[Guido Anchovy]

Well, I'm now the proud owner of a 39,500 mile 1987 Plymouth Horizon! Pretty solid little car except for some rust on the bottom of the passenger door and the dry-rot of the rubber under the hood.

The only nagging problem I have at the moment is the tachometer. Sometimes it works great and other times it just sticks in one spot and stays there. Does anyone have a wiring diagram or know where I should check to see what's up with the tach?

Pics of the car!

https://dl.dropbox.c...328/horizon.jpg

https://dl.dropbox.c...orizon-back.jpg

https://dl.dropbox.c...izon-inside.jpg

Yes, that's some sort of jerry-rigged horn button on the steering wheel. Not sure who did that! Does anyone know where I can get a replacement red center steering wheel horn button? I want to remove that aftermarket thing and put it back the way it's supposed to be.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Intermittent and sticking gauges are usually from poor pin terminal connections and solder joints on the instrument cluster circuit board.
A service manual purchase would pay for itself and sometimes is the most important tool that you could own. Sometimes a large local library may have one sitting in the stacks for loan.
There are 2 plastic push-pins in either lower corner of the cluster lens piece that can be pulled out with a pair of needlenose pliers. With the mask off, you can then access the cluster screws. You may want to remove the lower dash panel and lower the steering column a couple of inches for more room to remove the cluster.

 

[Guido Anchovy]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll get the gauge out this weekend and check it.

I have a set of factory manuals on the way, but I was impatient and wanted to fix some stuff before they come in.

 

[chuzz]

Man, that's a clean ride. Looks great for an 87 model, for sure. I hope you get her straightend out and enjoy it as much as I did mine.

 

[GLHS60]

Beautiful car!!

As ImperialCrown mentioned there is a little circuit board behind the tach that usually needs the solder joints re soldered.

Any chance it's an 86, rather than 87?? The seats look like 86.

10th digit of the vin is the year, G = 86, H = 87

Thanks
Randy

 

[Guido Anchovy]

It was purchased in 86, but the VIN and the manual indicate it's an 87. Maybe they had an abundance of 1986 style seats when they were building this one?

Haven't gotten to the tach like I wanted to this weekend, but thanks for the confirmation on what the problem is!

I did get a head start on replacing stuff under the hood (fuel filter, rubber lines, plug wires, etc), though. Starting to run better now!

 

[Guido Anchovy]

Just wanted to reply and say that taking the module off of the back of the tachometer and re-doing the solder joints fixed the tach. Works like a champ now!

Also replaced about half of the vacuum lines under the hood so far with some silicone ones and it's made a world of difference with the way it idles.

 

[inptct]

Great looking car. I just got my 86 Omni in the spring and driving it is fun. Don't mind the stares, they're just admiring it.

 

[Guido Anchovy]

Great looking car. I just got my 86 Omni in the spring and driving it is fun. Don't mind the stares, they're just admiring it.

Thanks! I had a middle-aged couple drive by me on a motorcycle the other day and give me a thumbs up. I thought it was funny.

Oh, quick question for any of the electrical experts around here: my intermittant wipers aren't intermittant. They run all the time on delay mode. I've tested the switch and get the proper ohm readings and I've also tried swapping out the Intermittant Wiper Module with a known good one. Last stop is the wiper motor, I guess?

 

[inptct]

If you don't have a manual for it yet Haynes makes a good one, 8 bucks online from rock auto. Good place for parts too, I have found parts there I can't get locally or they're just too expensive locally.

 

[vipergg]

Nice car , always like those. Great room in a small car and would get 30 mpg plus. Had a 84 Charger that I liked a lot.

 

[88horizon5speed]

Great looking car. I just got my 86 Omni in the spring and driving it is fun. Don't mind the stares, they're just admiring it.

I know its an old post but truth to that, I get quite alot of conversation and smiles and waves

 

[Guido Anchovy]

I know its an old post but truth to that, I get quite alot of conversation and smiles and waves

Yeah, I get the same thing. It's funny who likes the car!

 

[ImperialCrown]

People remember these cars. Many with happy ownership experiences.
My mom always missed her Horizons. It was the 'perfect' car to her. She spoke fondly of it even after trading up(?) into a '95 Neon and then an '07 Caliber.
For utility, economy and go-anywhere winter traction, it was a hard car to beat.

 

[floridaman2013]

Agrre with IC. It was the first car my small mother in law could drive without a sitting on a pillow and having some kind of blocks on the pedal to reach! After putting on winter radial snows, it almost unstoppable in snow, which in her case working in a bakery with early hours, was great.

 

[Frantz]

Very clean, congrats. I just repaired the horn button on my Rampage. The foam under the button deteriorates over time and then the horn pretty much stays on. I'll be the parts are still under the horn pad, and they just made a new switch. I didn't use foam, I got thin cork and cut out the shape. It works, and looks factory from the outside.