troubleshooting starter relay

87 MJ 4.0 stick, no start the other night push start okay. Full voltage at ign terminal of relay with key in start, none at solenoid terminal. will start with 12 volts to straight to slenoid wire, no probs. Bad Relay right? F no, new relay second try from dealer, only one within 70 miles open on Friday eve. same sx with new relay, hillbilly wire from battery to switch to solenoid wire. turn key hit switch starts, BAD RELAY from dealer? TIA, John :confu


PS searched no real answer, ps was 17 bucks at dealer

hi, try hecking out you grounds sounds like you're loosing gound
dale badge 714

thanks, checked them and grounded to battery. btt for me

Check your ignition switch. If the relay isn't getting power from the ignition switch then the relay won't send power to the starter solenoid. Drop the column and see if you have power coming out of the switch on the thick yellow wire on the plug on the ignition switch closest to the steering wheel. Your fuel pump and interior gauges may not work also.

The three or four relays in your relay bank are all the same. Try swapping another one in. Maybe the fuel pump relay -- that way if the problem is a bad relay it should be obvious immediately because you won't hear the fuel pump.

The starter relay is not the same type of relay as the rest. The starter relay is what all of the fusible links connect to along with about a 8 inch long hot lead from the positive post of the battery. If you check for power at the starter relay, probe the dark green wire for power. It's the wire that comes from the column to activate the relay. If it's getting power, then the ignition switch is not the problem and yes it would be a faulty starter relay. The fact that you can bypass the relay and get it to start, or at least turn over, supports my suggestion to check the ignition switch.

you should be looking at the clutch pedal switch. the wires break there alot.

the starter relay ground runs through the clutch pedal switch

ignition switch is good, in crank there is 12 voilts at the relay from the ignition, and I have already grounded it directly to battery, also the truck will crank without the clutch in, thanks, john