Bruce Myers

My 38 special seems to have recently come up with the problem of the starter not fully disengaging when the car starts. It makes a horrible rattling sound. It has the original vacuum starter switch on the carb. If the vacuum switch is working properly what other problems could I have and what might fix them. Is it possible that the starter gear cannot fully retract from the flywheel?

Through a process of elimination I determined one of the wires going to the horn relay was shorting out on a nearby piece of metal.

THANKS ALL. This site has been a great help.

Thanks I will disconnect the middle contact on the horn relay until I get the horn button on the steering wheel apart and looked at.

It may be possible that the horn does not go through the ammeter. Looking at an old fuzzy wiring diagram it is hard to tell. If the horn wires are disconnected at the horns how is the system draining? Could there be something in the horn relay switch or is it most likely in the horn button?

Thank you I will check that tonight. I am surprised that if there is something still grounded that is draining the battery then why does the gauge not show a discharge?

My 1938 Buick horn was working fine until I was cleaning the horn ring and the horn went off and would not stop. I was able to disconnect the wires to the horns after finding a screw driver (about 5 minutes) and they stopped. The next day my battery was dead as a door nail. Absolutely nothing. I recharged the battery last night and the lights worked, blinkers worked with the appropriate voltage drop showing on the dashboard gauge. No other drop or drain showing on the gauge. The battery was completely dead again this morning. It is a fairly new battery. Any Ideas?