No, Will, that doesn't apply to a 68, which still had a center push button
for the horn.
I have a 66 with a "vintage" aftermarket wood-rim wheel, probably similar to
a Carrara. The horn push is essentially similar to the factory style wheel,
since it uses the original button. Let me see if I can describe what's going
on in there, since the factory manual doesn't really cover the horn push.
To remove the horn button assembly, one loosens 3 small set screws around
the perimeter of the steering wheel hub. These are set into deep holes, so
you need a particularly slim screwdriver to reach them. The horn button
assembly has a metal base plate which is trapped by these screws. The base
plate has a notch on its circumference, so even if you only manage to loosen
one set screw, you can probably rotate the button assembly and get it out
After you remove the button assembly, you should see a wire protruding
through the center of the steering column, with a contact "nub" on the end,
and a sort of insulating collar to keep it from grounding on the inner
shaft. This is the hot lead for the horn. Ground it to the hub with a jumper
and see if the horn sounds.
The horn button assembly is internally spring loaded -- you should be able
to feel this by manipulating it. The horn is activated by depressing the
button to make contact with this "nub" -- the circuit can be traced from
the brass collar on the column (underneath the black plastic 2-piece shell
from which protrudes the indicator stalk), through the brass arm which rubs
against it, to the central wire nub, to the contact plate inside the horn
button, to the horn button base plate, to the steering wheel hub to ground.
There are several places for an open circuit to develop. You can adjust the
horn button assembly for how far it depresses, by adjusting some small nuts.
If the set screws aren't tight, you might not have good ground contact. The
brass collar or arm might be dirty, although this would also render the turn
indicators non-functional. The fuse might be bad (I don't know what else
might share this fuse on a 68). Or, the horn(s) themselves could be stuck,
which is not uncommon. Test them by jumping them directly to a power
source. A healthy whack with a wooden mallet to the center (not the bell)
often frees them up if they are stuck.
Hope this makes sense....
on 1/22/02 12:31 PM, Wil Boucher at william@greenmgb.com wrote:
> For what it's worth, I have a '69 and the horn push is on the turn indicator
> stalk, push in toward the steering column for the horn, up for the right
> signal, down for the left signal, pull back to flash the brights, push
> forward to engage the brights...
>
> not sure if this was for any year other than '69 but worth looking at...
>
> Wil.
>
> 1969 MGB Roadster
> (a work in progress)
>
>
> Subject: Horn Problems
>
>
> My Horn doesn't work. I have confirmed that I do indeed have voltage to the
> horns and that they do work by puttin 12 volts across them. The PO put a
> Carrerra steering wheel on the car and they have no worked since I acquired
> the car.
>
> I have found that the black wire in the horn/turn signal assemply is pulled
> out and I can not figure out how to get it back!!!
>
> Also, I can not fathom how the horn switch is supposed to work with the
> Carrerra steering wheel. I can't see how depressing the horn botton on the
> wheel can cause anything to "close" there seems to be no electrical or
> mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the horn switch.
>
> Any help is Greatly appreciated.
>
> John Shidler
> 1968 MGB
>
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the primer red one with chrome wires
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