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Assistance needed with a short or who knows what

Bucolic

New member
19
0
1
Location
North Hills, CA
My son has an '86 Chevy K-5 Blazer (CUCV), V-8 diesel, 24volt system. He had what we thought was a grounding problem as there were sparks showing up when he cranked the starter. Come to find out the starter was bad, the grounding strap from the solenoid to the starter body was not making good connections. We found this when we were installing a new starter.
The new starter works great, no sparks and it starts up immediately, just bump the starter and it's running. The problem now is, if you turn on the lights the horn honks. Black-outs work fine, but if you move the military switch up, into the service lights position, that's when the horn honks. We did NOT change anything. We disconnected the batteries to install the new starter and then reconnected them. NOTHING was changed, the truck was driven into the driveway an hour before all this work was started.
With it in this condition, he can't drive it as he has no brake lights or headlights for that matter.
After printing up the wiring diagrams and comparing what we've got to the print-out, no luck.
We spent a couple of hours unplugging stuff to try and find a short with no luck.
Anyone got any ideas??? We're going to leave it parked until we find out what's wrong.:( :( :( :( :(
 

dmetalmiki

Well-known member
5,523
2,027
113
Location
London England
That sounds like a faulty light switch unit. I would take out the switch and check it it out. You could whilst it's out take a hot wire wire to the plug ( sockect/connector ) and see what works one at a time. CHECK the earth wire first with a meter. You don't want to put a hot wire to that one. If you dont have an electrician handy to help just check one item at a time. Did you (allready) check fuses links and relays? Isn't it weired how motor vehicles break something else when you fix something else...maddening! keep us informed. others hopefully will step in with advice.
 

Bucolic

New member
19
0
1
Location
North Hills, CA
Ok, we found out if we left the light switch in the "OFF" position, toggles in neutral and the Chevy light switch pushed in, the horn didn't honk. With the key on, as soon as you turn on the lights, the horn honked. We replaced the horn relay, no change. We pulled the fuse for the horns, turned the key on and turned on the lights, no horn honk. All lights worked fine, the engine started and ran fine. No horn. As soon as the fuse was replaced, the horn would honk if the lights were on or got turned on. (The lights won't come on unless the key is in the "ON" position. This is normal)
Now what??
 

Gottlos

Former 95B Ft Sam Houston
Steel Soldiers Supporter
387
5
18
Location
Canyon Country, CA.
Well it wasn't the horn relay. Pulled the horn fuse and relay. Installed the new relay and was rewarded with a honk when the fuse made contact. Moving to the headlight switch and horn button area.
 

doghead

4 Star General /Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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113
Location
NY
Read posts 3 & 4.
 

Gottlos

Former 95B Ft Sam Houston
Steel Soldiers Supporter
387
5
18
Location
Canyon Country, CA.
OK. I have now searched, looked around and read some. I will try cutting out the diode. After I put the horn button back together.
 
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