Reliable starter relay

[59pwrwgn]

Have you tested the one you have.
Are all the contacts clean
Does the relay case have a good ground
Have you tried adding 12 volts to the signal wire spade to see if the ignition switch and wiring are good.
Have you tried grounding to neutral safety spade to see if the neutral safety switch and wiring are good.

 

[Timmayy]

It has been statistically proven that there is a average of 21,769 "starts" built into the relay. When one approaches this maximum number, starting becomes probable/marginal and sometimes not at all. Consider replacing the relay at 21,000 operations just to be sure ...they are reasonably inexpensive or carry one as a spare, like an ECU, or ballast resistor and or coil.......just a thought.......
BOB RENTON

That's what I plan on doing. Thanks

 

[twecomm]

Just replace and move on. Tank of gas is likely to cost more than a relay.

 

[RJRENTON]

I don't buy that.
Any estimate on lifespan is a guess based on averages of use, weather, collisions, rust/corrosion, humidity and a number of other factors.
The same goes with my comments about heartbeats or male reactions.
Numerous conditions can reduce or increase the lifespan of any machine or organic component. Actuarial tables are averages, not absolutes.
You'd have to be an idiot to actually think that a starter relay will only work 21769 times and fail at 21770. Further, what ADD/Autistic Rain Man actually counts the amount of times they started their car?
It is reasonable to guess that any electrical component will last longer in years with fewer uses but also in low humidity, less exposure to extreme heat or cold, fewer incidents of low voltage where the charging system is working harder and maybe even less vibration.

You don't know this.....show us your sample calculations and sample conditions, that either prove or disprove your premise. You ignorance is further demonstrated with your reference to the fictitious story about "Rainman" ( which mean nothing). Or more precisely, your statement showing your normal distribution curve for the STARTER RELAY life expectations. .....not that the charging system is working "harder" (whatever that means) or weather conditions or phase of8 the moon......subtrafuge or guesstimates does not cut it......why don't you just say you don't know about statistical sampling, and learn about it, rather than introducing non consequenceal items (as a confusion point). Pretend, like you showed a tabulerized distributor advance characteristics in one degree increments, in previous another topic, with the same conviction as you would with starter relay life expectations .....then things will become perfectly clear to you.....maybe...???...
BOB RENTON

 

[MWbirdLOVER70]

Once again a few helpful comments turns into the mass **** show. I say do the tests and proceed or throw spaghetti and just buy a new one and hope it fixes or lasts a long time depending on vehicle use

 

[Kern Dog]

We found yet another person that wore a mask while driving alone in their car.

 

[#41]

The original relay is pretty simple. You can probably fix it, then buy a spare to throw in the trunk if your really want.

In 2003 the original starter relay went out in my 72 Charger. I was 800 miles from home at the time, in the middle of nowhere, and didn't want to have to jump it every time all the way home, ........ So I pried it open, filed the contacts smooth, and squished it back together. 2025 that same relay is still in the car.

 

[twecomm]

I posted a while ago about a starter relay that had what would I would consider had an opposite problem, contacts stuck closed.. They do go bad over time. The coil of the relay itself draws minimal current. I never measured the current thru the contacts unto the starter but it's likely higher than the relay coils current. Replacments relays are between $ 25.00 to 35.00. I carry a selection of spares in my trunk I refer to as my " Survival Kit". Multi meter, spare belts, ballast resistor, coil and orange box ignition control module, voltage regulator and starter relay along with a basic tool kit.
Link to post : Start up problem, but think it's solved ?

 

[threewood]

I'm good. I only have 11,386 starts so far.

 

[Sinitro]

I posted a while ago about a starter relay that had what would I would consider had an opposite problem, contacts stuck closed.. They do go bad over time. The coil of the relay itself draws minimal current. I never measured the current thru the contacts unto the starter but it's likely higher than the relay coils current. Replacments relays are between $ 25.00 to 35.00. I carry a selection of spares in my trunk I refer to as my " Survival Kit". Multi meter, spare belts, ballast resistor, coil and orange box ignition control module, voltage regulator and starter relay along with a basic tool kit.
Link to post : Start up problem, but think it's solved ?

On my 70 RoadRunner I had a starter relay problem, replaced it with an AutoZone China special....
Installed it and everything was fine for about (2) weeks then once again starter relay issues..
Next I bought an Mopar NOS starter relay, installed it and now many years later still working fine.
My advice whenever possible buy NOS Mopar electrical parts, the cheap off-shore stuff is junko and poor quality...

Just my $0.02...

