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Year 2000 50th Anniversary - Horn wont work


Maccers

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Hi all - my bike as above horn wont work. The horn works direct to battery. The green wire on the horn is good for earth, checked that. Checked there is power via the multiplug behind the clocks , black/brown wire is supplying good voltage. Took the screws out the switch, undone the fast idle cable, but not much to get at, tiny screws and looks like the whole thing may spring out if removed..!

 

Any ideas? I sprayed a load of cleaner in there, but really its in perfect condition with the original grease in there. All the other functions work. 

 

Cheers!

 

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hi and welcome! 

 

Do you have multimeter?

Basically trace flow of electricity from battery to horn and measure voltage at each junction.

Where voltage disappears shows problem is between that junction and previous one that did have voltage.

 

This is 5-minute fix with multimeter (or less).

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Very simple circuit......  Light green supplies power from switch to the horn when horn switch pushed (assuming your horn switch is good).  When button pushed, check voltage at horn.  If good, then either the ground is faulty or the horn is bad or bad connection at the horn.  Can bench test the horn if you need to.

 

The green ground wire is shared with all the forward lighting.... if that all works, then the ground may be good.

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Cheers all. So yep I tested the horn direct from battery / earth. Dark green earth to the horn is good, I took just a live to the light green. I am getting voltage at the multi plug where the supply wire is black/brown according to the ever so small Honda user manual you get with the bike, the little fold out bit at the back. It checks out with the Haynes book too so seems to the correct pin. Anyway, its supplying +12 with ign on. So between that, and the known good dark green earth is the actual horn switch itself.

 

So I am guessing this cant be stripped, easily. Someone at some point assembled it - so my logic says it can be stripped, but it a bit like its all spring loaded and will explode..! New units are NLA so will check ebay. 

 

I cant get in to test the actual horn contacts without taking the thing apart. The Haynes book says its a complete replacement. I have sprayed some contact cleaner in there, but nothing. 

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Or the wires between the horn case and the horn are broken, there looks like a separate wire harness just for these pair thats cable tied to the main harness. Might split that open and have a look. Feels ok though like no rough kinks under the plastic liner and no obvious signs on the plastic liner of wearing or kinks.

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Hi Maccers.

The horn is a fairly high current device, voltages need to be confirmed while pressing the Horn button and with the horn connected.

Try this.....

Unplug the Light Green wire. With your voltmeter black lead to a good ground, now probe the wire with meter red lead. Ignition to on and press the Horn button. Do you read 12v?

- If No you need to follow this back through the switch and wiring back to the fuse to find out why!

- If Yes plug the wire back onto the horn. Now measure the wire on the horn terminal press the horn button. Do you now read 12v?

 

- If No you have a voltage drop situation.

 

Now go to your Horn Fuse. On the top of the fuse are small metal test points. With Ignition on measure the 12v on the Fuse test points. Now press the horn button, what happens to the voltage?

- if the voltages dies then refer below picture.

- if the voltage is good then the voltage drop might be further towards the horn switch being the Black 9p connection you may have a poor power connection for the Black/Brown wire through this plug. Or poor switch contacts. And of course make sure both power and ground connections at the Horn and clean and tight!

 

Added picture (6gen from memory) was the cause of bad voltage drop, no Horn ops and voltage at the fuse dies when pressing the Horn button. Connector was up towards Ignition Switch. Note the dirty blackened spade connector.

CB61132D-3AC0-4B96-BA78-AEF88BB7D898.thumb.jpeg.6e14b9f77bcd50d4693de05c6ab61f3f.jpeg.jpg

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Thanks for your reply.

 

So I get no voltage with MM connected to earth and light green connector at horn end, when ign on and horn pushed. I am getting 12 volts on the black/brown wire on the larger multiplug with ign on - this should be the supply to the horn button.

 

I done a continuity test between the light green connector at the horn end and the black/brown supply pin. Pushing the horn button to close the circuit I get no beep from the MM.

 

Also done the first test, earth and both fuse test points, get 12v ish, push horn, nothing changes on the MM.

 

I suspect its the actual horn push button itself. I've used some WD40 and electrical cleaner to try and get in there, but its really tight. I am looking at getting another complete whole switch unit if I can source a decent one that is hopefully not broken in the same/and or other places. Might get my one off bike and on bench and see if I can take it apart and have a looks whats going on. 

 

Will update here soon!

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53 minutes ago, Maccers said:

I done a continuity test between the light green connector at the horn end and the black/brown supply pin. Pushing the horn button to close the circuit I get no beep from the MM.

Ok sounds like you have an open circuit switch or a broken wire connection at the switch. Be well worth seeing if you can unbolt and assume you should be able split the switch assembly to get into the internals.

Good luck.

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That was going to be my next plan, seeing as I am looking at whole unit replacements, I may as well take it to bits and if its beyond repair or I manage to mess it up, I am already in the mindset of buying a replacement. 

 

Cheers for your help with this! 

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Took switch apart, I can see why now its not really a serviceable part. Broken solder joint within switch at the horn press. Soldered up, works fine now. 

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13 hours ago, Maccers said:

Took switch apart, I can see why now its not really a serviceable part. Broken solder joint within switch at the horn press. Soldered up, works fine now. 

Great stuff Maccers all fixed and you don't need a replacement switch assembly.

Glad you're Horny again! :fing02:

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13 hours ago, Maccers said:

Took switch apart, I can see why now its not really a serviceable part. Broken solder joint within switch at the horn press. Soldered up, works fine now. 

Good job!!!

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"Firstly there are significant differences between 98/99 and 00/01 models."

 

Does this miss any? 

2000: Honda VFR800i gets minor update; slight frame changes, modified clutch, refined fuel injection, more durable electrics, improved mirrors, HISS security system, wax enricher circuit. 

 

 

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I had a look through the bag of bits I got with the bike, and as well as the grab rails, there are numerous hex head bolts, and collars. I removed the Shad / Givi rack and plate that might have used the posts for the grab rails, so another load of bolts/washers/collars!

 

Will have a look through today what I have. 

 

Cheers all!

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On 9/28/2022 at 3:04 PM, Maccers said:

 I'll save that for when I can afford an SP1!

 

 

Save up a little more and get the finished product !!! :beer:

 

BOTY.thumb.jpg.52cf8a8cd9d453f11a9edd5ef4e90bd9.jpg

 

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