After checking the horn relay I attached a working horn. As soon as I turned on the power the horn started to blare. Some where the horn is getting grounded. Time to check the horn mechanisms in the steering column.
The steering wheel and upper horn parts (grounding mechanism) came off easily.
This is what is underneath. The gold contacts are for the horn. The big spring under the steering wheel is grounding the horn. According to the parts book there should be a horn contact retainer covering the contacts.
This is the retainer. I”m not sure how it all works, but I’ve got one on order.
In the meantime I made up a tool (U shaped item) to remove the clip holding the telescoping section of the steering column and the horn contact plate and retainer. I did this so I could clean up the backside of the horn contact plate and in the future to add cruise and a new ignition switch. The narrow locking rod is used to jam the shaped key against the key slot. This same mechanism allows the telescoping column to hold its position. The screw at the top right pushes the rod against the key which allows steering nut to push the U tool down compressing the lower spring in the steering column allowing the C shaped key to be removed.
The large C clip in place
The tool in place. The star nut has to be run in to lock the telescope section of the steering shaft before the U tool can be used to press down on the plate to release the C clip. The regular steering column nut is used to push the U tool down on the plate.
Next – redoing the valve lifter adjustment and work on the heater/AC controls.