From: Bruce C. Beattie (bruce@EECS.Berkeley.EDU)
Date: Sun May 14 2006 - 16:53:08 PDT
Ok All,
I finally got sufficiently paranoid about this issue and went ahead
and did this simple conversion.
It really is simple, but I've included all the detail steps, so it looks
dreadfully. It works great, and no problems.
Obviously I make no guarantees, but I have made an effort to cover
everything.
Let me know if you have any questions. I don't have any diagrams or
pictures though, but I don't think you really need them.
Bruce MVPA 23824
Rough guide to replacing the starter relay that is prone to failing.
This is what I did and so far it is working well.
Parts List:
GPR109 from NAPA
old starter relay
3 one foot lengths of different colored 12 gage stranded hook up wire
1 one foot length of yet another color 16 gage stranded hook up wire
1 grommet that will fit into a half inch hole
2 yellow wire crimp terminators with a ring end that will accommodate a
5/16 inch bolt.
1 yellow wire crimp terminator with a ring that will accommodate a # 10
screw
1 blue wire crimp terminator with a ring tat will accommodate a # 10 screw
2 1/4-20 bolts 1/2" long
2 washers for the above
2 nylock nuts for the above
good quality solder
Nuts, washers, and lock washers for the GPR109. I used nylocks on the
large terminals.
Tools:
Flat blade screwdriver heavyish
heavy diagonal cutters
7/16 open end box
5/16 open end box
5/16" drill bit
1/2" inch drill bit
Drill for the above
deburing tool
needle nose pliers
Procedure:
remove the three bolts that attach the relay holding plate to the back
of the dash and the
diagnostic connector to the front of the dash - 7/16 open end box
unhook from lip of dash and bring down the assembly.
remove the two modules on the right by squeezing the prongs that go
through the holes in the
plate. Note which one goes where. I don't think it matters, but the
wiring will lay in smoother
Unplug the harness from the starter relay and take the assembly back to
your workbench.
If you look at the starter relay plastic molding you will see that it is
not totally symmetrical,
one of the ends is longer than the other to accommodate an unused tab in
the connector.
Make a note of this orientation. There is a diode in there that needs to
be hooked up the right
way or you will let some of the magic smoke out of the wires.
Now carefully pry up the little metal tabs on the old relay so that you
can remove the plastic
housing.
Using a heavy flat blade screw driver pry out the old relay carefully.
You will need to cut off
the wires with the diagonal cutters and trim a little of the metal.
Once you have the relay out of the way, you will see the diode going
across the middle between
two of the contacts.
If you examine the housing carefully you will see that with some
carefully manipulation with
the needle nose, that you can bend some of the metal pieces back in a
loop such that the wire
will slide in between the sides of the metal. Just study it for a bit
and you will see what I
mean. Some of the metal will need to be trimmed as well.
Put a small piece of wood in the metal top and then drill a 1/2 inch
hole in the side of the
metal top that is right next to the mounting plate. keep the hole closer
to the mounting plate
surface than the open end.
Clean up the hole and insert the grommet.
Steep and tin the ends of the wires.
OK here is the important part. The 16 gage wire goes to the contact that
is in the middle and
farthest away from the mounting tab. So you need to mock assemble the
plastic molding in the
metal cover exactly the way it came out. Carefully identify the right
tab, and then
stick the wire between the bent over metal on the inside of the plastic
housing and solder in
place.
Now solder the other three wires onto the other three tabs on the inside
of the plastic
housing. NOTE which color wire you soldered to the tab on the other side
of the diode.
Now insert the 4 wires through the grommet so that they stick out the
side of the metal cover.
Carefully bend the wires so that you can assemble everything without
putting undue strain on the
wires. then bend the metal tabs in place to secure the metal cover.
Place the gpr109 at the other end of the assembly such that the two
metal tabs are in the
following locations. One tab should be at the very end of the mounting
bracket in the corner
next
to where the metal bracket is folded. The other tab should diagonally
opposite on the outside
edge and a couple of inches in from the outside corner.
Mark and drill two 5/15 in holes. Note, you want the GPR109 as close to
the end of the assembly
but not sticking out on the end. It can stick out on the side though.
Just watch how close your
holes are to the edge.
Mount the GPR109 in place with the 2 1/4-20 bolts.
Now all that is left is to put the wire connectors on and attach the
wires to the correct posts
on the GPR109 The color wire you noted in the above that is attached on
the other side of the
diode is the one that gets the smaller of the yellow wire connectors.
The 16 gage wire gets the blue wire connector.
Attach them being sure to use the washers and lock washers
Put a couple of wire ties around the wire assembly if needed.
Go back to the truck with the assembly and put the two little modules
back in their holes
and attach the plug that is for the starter relay.
CAREFULLY mount the assembly back behind the dash. NOTE: don't touch the
ends of the terminals
on the gpr109 to the chassis or you will let out that magic smoke. There
is plenty of
clearance,
but just be carefully. I probably should have put some tape around it
but I was trying to get it
done before I lost all the daylight.
I think that is everything. Feel free to send me questions. This all
sounds complicated, but it
really isn't.
I was thinking of just putting the connectors on the original harness,
but that would have
eliminated the
diode, which is there to get rid of the induced emf in the coil.
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