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Put a new horn in and still crappy sound

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by Uxbridge Brule, Jun 3, 2019.

  1. Uxbridge Brule

    Uxbridge Brule Active Member

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    I put in an aftermarket horn today the left side still stock will give a tiny noise and the new horn on the right little to nothing. If I jump the new horn to a 12 volt battery it works fine. Contacts are clean and fine(had to change fuse box because of trying to clean it long story). What voltage should I be getting at the horn leads? Is there any other thing i should test?
     
  2. chacal

    chacal Moderator Moderator Supporting Vendor Premium Member

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    You should be getting battery voltage at the horn, or close to it. That's almost impossible to do with the stock wiring system, as all the connectors and tiny wiring prevents the horns from getting anywhere near that much.......and time and age is not your friend, either. Make sure all contacts are clean, no broken wires, and that the left control switch is fully grounded (pushing the HORN button actually creates the ground for the horn circuit, and on some models the control switch ground is accomplished thru the switch-to-handlebars interface itself, which can present issues all of its own!).

    Since you wisely verified (with an auto battery) that the horns are okay, then you've got to go to work on the wiring. The best solution is the use of a horn relay harness system, this insures that the horns (which, next to the starter motor, are one of the highest-current drawing accessory on the bike) are getting full battery voltage, meaning they will always be as loud as they are capable of being.
     
  3. Uxbridge Brule

    Uxbridge Brule Active Member

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    Thanks chacal,
    The tests/looking for broken wires start today. I would like things stay as stock as possible, I'm a ham fisted hack where wiring is concerned so simple first. A new updated fuse box in the fall is on the list, I hear you stock them I have an auto store one installed now. Just trying to clean the contacts on the old one it fell apart, glad it happened in the driveway and not on the road.
     
  4. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    make your self one of these remove glass fuse and clip it in place. may save you some time chasing your tail if it is the fuse
    fuse clip lead.JPG
     
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  5. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    are you putting in oem horns? after market ones can be fussy with how they are mounted.

    I find the wire breaks at the terminal but insulation stays intact
     
    cgutz likes this.
  6. Uxbridge Brule

    Uxbridge Brule Active Member

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    I'm trying an aftermarket horn. I don't know what that picture is is that a fuse box or an inline jumper? I put in a new fuse panel for the time being everything is working lights ect... will get a better new style fuse box when I'm working. Till then that will have to do.
     

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  7. mlew

    mlew Well-Known Member

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    Replace your horn with a relay and use the relay to power the horn from the battery with a 20 A fuse in the circuit. The stock Yamaha wiring never really got enough current to the horns to make them work well anyway.
     
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  8. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    in line fuse I use it as a jumper when testing circuits and fuse connections
     
  9. Colin 85 700

    Colin 85 700 Active Member

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    Your horn should have a wierd little scrwe where it dosnt belong with a lock nut on it.
    By adjusting this screw, you can adjust the horn tone.
    However, i suggest doing it with bike running, different voltage affects it a bit.
    Tweak it till you like it.
    Also most XJs have a high and low tone horn, you gotta synch em till there right annoying as a pair. ;)
     
  10. Colin 85 700

    Colin 85 700 Active Member

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    ^^^^^^ adjust very little, 1/4 turn at a time ^^^^
     
  11. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    mlew and k-moe like this.
  12. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    I put a HELLA 7424801 on our Miata. It's amazing how a single-tone horn can get the attention of others when it has the right tone and volume.
     
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  13. Ryengoth

    Ryengoth Active Member

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    Hella makes the best diaphragm horns IMO. My Gen Coupe had the twin SuperTone and they were LOUD and unmistakable. I put a quad-tone air train set on the armored limo project. I can barely bump the button to test it.
     
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  14. mlew

    mlew Well-Known Member

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    I use the same one as Timbox on all my bikes. It does get peoples attention.
     

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