Parasitic Draw Flavia Coupe 2000 1970

[msh2908]

Its driving me insane...... I have a parasitic draw - which is draining the battery in about three days.  I've traced to  circuit 9 fuse and have noticed that I the relay that feeds the coil plus a few other things has power going to it all the time see image.  Don't suppose anyone has any bright (excuse the pun)ideas before I take out a mortgage and get a sparky in?

Mark

[lancialulu]

V difficult to diagnose electrics at a distance. However if you have volts on the coil all the time how come the engine stops when you turn the ignition off(I assume it does otherwise you would have said).

What is that relay you have found with coil taking current all the time? What happens if you disconnect it?

[msh2908]

V difficult to diagnose electrics at a distance. However if you have volts on the coil all the time how come the engine stops when you turn the ignition off(I assume it does otherwise you would have said).

What is that relay you have found with coil taking current all the time? What happens if you disconnect it?

Thanks for the thoughts Tim.  Having been prompted to recheck - the relay that i've shown to be live all the time feeds the starter solenoid but it is doing its job as there is no current on the moving through it until the ignition is turned. I was wondering if this relay should have power on all the time? If the answer is no, then the problem lies in the ignition? 

Mark

[Jaydub]

Hi Mark, It`s difficult to read the numbers on the relay from your photo but it appears by the pin orientation that it might be connected wrong. Just check: Permanent live to Pin 30, Feed to Starter solenoid Pin 87, Ignition feed to Pin 86 and earth Pin 85. It doesn`t matter too much if 85&86 are reversed but 30 & 87 are important because they carry the high current load.

[lancialulu]

V difficult to diagnose electrics at a distance. However if you have volts on the coil all the time how come the engine stops when you turn the ignition off(I assume it does otherwise you would have said).

What is that relay you have found with coil taking current all the time? What happens if you disconnect it?

Thanks for the thoughts Tim.  Having been prompted to recheck - the relay that i've shown to be live all the time feeds the starter solenoid but it is doing its job as there is no current on the moving through it until the ignition is turned. I was wondering if this relay should have power on all the time? If the answer is no, then the problem lies in the ignition? 

Mark

Is this a bodge for an ignition switch  not up to the job?? If so sort the ignition switch and bin the relay?!?

[msh2908]

V difficult to diagnose electrics at a distance. However if you have volts on the coil all the time how come the engine stops when you turn the ignition off(I assume it does otherwise you would have said).

What is that relay you have found with coil taking current all the time? What happens if you disconnect it?

Thanks for the thoughts Tim.  Having been prompted to recheck - the relay that i've shown to be live all the time feeds the starter solenoid but it is doing its job as there is no current on the moving through it until the ignition is turned. I was wondering if this relay should have power on all the time? If the answer is no, then the problem lies in the ignition? 

Mark

Is this a bodge for an ignition switch  not up to the job?? If so sort the ignition switch and bin the relay?!?

The relay is wired correctly - but why is this been put in place in the first place?  Also does the ignition system work on a constant live feed to the starter and when the ignition is pushed, earth is created providing power or should the wire only become live when the ignition switch is turned on - I suspect that it is the latter, i which case why has a live feed been put in place - knackered ignition switch?

[Brian Long]

The relay was probably fitted to save wear and tear on the starter switch contacts.
Does the relay click on and off when you disconnect the battery. If so, the pairs of wires for each circuit have been transposed.

[Jaydub]

I still think the relay is wired wrong if it`s a standard ISO 4 pin relay.  That permanent live (Red) needs to go on Pin 30 (where the Olive green wire is) . opposite that Pin 87 to starter solenoid, the other 2 Pins 85 & 86 need to be an earth and a feed from the ignition switch when cranking. That closes the relay coil and connects the live ( Red ) to starter solenoid terminal. As Brian says it`s probably there to take the load off of the ignition switch contacts. It`s a good idea and I have used this method on a lot of older cars with push button starters for instance which really don`t like heavy current draws on the contacts, and the relay takes away that current demand.