What does the relay in the engine compartment do?

[coreydmc]

There ids a relay mounted on the firewall next to the ceramic resistor. What does this do?

[DMC5180]

It's the ignition relay. It allows the coil to get full Voltage while the starter is engaged(triggered) from the Starter solenoid. (Stock)

[jawn101]

I've always wondered if it should be updated. The vendors don't include a replacement for it in any of the relay update kits they sell, and I'm pretty sure mine is original. Combine that with being outside its whole life and you have to wonder.

[DMC5180]

It sees very little load and hardly any use. No more than 2-3 seconds at a time. Most cars fire up in less the 1. The reason to change it would be (just because) or cosmetics(shiny new gold one).

[mluder]

Is there a way to test it?

My car takes a few tries to get started - It's probably fule related but I want to rule out everything.

Steve

[DMC5180]

Probably the easiest way to test would be to take it out and put it in place of your HIGH BEAM relay. Switch the lights ON, it either works or it doesn't. This only verifies the relay works or not and does not test other electrical connections of the ignition start circuit.

[Bitsyncmaster]

The way to test it is to disconnect the white wire on the resistor. Then if your car starts but dies shortly after you relase the key, it's working.

[mluder]

The way to test it is to disconnect the white wire on the resistor. Then if your car starts but dies shortly after you relase the key, it's working.

HA!!! That's what my car does now with everything connected.

I'm gonna pull it and clean all the connections.

Thanks.

[Jonathan]

83638362

On the subject of the ballast resistor wiring, I thought I'd mention the first thing I ever corrected on my car when I got it.

The first picture is how it came to me from the PO. You can see the wire connected lower left, which isn't correct. There is not supposed to be a lead on that post, but instead they are doubled up on the upper right one.

My car ran and started, but eventually melted off one of the leads. Believe it or not I broke down this first and only time in the parking lot of an A&W cruise night. It got home with a new connector (with help from another car guy), but it was still wired back the way it was (wrong). IIRC, this was my first ever post on the forum and within about an hour someone had told me it was wired wrong. I put it the way it should have been and it's never caused me anymore trouble.

Chalk it up to how good the forum is, or just a good DeLorean experience, or like the other thread with the owner in Orlando with the bad slave cylinder getting local help. How some of us would keep our cars on the road without the mighty internet I don't know :)

Thanks fellas.

[DMC5180]

Jonathan,

Have you replaced your Engine compartment light switch yet? It has fallen apart in your pictures.

[Ron]

Jonathan,

Have you replaced your Engine compartment light switch yet? It has fallen apart in your pictures.
It's in "disabled"/"Battery Save" mode.

[DMC5180]

OK, I just pull one connector. :biggrin:

[Jonathan]

Jonathan,

Have you replaced your Engine compartment light switch yet? It has fallen apart in your pictures.

LOL, ya, the battery save mode, haha. I'll try to grab a more recent picture, but I did get it working properly. I don't think I replaced it, but I might have. Actually, come to think of it, I think I replaced this switch at the same time as the glovebox lid/light one. I think they are the same? Hmmm, now you have me wondering...

The switch in the engine bay had part of the clips snapped on it so the bottom would push out instead of the plunger pushing down into it. Now, considering how useless that light is, I don't really miss it! I think I did get it working though, if nothing more than just for the sake of trying to get everything working as it was designed :)

[DMC5180]

Yes, the Glove box and Engine bay switch are the same P/N.