HELP Starter Relay

[94blu4x4]

I have searched and read the manual and still having trouble getting the truck to start

On the starter relay how specifically do I connect the cabling


there are two screws and 1 push down terminal

2 Positive wires from the battery

1 fusable link

anything else I am missing?

THa manual (after the fact) stated to label the wires so they are not confused - will I didn't and I am?????

 

[zkt]

Where is this relay located ? I have a 94 4wd EB and could look at it tomorrow and posta pic. Hows that for helpful?

 

[94blu4x4]

That would be great, thank you for the effort.
I am desperate to get this on the road tonight if possible and joined elite explorers but am unab le to post to the 911 forum yet
Thank you again it may just have to wait to tomorrow

 

[zkt]

wheres the relay? are you talking about the starter cutoff relay?
http://www.autozone.com/R,257527/ve...partType,01350/shopping/partProductDetail.htm

 

[MrShorty]

Clarify your wires. I looked at my '92 and found:

1) 1 cable coming from the battery. This cable attached to the forward post, along with all the cables going to the power distribution box.

2) 1 cable going to the starter. This attaches to the other post. This was in the same wire loom as the cable from the battery, so this is probably what you are referring to when you say there are two cables from the battery. You need to identify which one goes to the battery and which one goes to the starter, then attach them accordingly.

3) Then one small wire that attaches to the small "push" on pin that goes to the ignition switch.

Does that help?

 

[94blu4x4]

What I am talking about is the Starter Relay / Solinoid
http://www.autozone.com/R,1392473/v...partType,00102/shopping/partProductDetail.htm

I have attached some pictures under my profile

To Clarify my wires.

1) 1 cable coming from the battery (The Thicker of the two positive battery Wires 4Gauge) . This cable attached to the forward post, along with all the cables going to the power distribution box. - (Yes, that is how it is set up) - Actually I had one other wire grounded with the negitive battery cable, Ill make that change now.

2) 1 cable going to the starter. This attaches to the other post. (The thinner Gauge wire from the Positive Battery loom)This was in the same wire loom as the cable from the battery, so this is probably what you are referring to when you say there are two cables from the battery. You need to identify which one goes to the battery and which one goes to the starter, then attach them accordingly. (I'm set up like this as well)

3) Then one small wire that attaches to the small "push" on pin that goes to the ignition switch. (Yes same here too.)

 

[fixxxer]

The starter solenoid gets it's power directly from the battery through a heavy gauge red wire, it is energized when the starter relay has power applied to the coil in the relay from the ignition switch and park/neutral position sw(for automatic trannies) or the clutch safety switch (for manual trannies) through a red/lt blue wire.
When the starter relay is closed, it allows power from the battery to pass through it, through a black wire that goes from the relay to the solenoid on the starter motor. If you jumper the red wire to the black, you are bypassing the relay.
The solenoid should engage and the starter motor should spin, if it doesn't, you have a bad solenoid or the incorrect solenoid or a broken connection to the starter solenoid from the relay.
If it does engage, remove the red to black wire jumper and jumper the red wire to the red/lt blue wire, the relay should click and the starter should run, if the relay doesn't click, you have a bad starter relay. You can jumper the black and red wire at the starter and the starter motor should spin.
Be careful not to short out either red wire to ground or any metal part of the truck body or frame or you could cause serious damage to yourself or the truck. Make sure you wear eye protection and have the truck in park or neutral with the emergency/parking brake set and the wheels chocked, or again, you could cause serious damage to yourself or your vehicle.
Disclaimer: As with all tips presented on this website, neither the author of the tip or the website is liable for any mistakes or accidents that may occur.

 

[94blu4x4]

Thank you all for the help - I made the change of moving the other grounded wire to the 4G positive cable on the starter relay. Tried it again and nothing.

So, I pulled out the multi meter and the battery that had 14V last night was at 1.2V (Optima Red Top - thought that would never happen). So I swapped with a bettery from another car and it fired rite up with no problems.

End redult - I did have a wiring error due to trying different options because I had thought the battery was fine and it was not.

Off to get a new battery - Maybe a Yellow top this time or just a regular and see if this pops up again as an issue of no start

Have a great night

 

[94blu4x4]

OK Thought I was done with this, but no.
I replaced the battery with a brand new one, now the headlights are on!?!?!?
They are not full low beam strength, but they are on. How can this be? If anyone has an idea, let me know.
I looked up a battery disconnect switch, but they seem to require cutting the battery cable connection off and there is no way in hxll I'm doing that with a brand new cable.

 

[shaggymane]

Could you tell us more what trouble starting means.

Do you get one loud click?
Do you hear chattering clicks? A low battery will make the selenoid chatter.
Do you have no spin or slow spin from the starter?

A good standing battery will have 12.8 volts, maybe a little over 13V.
If you had 14v last night and 1.2v the next morning have you checked for a short draining the battery?

Did i read that you've put new BAT cables on? If so then check that bare braided cable that connects the selenoid to the main starter motor. It'll get corrosion under the washers.

There are other ways to isolate the problem, like using a good jumper cable to go from the battery directly to the starter on the positive side. Take safety precautions when doing this.

Them Optima's aint cheap. Any way you can get the old one back and give it to me?:

 

[mawrazen]

you had a dead battery!

 

[seth247]

so now your headlights are on even though the switch is off?

 

[94blu4x4]

Yes the Red top was dead, could not even be tested at 3 different shops - used as core for new battery (red Top was 6+ years old anyway)
Yes the new battery is in and starts like a champ - never had any clicking, just a lot of corrosion from sitting for 1.5 years (This is why I replaced the wires and starter relay, the alternator was because it was an easy change and a lifetime warranty + free replacement)

Yes the headlights come on even though the switch is off, even with the keys in my pocket. The come on at the same time as the under hood light.

Any ideas on the lights? I think that everything else has been taken care of, but I also throught that three other times on this issue

 

[MrShorty]

One thought: In messing around with things, have you disrupted a ground somewhere? I recall working on my fuel pump ground and, at one point I had the ground off and the connector disconnected, which apparently also disrupted something in the wiper circuit. With the circuit taken apart, the wipers came on for no reason -- they found some way to complete the circuit, I guess. Look over everything real carefully and make sure you haven't left a ground disconnected or something else disconnected.

Quick question: Is it just the headlights that come on, or is it the head and taillights?

 

[94blu4x4]

I'll have to take another careful look when I get out of work and see if anything is dangling or loose.

Just the headlights come on, nothing else, no taillights, or driving lights.