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Car vs. Moto Vibration - Coil Relay Mod?

  • Thread starter Thread starter markdjr
  • Start date Start date
Thats what I was looking for, need to know what to do if it comes to that.
 
Doesn't mean I've got round to making up my own "jumper cable" yet though :D But I am carrying a spare relay.

Dan :)
 
Here's a thought ... why not use the same type of relays used to control electric radiator fans on modern autos? They are designed for continuous use (unlike the horn style relays that are generally triggered for short periods of time). These types of relays are generally triggered by a temperature sensor of some sort, and I haven't looked at one so don't know the form factor - maybe they're way too big for a bike application. Still, something along those lines would seem to be the ideal solution if they can be wired up similar to the "cheapo" horn relays.

Any thoughts?

Regards,
 
These style relays are designed for continous use. Just look under the fuse box/relay box lid on just about any import car and you'll find them being used for anything from fuel pump relays to headlight relays. I think our '01 Outback even has some although I haven't had any reason to look in there. LOL.
 
Sandy said:
These style relays are designed for continous use. Just look under the fuse box/relay box lid on just about any import car and you'll find them being used for anything from fuel pump relays to headlight relays. I think our '01 Outback even has some although I haven't had any reason to look in there. LOL.
Click to expand...

I was going to suggest a fuel pump relay.
 
don gibb6512 found that it was not his relay after all
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=130268&page=3
Turned out not to be the relay after all. My first test was to swap it out with a good one and the bike started. I swapped it again with what I thought was the bad relay and the bike wouldn't start, so my conclusion was the relay was bad. It was coincidence. Had I tested one more time, the bike wouldn't have started. I disassembled the relay and have attached a couple of pictures. It tested fine and by the looks of it, is very well made. I now doubt that unless these are mounted directly on the engine, they are not going to be effected by heat and it would take a lot of vibration to damage these. The case was very tight and the odds of water getting in is slim to none. IMHO, the relays that are malfunctioning prematurely are most likely manufacturing defects in the relay itself. My problem was (I hope) just corroded contacts on the starter.

Click to expand...

I have a feeling the relays may be blamed, but may not be the culprit in may cases. If anyone can just test the relay after removing it would maybe help to find a solution to this problem.:)
 
Matchless said:
don gibb6512 found that it was not his relay after all
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=130268&page=3


I have a feeling the relays may be blamed, but may not be the culprit in may cases. If anyone can just test the relay after removing it would maybe help to find a solution to this problem.:)
Click to expand...

I believe P_S on here said that in all three cases, the coil wire inside broke.

I run a frowned upon Pilot 40 amp relay on my bike and I have been over some very nasty potholes, the ones where you hope you don't go down. I have been down land mine road plenty of times, rough RR tracks, and my bike doesn't exactly ride like a Caddy.
 
Hopefully more riders will analyse the failure and we can get some sort of consistancy on the feedback. The type of relay, how and where mounted etc. basically a genuine Bosch or Hella headlamp type relay of 30A or 40A should be of high quality, some of the cheaper clones may be the problem.
Then saying this any component can fail regardless of the quality.:-k
 
Two excellent suggestions were made earlier in this thread. 1: why not try suspending the insides of the relay in a soft silicone such as rtv? Not too sure about the heat factor but there are plenty of high temp RTV silicones available. I have never tried this but it seems like a good idea. Maybe even epoxy such as solid state electronics. If vibration is killing your relays then restricting movement inside the relay (except for the switch) would kill vibration. I might give this a try, do a little myth busting myself.
2: I believe salty monk has the absolute failsafe and thats to carry the jumper wire. If your relay goes out, just pull it out and jump it, get home! Just remember to pull the jumper out once you get where you need to be or you may be push starting you bike later. I have a relay on my horn and my coils, both pulled from under the hood of a junkyard car (electric fan and fuel pump), and ride 60 miles to and from work 5 days a week down some hairy roads. Have yet to have a problem with a relay and if I did I would just swap the relay from the horn over or jump the it. I plan on ordering some relays for a case skid steer and testing those out. A skid steer has no suspension whatsoever (especially with foam filled tires), you feel every pebble you drive over. And we break concrete with them, you want to talk about vibration!
Anyway, salty monk has the answer. Carry a jumper and be familiar with how to hook it up and get home.
And matchless hit the nail on the head ANY component can fail regardless of quality or conditions, you just have to be prepared.
 
rusty boltz said:
2: I believe salty monk has the absolute failsafe and thats to carry the jumper wire. If your relay goes out, just pull it out and jump it, get home! Just remember to pull the jumper out once you get where you need to be or you may be push starting you bike later.

Anyway, salty monk has the answer. Carry a jumper and be familiar with how to hook it up and get home.
Click to expand...

In my post above I suggested "hotwiring" in the relay socket for the wires connected to Pin 86 (the SWITCHED live) to Pin 87 for just this reason. This puts you back to "as OEM". When you turn off ignition or kill switch the power to coils would be cut.

Of course you could truly "hotwire" them direct from the battery if your bike doesn't have enough volts to run "as OEM" by jumping Pin 30 to Pin 87 - In this case you'd have to remove the jumper when you switch it off as you'd risk a flat battery & damaged coils if you didn't.

(I'm not even sure you could switch off the engine without pulling the jumper with it wired this way as the coils would have power even with the ignition & kill switches off...)

Hope that clears it up.

Dan :)
 
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