zrxslider
Active Member
For anyone looking for a time delay relay like the one used on my 72 dart swinger, found a match with Napa- Echlin AR613. The Napa site shows a picture, round with three tabs. 15.00 and had in stock at a local warehouse.
Time Delay Relay
- Thread starter zrxslider
- Start date
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rich006
Learning as I go
Thanks! I couldn't figure out why my battery was draining, and it turned out to be this little SOB. This is the relay that keeps the little light on the ignition switch on for a few seconds after you get in the car, and then turns it off. Not only was it preventing the ignition light from ever turning off (and I think the dome light too), but the relay itself was continuously drawing power.
rich006
Learning as I go
I actually was able to fix the relay instead of replacing it! It was easy. I removed the relay's cover (by bending back a few metal tabs). Inside are two metal strips whose ends almost touch. One of them is wrapped in wire that is connected to two of the terminals, and the other one is connected to the third terminal. The "free" strip is almost, but not quite, touching the "wrapped" strip. First I checked the resistance of the wire, which was about 40 ohms: that confirmed the wire wasn't shorted or broken. The strips seemed kind of far apart (I assume they need to touch when the one strip bends toward the other one), so I bent the free one until they were almost touching. Then I put it back together and reinstalled it. Now it works!
I'm still not sure exactly how this thing works. I notice that it takes a second (after one of the car doors is opened) for the ignition light and dome light to come on, and about 10 seconds (after both doors are shut) for the lights to go out again. Also, the relay only draws current while the light is on. Somehow when it cuts power to the lights it cuts power to itself too. The relay only gets reenergized when one of the doors is opened again.
I'm still not sure exactly how this thing works. I notice that it takes a second (after one of the car doors is opened) for the ignition light and dome light to come on, and about 10 seconds (after both doors are shut) for the lights to go out again. Also, the relay only draws current while the light is on. Somehow when it cuts power to the lights it cuts power to itself too. The relay only gets reenergized when one of the doors is opened again.
They were used into the 90's on mopars. Most dealers have them.
They can be fixed with care.
They can be fixed with care.
Power is applied to the wrap on the strip which heats it and bends it to make contact to the lamp terminal. The longer the door(s) is open the hotter it gets increasing the delay time the ignition lamp is on.
Mopar #2889565
rich006
Learning as I go
Yes, I've got it now after staring at the wiring diagram for a while. The wrapped strip takes about a second to heat up enough to make contact with the other strip. This contact provides the ground for the ignition light. As 1969383S points out, the heating continues as long as the door is open. When the door is shut, power is cut to the wrapping, so the wrapped strip begins to cool. It takes about 10 seconds to cool enough to break contact with the other strip, which turns off the ignition light.
What took me a while to figure out is how the dome light also goes out at the same time. It turns out the dome light can get its ground through one of the door switches (so it comes on immediately when a door is opened), or it can get its ground through the ignition light via the timer relay.
What took me a while to figure out is how the dome light also goes out at the same time. It turns out the dome light can get its ground through one of the door switches (so it comes on immediately when a door is opened), or it can get its ground through the ignition light via the timer relay.
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