 

[T2R9]

Plenty of NOS ones out there, I will pay more for better quality any day of the week. Bill Rolick carries them and they are often on Ebay.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Never cheaper than open up the assembly and check if cleaning/filing will fix, and still being the original LOL.

It worked for me, for #41… LOL

 

[Casca2525]

I don't buy that.
Any estimate on lifespan is a guess based on averages of use, weather, collisions, rust/corrosion, humidity and a number of other factors.
The same goes with my comments about heartbeats or male reactions.
Numerous conditions can reduce or increase the lifespan of any machine or organic component. Actuarial tables are averages, not absolutes.
You'd have to be an idiot to actually think that a starter relay will only work 21769 times and fail at 21770. Further, what ADD/Autistic Rain Man actually counts the amount of times they started their car?
It is reasonable to guess that any electrical component will last longer in years with fewer uses but also in low humidity, less exposure to extreme heat or cold, fewer incidents of low voltage where the charging system is working harder and maybe even less vibration.

they did their best Kern Dog, they struggled and strived they wasted days and wasted lives but in the end they just could not get it to start the engine 21770 times, no mater how hard they tried the relay always ailed on the 21769th start, cut the guys some slack

 

[Casca2525]

Within the electronic component market it is standard practice for the manufacturer to specific certain operating conditions for its usable service life either in hours and/or number of operations. For example, basic lamp bulbs or digital displays for 5000 hours, for a switch, relay, transformer for certain number of operations/functions. This is often specified as MTBF standing for Mean Time Before Failure.. For example a lamp bulb may be specified for 5000 hours, this basically means it should work as originally designed for a minimum of 5000 hours and most likely even longer..

Just my $0.02..

yes, and Ive seen lots of mtbf numbers in catalogs but in all the ones I have ever seen have been rounded like in your own example, 5000, not 5491.3, if he had said around 22000 times I would have been on board, but 21769, well it has a lingering aroma

 

[Casca2525]

The original relay is pretty simple. You can probably fix it, then buy a spare to throw in the trunk if your really want.

In 2003 the original starter relay went out in my 72 Charger. I was 800 miles from home at the time, in the middle of nowhere, and didn't want to have to jump it every time all the way home, ........ So I pried it open, filed the contacts smooth, and squished it back together. 2025 that same relay is still in the car.

large relays and solenoids are an easy fix, pry open and file, unless you're like the Inuit and need to build and igloo and unwind the coil looking for the break in the winding

 

[Sinitro]

yes, and Ive seen lots of mtbf numbers in catalogs but in all the ones I have ever seen have been rounded like in your own example, 5000, not 5491.3, if he had said around 22000 times I would have been on board, but 21769, well it has a lingering aroma

For the last 35 years I have been sourcing consumer electronic components from the Orient for certain major brands, making >125 trips to Japan, Taiwan, Korea, China, Singapore. When sourcing and negotiating pricing, quality and reliability are frequent topics the target factory will typically have different levels with the better ones are @ a higher cost. Unfortunately today most clients are after the lowest price so that end quality and reliability suffers..

Just my $0.02..

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

You ignorance is further demonstrated with your reference to the fictitious story about "Rainman" ( which mean nothing).

Actually your ignorance is further demonstrated with this comment. Look up Kim Peek, and don’t dis the autistic community, you’re probably a member of it. Not that it’s an issue , it just means you love facts but don’t know how to be a human……

Another thread mucked up, as kern dog and others said , there’s good ones , and there’s your part stores one. Pick your poison, keep one in the truck just in case

 

[OneWheelPeel]

By bridging the terminals, you are bypassing the internal function of the relay. It means that the relay isn't working correctly.

View attachment 1924579View attachment 1924580

Ok thanks, guess I was thinking more of a Ford relay which gives me the two jumping options I mentioned. I guess I'll pop mine open and give it a look since its always been slow to respond when I twist the key.

they did their best Kern Dog, they struggled and strived they wasted days and wasted lives but in the end they just could not get it to start the engine 21770 times, no mater how hard they tried the relay always ailed on the 21769th start, cut the guys some slack

I don't know if its the QA Engineer in me or the Rube Goldberg, but I can visualize how to build a machine to test that and keep count.

 

[Black_Sheep]

NOS are still available, but they are about 3x the cost of aftermarket replacements. NOS is worth it in my opinion, they are correct looking and require no alteration to the original wiring. With the questionable quality of aftermarket electrical components nowadays, the decision should be a no brainer…

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

The rest of his stuff I’ve used is pretty good , maybe this is too .

Pardon Our Interruption...