Messages

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / horn blares by itself

« on: June 25, 2018, 07:32:35 PM »

My horn ('53 HJ) sounds without touching it.  The car had sat in the driveway for a year, then one morning the horn started blaring, so I pulled the wire from the horn relay.  Is the relay bad (it's only about 5 years old)?  I hadn't touched the inner working of the steering wheel hub/horn button, so I can't imagine anything is wrong in there.  BTW, the rubber gasket on it is new.

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Re: oil leak/gauge

« on: June 11, 2018, 10:57:20 AM »

Thanks, everyone--the pipe wrench worked finally.  Having a little trouble getting the U-shaped wire clip to slide over the end of the unit, but I'll keep at it--may have to slightly bend it open a bit.

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Re: oil leak/gauge

« on: May 28, 2018, 03:48:15 PM »

So I got the part, but now I cannot get the old one off!  I've tried wrench after wrench.  I've sprayed the bolt with every solution known.  I've tapped it gently.  I even sang to it!  I bought a 1-1/16" 12-point socket, but it doesn't quite fit snugly enough around the old one, although it seems to fit well around the new one.  Any tricks I haven't thought of?

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Re: oil leak/gauge

« on: May 04, 2018, 08:13:35 PM »

Thanks for ALL the great info and tips--love this forum.  FID, you're the Henry J guru!  I'm hoping Rudy Phillips in California has one of these.

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / oil leak/gauge

« on: May 04, 2018, 01:31:13 PM »

I have a 1953 Henry J 4-cylinder that is leaking oil from what I think is the oil pressure gauge sending unit.  The unit is located on the left side of the engine block, toward the rear.  I've tightened it, but it's already tight but still leaking.  Is that what this unit is?  The shop manual was not helpful.  Any ideas on where I can purchase a new one?  Thanks!

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Re: Dome Light--now headlights!

« on: June 10, 2015, 07:09:12 PM »

Thanks for the dome light tips.  Yesterday, I fiddled with the dome light again, and tried switching the connectors.  I tried different bulbs and now I cannot get it to light up at all!  I took the bulb out and gave up.  Today, I have no headlights, although the turn signals, heater, and gauges all work.  What happened?  Is it just a coincidence?  I think somewhere I read about the fuse in the headlight line.  Did my tinkering with the dome light mess up the headlights somehow?

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Re: Dome Light

« on: April 24, 2015, 03:19:45 PM »

Thanks for both sets of tips.  I'll be on the case this weekend, hopefully.

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Dome Light

« on: April 18, 2015, 03:23:07 PM »

This is probably a "Henry J Electricity-101" question.  My dome light stays on all the time if I put the bulb in.  So the problem is likely one or more of the following: (1) the dome light itself (but I got this one from Rudy in CA, and t seems fine); (2) the switch(es) in the door jambs; or (3) a short in the wiring.  Anyone with experience on this issue out there?  Any hints on the most likely cause and how best to proceed?  All of the visible wiring behind the dash and near the dome light in the roof appear fine.

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Re: Horn medallion removal--special situation?

« on: July 16, 2014, 09:44:59 AM »

Fid, I GOT IT!!!!!!!!!!  These last pictures and description were spot on.  My problem all along was the fact I could not get the medallion out of the horn ring.  I guess 61 years of just sitting there had really sealed it in.  So I soaked it in warm water for 30 minutes, and then gently pushed down along the inside edge with a sharp knife, and presto!  It came out.  The best part of all?  The O-ring is in perfect condition, and I don't even need a new one.  Now I just have to remove the plate, etc., and screw the horn ring to it and re-insert the medallion.  As far as damage, I think everything is OK--miraculously.  Thanks again.

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Re: Horn medallion removal--special situation?

« on: July 15, 2014, 07:11:25 PM »

Slight clarification: When I said I don't have a "horn ring," I meant I don't have the semi-circular piece.  My "medallion" and "horn ring" are one piece, so when I pried it off, I meant I pried off the combination "medallion" and "horn ring."  I think that's why I confused Fid.  And his drawings show just the "medallion."  So the task at hand is how to re-attach the COMBINATION "medallion" and "horn ring" piece.

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Re: Horn medallion removal--special situation?

« on: July 15, 2014, 07:05:00 PM »

Per Terry's request, here goes (and I've got Fig. 192 from the service manual in front of me): With considerable effort, I was finally able to pry the "medallion" off the steering wheel, i.e., the "medallion" is the entire assembly, which is the heavy metal circular piece, in which the plastic "K" piece is enclosed.  There are three small screws on the back side of the medallion, positioned (as in a clock) at Noon, 4:00, and 8:00.There was no "retainer band" or even remnants of one visible.  I do not have a "horn ring," so the next piece was the "contact plate" that turns slightly to catch under the three ridges of the "spacer".  The "spacer" is permanently affixed to the "ground clip."  Behind the spacer is the round "pad," which is worn, but not totally shot.  Then of course, there is the nut in the center of the "ground clip" that holds the steering wheel on, and the "horn blowing cable" is in the middle of that nut.  What I DID see between the "contact plate" and the "spacer" were the remnants of a thin gasket-like piece that may have been heavy paper or even leather.  I manufactured a replacement piece to fit around the three ridges of the "spacer"; it's thin enough so that the "contact plate" fits in and turns properly to fit on top of the "spacer".  Bottom line: I am still at a loss as to how to get the medallion back on, short of gluing it.  It WAS on there, but the three screws in the back of the medallion were attached to the three corresponding slots on the "spacer."  HOW, I will never know.  I hope this helps in the diagnosis, guys.

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Re: Horn medallion removal--special situation?

« on: July 15, 2014, 08:43:45 AM »

THanks again, all.  Fid, thanks for the photos, but I think we've been talking apples and oranges.  What came off in my hands after much prying and fighting was the ENTIRE medallion assembly, i.e., the big, metal circular piece that has the "K" medallion IN it (which is what is in your photos).  But I still don't see what actually holds this large assembly onto the retainer plate of the steering wheel.  Maybe I'll just have to glue it like the others suggested.

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Re: Horn medallion re-installation - no luck

« on: July 14, 2014, 07:27:54 PM »

First of all, I tried 4 hardware stores (including Ace), and no one had the O ring size FID mentioned.  But using a compass, I measured the underside DIAMETER of the plastic horn medallion and it's 2-1/2 inches, so I don't think a 3-inch ring of any kind will work.  So, I'm still stumped and hornless.

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Replacement glass

« on: July 11, 2014, 09:23:37 AM »

Has anyone had experience with Classic Auto Glass?  I need to replace the driver's door glass on my '53 HJ, and did get an estimate from CAG.

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Henry J & Allstate Forum / Re: Horn medallion removal--special situation?

« on: July 11, 2014, 09:22:04 AM »

Thanks, Fid.  I can always count on your expertise.  I will get one of those today and hopefully get off the "horn of this dilemma"!  (BTW, I was able to re-bend the plate to flatten it almost as before.)