if its completely dud.

from what i remember its like a coil inside the horn and be careful when it unravels cos you will have to get it back in again.

As for the splitting of the live and earth would sound about right to me. try cleaning the spade connections aswell always helps to have good contacts.

[mike.perry]

Your car is fitted with the export option Lucas Windtone Horns, also fitted to other cars in the BMC range. The wiring and connectors need to be in good condition as the horns draw a fair current.
Remove the dome and check that the two wires are connected inside the horn.
Test the horn by connecting it direct to the battery
There is an adjuster screw in the centre of the horn, try tweaking it