starter relay questions?

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pjc360

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I just discovered that my starter relay is going out, so i started looking online at napa and car quest and orielly's to find one. I have found two different style's. My currrent starter realy has 2 prongs up top then under that there is the post with a screw holding it on then under that is the stud with the cable going to the starter. The post with the screw holding the wire on that wire also goes down to my starter.
Now i have found a starter relay that says it fits my vehicle and the part number is s78 made by borg warner, now this borg warner relay only has 1 prong above the post with a screw and the stud for the positive cable. Is the second stud just a ground? and is it a have too have? could i run the borg warner relay and not worry about wiring up the wire that goes to the second prong on my original realy thats going out? Or do i need to buy a relay with 2 prongs thats exactly like the one i have now thats going out?And i wanted to ask whats a good brand for starter relay that will last a little while? I can get a car quest red box starter relay for 13.99 it has 2 prongs or i can get this 1 prong borg warner for 14.50 or i can get a car quest blue box starter relay that has 2 prongs for 18.69 or i can get an echlin starter relay with 2 prongs for 24.80. Wich i thought the echlin was a little steep.... I'm thinking the car quest red box reklay for 13.99 should do ok? or should i spend the extra few bucks on the blue boxed relay from car quest?
 
Post some photos so we better know the differences you talk about. I think any of them should work fine, because most newer cars just use a standard automotive relay of 30 or 40 A rating. I do that on my 65 Dart (in a fuse/relay box) to operate a Mopar mini-starter. The factory starter relay looks beefier and I have never had one fail.

Have you insured it isn't the neutral safety switch in your transmission? A mis-adjusted shift linkage or failed NSS is a common problem in "no power to starter, not even a clunk".
 
"My starter relay." Yeah, that explains it

WHAT YEAR and MODEL are we working on?

You have an AUTO transmission?

STICK? STICK with clutch safety switch?

If you have an older car with stick transmission, no clutch safety switch, you need one with only ONE "push on" connector for a total of 3 terminals

IF you have a newer stick car with a clutch safety switch, or any year with auto trans, you need a relay WITH TWO push on terminals, for a total of 4 terminals.

These relays do vary, over the years as to MOUNTING BRACKET

Early stick shift, no clutch switch:

plymouth_satellite_1968_starter_relay_oem_sr106.jpg


Later model stick with clutch switch OR any automatic trans:

md2364.jpg
 
the first one you posted 67dart273, thats the one i was wondering if i could run, found out the second pin is just a ground. so i got it figured out. My original looked like your first photo too except it had 2 prongs up top instead of one. i got it figured out.
 
You sir are unbelievable. You haven't answered any questions, and evidently didn't even read the post. The terminal in question is NOT "just a ground."
 
yes it was for a ground, The only difference between the two relays i was asking about is one grounds thru the case and one has a ground terminal, thats what i was told? anyways its a 91 dodge ram truck, fuel injection has been eliminated it has a carburetor and the ignition is the 4 pin ecu, the starting system is just your basic system that you'd see on any 74 thru 80 dodge truck.
My old relay had two prongs on top one for ignition and one for ground, the one i replaced it with grounds thru the case and has the 1 terminal for ignition, then of course it has the post for the battery and the post for the starter selanoid wire held on by a screw, the relay i replaced my old relay with looks exactly like the first relay you posted. It's been starting great with the borg warner relay that looks identical to the first relay you posted. But i bought a second one from car quest that looks like the second relay you posted and i havent returned it yet, so i could use it if i had too? just figured i didnt have too because it is starting just fine?
 
and it is an automatic A-518 transmission, why would i require the one with a total of 4 prongs? the truck has been starting great with the 3 prong relay??but i can put a 4 prong relay on it if its absolutely neccasery?? Guy at parts house told me the extra pin is for ground and the one i have grounds thru the case?
 
so why would i equire one that needs to be grounded thru the prong? it starts up just fine with the one i put on it?
 
I suspect the parts guy is wrong. The starter relay is a "high side switch". That is from the big stud (BATT+) to the fork clamp (Starter+). There is no ground there. The coil has 2 connectors, both spade terminals (Packard 56). One is from your starter switch (yellow wire, not "ignition" as you say). The other goes to the neutral safety switch (NSS), which connects it to ground when in P or N. If you don't have a NSS (some manual trannys), then you connect it to ground or use the upper one 273 shows that does that for you. Since you have an auto, you don't want to bypass the NSS or you may find yourself pressed against the garage wall someday when playing with your relay.

Maybe in your RAM truck, they do the NSS thing on the hot side of the coil, i.e. can't get 12 V on the yellow wire unless shifter is in P or N. You could test that with a multi-meter. I really doubt that since my 96 Voyager with FWD Torqueflite still has the classic 3-wire NSS on the tranny like 70's Mopars.
 
oh i get it, it might be able to start while in drive with the older style relay? I can always throw the other style relay on it too. i still have it.
 
pjc360 said:
and it is an automatic A-518 transmission, why would i require the one with a total of 4 prongs?
Click to expand...

!!!!FINALLY!!!!


THANK YOU!!!!

You need the 4 prong switch because the second push-on prong goes down to the neutral safety switch on the transmission.

Of course it starts with the 3 prong!!! And it will start IN ANY GEAR. Some people think this is a "lot of fun." I think it's incredibly dangerous.

Friend of mine was a VERY experienced mechanic and master bodyman. One day he wasn't thinking, and fired up his 365 hp Chivvy powered Jeep CJ in the shop. It was in gear, and went about 6 feet, damn near "got" him, and ruined about a grand worth of Snap-On tool box in front of the Jeep.

There are cases where this kind of nonsense has killed people.
 
got ya, that would defanatly suck!! i'll throw on the car quest brand relay that i got that has 4 prongs all together.
 
You could leave it without the safety switch, but keep on of these between you and the vehicle!

bollard-5.jpg
 
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