1963 Ford 2000 electrical problem

john357 · Mar 10, 2017

LD1 said:
Is that indeed how you had it wired? With the start switch wired to the I terminal?

Those relays still ground through the base. Where is it mounted? If it's mounted where it has a good ground, I am surprised it's not trying to crank as soon as you apply power to the S terminal.

A local auto parts store should have 4-wire relays that will work. Just make sure the 4th post isn't an I terminal, rather a ground. Might not be labeled. Might have to read the little paper that comes in the box to confirm

ok, so this is what I have. Brand new battery cables, good and tight. With key off I have power to the relay, I can also by-pass relay and get power to the starter, so I did have some connectivity issues. With key on I have power to the I terminal, but no power to the S terminal which goes to the starter button. I also noticed that I have no resistance between the S terminal and ground with my ohm meter. So maybe I have a bad or wrong relay?

john357 · Mar 10, 2017

LD1 said:
Is that indeed how you had it wired? With the start switch wired to the I terminal?

Those relays still ground through the base. Where is it mounted? If it's mounted where it has a good ground, I am surprised it's not trying to crank as soon as you apply power to the S terminal.

A local auto parts store should have 4-wire relays that will work. Just make sure the 4th post isn't an I terminal, rather a ground. Might not be labeled. Might have to read the little paper that comes in the box to confirm

I have power to the I terminal when key is turned on, no power to the S terminal which is connected to the starter button. I've noticed the S terminal has no resistance to ground with my ohm meter. Is this the wrong or bad relay?

LD1 · Mar 11, 2017

Yes it's the wrong relay as I explained in post 6 a few days ago.

You are fortunate that you wired the key to I terminal and start button to s terminal. If you switched those two, and the relay is mounted on steel that is grounded, the starter would be cranking whenever you turned the key on.

You need a relay that has an isolated base. Meaning it doesn't ground through the base, rather through one of the small terminals. So while what you have "looks" like the 4-wire relay you need, it is functionally different.

As you have it now with s showing continuity to ground, that is correct with it wired how you have it.

The proper relay (not one with the I terminal) will have two small terminals. Those go to the coil to make the relay operate. One gets 12v, one gets ground.

When you turn the key on, it feeds 12v to one. When you push starter button, it gives a path to ground for the other.