Morris Minor Owners Club

Bit by but the car is coming together and I now have front sidelights, headlamps, rear tail lights, speedo lamps and also heater fan and windscreen wipers working.

However, I still have no horn or indicators. I have checked all wiring, cleaned connections etc from steering column to the loom and have suspicion that the indicator stalk light felt slightly warm, but didn't light. Was that my imagination? Otherwise I have no interior light fitted - would that make a difference? Or is it more likely that the flasher can is faulty perhaps?

I'd be very grateful for all suggestions please?

Many thanks

Just bypass the flasher can to check - join the wires together. Do the lights work now ??

Yes they do - fabulous, thanks. new flasher unit will be ordered! Horn diagnostics tomorrow

I once somehow managed to melt the insulation off the wires when fitting a brand new old stock indicator switch that I paid quite a lot for....... Check and double check this area as the horn draws a big current all at once when its sounded.

The horn and interior light are both fed from the same fuse. Have you checked the fuse.
If i understand you post above you say you do not have an interior light fitted, are the wires just hanging in roof as the purple wire is the power feed from the fuse to the light and if no light fitted you will need to insulate the connector or it may short to earth and blow the fuse.

Thanks guys, yes have checked the fuse.

Today, I took old flasher unit gently apart today because reckoned I had nothing to lose as I intended to buy a new one, cleaned what looked like contact points and put it back together. It works!

I didn't investigate horn further because I was too shocked at having 5 flashing indicator lights (including the stalk )

Great success...... ! Test the horn with wires direct to the battery - to see if it actually works. If it does - then we can guide you with the wiring,

Yes horn is disgustingly healthy and loud connected directly to the battery.
I've rechecked connections and fuses but not working from the horn push. Here's a couple of photos which may help with diagnosis (steering column wiring coming in from right)

[frame][/frame]

Fuse box view[frame][/frame]

And finally at the steering wheel - horn feed is held in place securely with wrong sort of washer but otherwise looks ok. I'm assuming brass loop at side of horn push should contact metal inner of the steering wheel?[frame][/frame]


Otherwise, I've replaced both connectors at horn end because the originals were badly corroded

Hi, One of the purple wires on the top left of the fuse box should go direct to one terminal of the horn. You could check this with a meter or test light at the horn end, you should get 12 volts or light on. If you do not have test equipment you could check that wiring from fuse to horn is ok by earthing the other terminal on the horn (I belive is a purple/black). Make sure you check for correct terminal on horn, as if you earth the wrong terminal the fuse will blow, if yopu have correct terminal the horn will sound.
If the other wire is a purple/black you could do a similar check on that wire under the dash, best with test meter or light.

As above - the horn push earths the horn to make it sound........so IF you have 12 volts at the lilac wire, at the horn - if you earth the other horn terminal it will sound........ Assuming this works - you now have to trace the black/lilac wire to see if it actually connects to the horn push - and then check the horn push contacts. To avoid waking the neighbours - you should perhaps disconnect the battery while doing this check!

Narrowing it down - healthy 12V from purple wire at the horn...

And so if you earth the other horn terminal - the horn should sound......

It certainly does Roy.

I've been having another look at wiring behind the dashboard and it looks wrong to me:

steering column wiring to loom as follows: Brown/black to brown/black (etc); green/red; green/brown; green/white

But

Steering column earth (black) joined to heater black and to RH interior light black

Purple/black horn wire is joined to main loom purple (presumably interior light feed) and RH interior light switch purple.

Hope that makes sense - can you confirm correct connections please? Perhaps steering column black to join to purple/black horn earth?

Many thanks

Wire colours never change at a connection - the lilac/black wire must NOT connect to anything other than another lilac/black wire! And certainly not to a lilac wire - which should be live from the battery......

Indeed although there is no lilac/black coming fom the steering column - I'll investigate further

Just been for another trip into the garage. I have re-connectd wires as follows:

LH interior light switch wire (brown/black) and RH interior light switch wire (purple) connected to purple feed from the loom. RH interior light earth (black) connected to loom earth (black)

Steering column wire (brown/black) connected to horn earth (lilac/black). Horn push still not working but knocking steering wheel rim with my knee caused the horn to work I must be getting close but thought I better stop for tonight for sake of the neighbours!

I assume your 'brown/black' is actually a grubby/faded 'lilac/black'.

Yes probably, anyway good to be finally on the right track

Just for clarification, am I to assume that the brass loop on this horn push should always (or never) maintain contact with the metal inner of the steering wheel?[frame][/frame]

thanks