Upgrade my starter relay?

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    Author Topic: Upgrade my starter relay?  (Read 2939 times)

    Offline 360FISH

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    • BS23H3B567746
    Upgrade my starter relay?
    « on: October 18, 2014 - 12:57:37 PM »
    Hey all… 
    Had a situation yesterday were I lost all power in the car while idling in the driveway…  I had turned on my radio and that seemed to be the final straw as power went out in that instant.
    No starter crank, no headlights… nothing…  (did not check the clock)

    Popped the hood and checked the wires on the starter relay…  they seemed fine but I’ve had them work loose in the past…
    Used the key in the ignition and the Fish started right up…  leading me to think my relay could be going south. 

    I have added a ton of electronics to the car (EFI, fan, fuel sump, the list is long)… though no recent changes have been made...  so I have a LOT of wires going to the relay…  I assume it’s pulling quite a load…

    So the question is… 

    Is there an upgraded relay you have experience with that is more bullet proof?  Maybe something that hides the wires from the elements?  My car is far from stock so it does not need to look correct…

    Thank you
    Alan
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    1973 ‘Cuda   Semi-Pro Touring
    360 SB - 518/OD auto tranny - FAST EZ EFI - Edelbrock Fuel sump - HHR fan
    Hella H4 headlights on relays - 97 Dodge Avenger seats - Chin spoiler - Bumpers pulled in to ’72 offset

    Build: http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=74674.0


    Offline 1 Wild R/T

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    Re: Upgrade my starter relay?
    « Reply #1 on: October 18, 2014 - 01:47:46 PM »
    The relay isn't your problem.. It doesn't see the load of the added components, it's only being used as a junction point... Likely your issue is the connection at the fusible link... Or the bulkhead connector.... Have you added a bypass for the bulkhead or the ammeter? There are plenty of weak points in the electrical systems of these cars, the starter relay isn't one of them... 90% or more of the problems people attribute to the starter relay are something else....
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    Offline 360FISH

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    • BS23H3B567746
    Re: Upgrade my starter relay?
    « Reply #2 on: October 18, 2014 - 03:08:08 PM »
    Thank you for the reply…  I have not been able to recreate this issue yet but I want to see if I can proactively make things better.

    I’m deer in the headlights when it comes to electrical (and many things unfortunately)…

    The line to the old ammeter (in the dash) was soldered together and wrapped…  I’m not sure if a bypass exists…

    Any tips on what/how to check the connector?  I’ll do some searching.

    Thanks again.

    Alan
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    1973 ‘Cuda   Semi-Pro Touring
    360 SB - 518/OD auto tranny - FAST EZ EFI - Edelbrock Fuel sump - HHR fan
    Hella H4 headlights on relays - 97 Dodge Avenger seats - Chin spoiler - Bumpers pulled in to ’72 offset

    Build: http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=74674.0

    Offline roadman5312

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    Re: Upgrade my starter relay?
    « Reply #3 on: October 18, 2014 - 03:27:28 PM »
    I would use the starter relay as a trigger for individual relays for the added electronics.  :2cents:
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    Offline dodj

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    Re: Upgrade my starter relay?
    « Reply #4 on: October 18, 2014 - 11:52:01 PM »
    Quote from: 360FISH on October 18, 2014 - 12:57:37 PM
    Hey all… 
      leading me to think my relay could be going south. 
    As wild RT said, it isn't the relay. It's only engaged when starting.
    Are your add ons connected to the relay as a junction point,.... or somewhere else?
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    Scott
    1973 Challenger  440 4 spd 
    2007.5 3500 6.7 Cummins Diesel, Anarchy tuned.
    Good friends don't let friends do stupid things. ........alone.

    Offline 360FISH

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    Re: Upgrade my starter relay?
    « Reply #5 on: October 19, 2014 - 04:10:08 PM »
    Quote from: dodj on October 18, 2014 - 11:52:01 PM
    As wild RT said, it isn't the relay. It's only engaged when starting.
    Are your add ons connected to the relay as a junction point,.... or somewhere else?
    In looking at it more closely, yes the add ons are connected there because it was an easy place to connect them.  I see a set of wires connected there going to the bulkhead... one is tagged as fusible link... the big alternator wire, two headlight relay wires, battery...  the efi and fan are directly connected to the battery.

    When the failure happened I lost the headlights, ignition (anything in the cabin of the car)...  ignition runs the efi and fan so I assume that's why they quit too...

     So the headlight switch stopped working...  does that tell me it's the bulkhead connection?  :clueless:
    « Last Edit: October 19, 2014 - 04:13:02 PM by 360FISH »
    Logged
    1973 ‘Cuda   Semi-Pro Touring
    360 SB - 518/OD auto tranny - FAST EZ EFI - Edelbrock Fuel sump - HHR fan
    Hella H4 headlights on relays - 97 Dodge Avenger seats - Chin spoiler - Bumpers pulled in to ’72 offset

    Build: http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=74674.0

    Offline dodj

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    Re: Upgrade my starter relay?
    « Reply #6 on: October 19, 2014 - 09:39:16 PM »
    Quote from: 360FISH on October 19, 2014 - 04:10:08 PM
    does that tell me it's the bulkhead connection?  :clueless:
    A likely culprit, but not the only possibility. Seeing as your car started and behaved normally afterward, it is definitely a poor connection somewhere. The fusible link has a connector between the battery and the link, that could be corroded. The bulkhead connector could be corroded, the column connector could disable the ignition but not the lights so probably not that one. A bad ground from body to battery could be another possible fault. Including the engine to firewall ground. Take them all apart and check/clean them.  :2cents:
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    Scott
    1973 Challenger  440 4 spd 
    2007.5 3500 6.7 Cummins Diesel, Anarchy tuned.
    Good friends don't let friends do stupid things. ........alone.

    Offline Topcat

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    Re: Upgrade my starter relay?
    « Reply #7 on: October 20, 2014 - 12:14:09 AM »
    I recently went thru this starting problem on my car after I replaced the intake gaskets and adjusted the valves.

    I had to disconnect the bulkhead at the firewall side during all this work.
    When it was all back together, the car wouldn't start.

    I followed the yellow wire from the relay to the bulkhead.
    Pressing the connector with a small screwdriver tip inside where it met the firewall; I could feel it move forward.

    Tried to fire up the engine again and it started.
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    Mike, Fremont, CA.

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