Starter Relay - Quick Check

[Shane21]

Just a memory jogger for me. If I'm not getting any voltage on the side of the relay that goes to the starter solenoid (with key on AND/OR when switched to start), then the relay is bad correct?

I'm getting voltage to the other side, but not on the "downstream" side when checked to ground. If that's not correct, someone please tell me....

Thanks!

[JimN]

Originally Posted by Shane21

Just a memory jogger for me. If I'm not getting any voltage on the side of the relay that goes to the starter solenoid (with key on AND/OR when switched to start), then the relay is bad correct?

I'm getting voltage to the other side, but not on the "downstream" side when checked to ground. If that's not correct, someone please tell me....

Thanks!

Have you tried using a jumper from the trigger terminal to battery? Disconnect the trigger lead before doing this, to keep voltage/current from feeding back to the other end.

[Shane21]

You mean hook the battery direct to starter solenoid? Or are you saying hook the battery to the "upstream" side of the relay to rule out the key switch? Maybe I'm not following you.

I did arc a screwdriver across the starter and it worked fine. That's what lead me to believe the relay wasn't allowing voltage to come through and get to the starter solenoid.

[G-Star]

I had the same problem last night when I went to go out for a surf. Voltage to starter, no voltage to relay when key turned to "start". 20 minutes of troubleshooting later, I realized the throttle lever was just barely in gear. That fixed the problem... and made me feel like a total dummy

Shhh. Don't tell anybody.

[JimN]

Originally Posted by Shane21

You mean hook the battery direct to starter solenoid? Or are you saying hook the battery to the "upstream" side of the relay to rule out the key switch? Maybe I'm not following you.

I did arc a screwdriver across the starter and it worked fine. That's what lead me to believe the relay wasn't allowing voltage to come through and get to the starter solenoid.

I mean that you should remove the thin wire (probably yellow/red) and jump from the battery side to the trigger post. You can have voltage but it doesn't necessarily mean that it will supply the current needed to cause the solenoid to move. If you measure voltage while turning the key to the crank position and the voltage stays constant, I would bet that the solenoid is bad. If the voltage drops to zero and nothing happens, it may be a bad ignition switch, wire, terminal, etc. If you have a test light with a regular bulb (not the LED type), connect it to the trigger wire and turn the key- If the light is bright, your solenoid is bad as long as you hear no click. If you hear a click, have the whole starter tested.

[Shane21]

Cool...Thanks! I'll check it this evening.

[sam196370]

So I'm not too familiar with this starter relay, does one of the posts get switched power from the alt and the other constant from the battery?

Installed my new arco starter the way the instructions told me to and the solonoid got red hot. So what wires go on the left post besides the wire included with starter? Right has lead from battery and starter wire...right?

thanks