Doghead Relay Mod Question

[LastFbody]

Obligatory "Sorry I know next to nothing about electricity" pre-excuse.

Got everything together for doing the doghead starter relay mod proper tomorrow. I know the original relay can stick on and all kinds of bad things can happen. Its gotta go, no question about that. In fact mentioning this around the old man brought back a memory of the starter sticking on for his olds 350 diesel station wagon some years before.

What has been nagging at me though, is the relay I got (part# 7-01860-1 from Oreilly, number isn't broken up exactly like that, but its the same sequence of numbers and looks the same as all the images I've seen) has a bunch of mumbo jumbo written on the side, but very clearly shows 12v... I know at least one of the relay wires going into it is hot with 24v...

Did I get the wrong part? Or does the voltage totally not matter for this particular part/mod?

 

[chevymike]

That's because it needs 12v to trigger the relay, not what is being passed through the large terminals. Because of the CUCV 24v starter, it needs the relay to allow the standard 12v dash/key system to trigger a 24v starter circuit. You are good.

 

[cucvrus]

Contacted dog head relay connections

I was under the dash of my m1028 the other day tidying things up. I had my radio out for a new instrument cluster as well. Putting the radio back in I let it go and it made contact with the starter relay and caused a short. I installed the new one today and went to start it up. I’ve got no...

www.steelsoldiers.com

Be careful. Be very careful. IMHO a sealed unit with NO open connections will work out much better. Or do as you wish. I would do some research and play it safe. That is a lot of positive current in an area surrounded entirely by negative STEEL. Play it safe. And not just using liquid tape or electrical tape. I have seen the horrors. Get a sealed relay that cannot make contact with the surroundings. Be Safe and Take Care.

 

[LastFbody]

Excellent, thanks! I think i can finish this before work.

Definitely plan on being careful. I may not know much about electricity, but I have learned the mechanical process of soldering new connectors and doing heatshrink.

The exposed metal surrounded by metal worried me too. Electrical tape/liquid electrical tape didnt seem good enough to me, so i ordered 4 small rubber battery terminal covers that are almost perfect for this job. I'll snap a pic of the finished product.

 

[cucvrus]

I think you have this covered. Good Luck. Glad to see you were proceeding with caution. The potential for disaster is clear and present. Thank you.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

I think you have this covered.

I see what you did there, Rick.

 

[LastFbody]

Ha.

Finished. Followed the guide plus the rubber covers and it started up first time no problem. Wife says it sounds stronger, seemed about the same to me though.

Covers were 3/16 size, they worked fine for the ground and 12v once I trimmed the little tab things off. They almost didn't fit for the upper 2 24v wires. Would have gone smoother with 1/4 or 5/16 for those, but it worked.

 

[cucvrus]

I see what you did there, Rick.

WHAT? Defused an atomic bomb that could blow up in my face. I made a compromise. I did NOT stir the pot.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

"Covered", he said.

 

[LastFbody]

Is it normal with these for there to be a lower-moderately loud pop from the relay when you turn the key after ignition with this? Im talking after the glow plug light shuts off and you go to turn the starter.

I should add that the truck starts right up with no issues, just has a new sound under the dash.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Yeah, that relay has a pretty good clunk to it. That same relay can be used on the GPs themselves, so that tells you it's pretty beefy.

 

[LastFbody]

Nice! Then the mission was successful.

Thanks for all the input everyone!