Oil In Horn Compressor

1) A LITTLE oil.

2) It will NEVER work quite right while the engine is off.

3) Check for cracked air tubes.

4) Check for good connections and ground from the horm button on down.

5) Start engine, warm up and check sound.

6) A LITTLE oil.


Does it work correctly yet?

 

I use the same oil that I use for my air tools. Also 3 in1 oil would work. The horn should work with car off or on if its working right. Don't have an oil capacity for you. Hit it with a few squirts. Test. Repeat till you get it going.

 

....drip some in the little red cap that says 'oilio' or something similar.

 

...btw, those vanes on the impeller should move freely, a WD-40 wash out should make them work freely.

Centri-fugal force seals the edge of each vane and 'creates' air flow and pressure...

 

Interesting, on my 84QV it has 4 vanes and relies entirely on the electric motor, no engine vacuum, just pulls from open atmosphere. Did the earlier ones use vacuum lines?

 

While you have it apart clean it up real good. I have never taken mine apart but there are threads here with detailed info.

Rob

 

I have found that a little oil leads to an increase in farting sounds in this household. So look forward to your posts.

 

Reposting what I was told a good while back and which worked for me.

Disassemble the vains and clean. Put them back EXACTLY as they came out. It does matter due to wear patterns.

Place a drop of oil (I used light sewing machine) on each vain once reassembled and one or two in each of the rest of the cavities of the pump.

The air pump as noted above, seals (vains move out) when spinning due to centrafugal force and forces air to the horn(s).

Often the electrical contacts are corroded and often the plastic air pipes between the pump and the horn(s) are cracked.

That should do it.

 

Do not believe that o-ring should be there as it might bind the vanes from moving against sidewall to seal until it wore away the o-ring if it could even turn. The fast spin would make up for the minute pressure loss between the mating surfaces if they are clean and smooth.

 

I've never had mine apart but I have had large pneumatic starters apart. Are you sure those aren't springs that go beneath each vane?

 

My cap doesn't have an oil filler hole???? Only three screws on top????

 

Later versions do not...not sure what year they went oil free.....

 

On later types, they eliminated the external oil access hole -- so you remove the cover, lube internally, and replace the cover every decade, or so...(also helps to "beep" the horn occassionally, just to run the compressor -- unlike on electromechanical horns).

 

No O ring, I don't see a receiving groove for one, on either part. IMO

 

Not needed (nor used, I believe). The ground/flat surfaces seal well enough that a little leakage at that joint is no biggie.

 

Thanks guys....good info here...I do beep the horn from time to time, but I think I'll pull the cover and check the oil level....GREAT THREAD!

 

OK, just pulled the top cover...and I'm glad I did!

Although the horn worked, it was bone dry in there. My car is an 83 and it has the 4 vein compressor. It also had a tiny piece of debris in the compressor section, so I'm glad I pulled that out.

I put a few drops in the compressor area, on the top and made sure the veins were free to move, reassembled and tested...

WOW is this sucker LOUD! I've never heard it like that before! And it sounds SWEET too...both horns in tune at full strength. Obviously, with out oil, the compressor was turning, but friction was causing it to turn slowly, not putting out maximum air pressure therefor not blowing the horns at full power.

Look out world, I'm a Honk-a-holic now!

If you want to spend 10 minutes of your time to get a BIG feeling of satisfaction, this is it!

Time to go driving....I got people to honk at! ;-)

 

His shows a different compressor with 4 vanes.