A faulty starter relay is often the reason why the car refuses to start when the key is turned in the ignition. Perhaps these are not the most pleasant moments in the life of any driver. Therefore, in such cases, it is important to know how to check the starter solenoid relay, and how to start the car if it does not work.
We will tell you about the purpose of the starter solenoid relay and its structure, how you can check it and perform simple repairs yourself.
At the end of this article, watch the video that shows how to start your car if the starter solenoid relay is not working.
Also on our website you can find information about other common causes of starter malfunction with step-by-step instructions on what to do if the starter does not work.
When, when you turn the key in the ignition switch, you can clearly hear that the starter is idling, then the cause of this malfunction may be the solenoid relay. But before you start diagnosing it, you should know the purpose of this electrical unit.
Purpose of the starter retractor relay
As you know, a starter is an electric motor that is powered by a battery. When starting the engine, the starter gear must quickly engage with the flywheel ring of the engine crankshaft. At the same time, the starter electric motor is turned on, which rotates the crankshaft - this process in action is clearly visible in the animation below.
The starter solenoid relay is responsible for quickly connecting two toothed parts: the flywheel and the overrunning clutch gear (Bendix). The retractor relay is installed on the starter housing, connecting to the clutch in the front using a lever. If the relay does not push the gear forward, then the starter rotates on its own.
However, the culprit of such a malfunction may be not only the retractor relay, but also the overrunning clutch (read more about Bendix repair). If the clutch is jammed, then the force of the retractor relay is not enough to extend it.
Varieties
There are several types of these mechanisms:
- Geared.
- Gearless.
The KamAZ starter belongs to the first type of device. This mechanism is the most powerful, since here the transmission of torque from the armature to the gear is carried out by a gearbox. Such starters have not only high power, but also good starting torque. They also have a long service life. These types of starters are used on 90 percent of modern cars.
As for gearless elements, they operate as follows. After voltage is applied to the electromagnetic switch, the Bendix gear moves and engages the flywheel ring. Current flows to the armature. Rotation occurs. The gear and shaft are aligned using a freewheel. After the engine has started successfully, this connection is released. The current supply stops and the gear returns to its original position. Due to low efficiency and low maintainability, gearless elements are practically not used in the automotive industry.
Checking the starter retractor relay
To determine the reason for the lack of connection between the gear elements of the starter and the engine, you should check the functionality of the solenoid relay. For ease of diagnosis, most often it is necessary to dismantle the entire starter.
However, before you begin dismantling the starter, it is advisable to carry out several simple operations that will help identify the problem:
- Check the condition of the battery, the reliability of the terminals, remove oxides from the battery terminals;
- Make sure that the electrical wiring is securely attached to the starter with nuts. If there is corrosion, clean the contacts with fine-grained sandpaper;
- Find the starter switch relay in the car and check its condition.
Starter removal procedure
To remove the starter, you need to disconnect the wires that go to it, and then unscrew the mounting bolts (usually two or three).
Often, to perform these seemingly simple operations, the motorist has to spend a lot of time and effort.
This is explained by the fact that the starter in many car models is well hidden in the engine compartment, and in order to get to it, it is necessary to remove many interfering components and mechanisms from under the hood. And in some cars, such as the Volkswagen Golf or Passat, engine support will be required to remove it.
It is best to carry out this work in a viewing hole or on an overpass.
How to check the starter solenoid relay
When the starter has been successfully removed from the engine compartment, it should be cleaned of dirt, and the oxidized contacts should be treated with sandpaper.
- Now the starter needs to be placed next to the battery and two electrical wires of sufficient length must be prepared. It is best to use wires for “lighting” that are equipped with “crocodiles”.
- The first step is to connect the positive terminal of the battery with one electrical wire to the corresponding terminal of the solenoid relay.
- After this, the other wire is connected to the negative terminal of the battery.
- All that remains is to touch the free end of the negative electrical wire to the starter housing and find out the result:
- if upon connection there is a quick and distinct click in the area of the solenoid relay, then it is working;
- if there are no signs of “life”, then the solenoid relay needs to be repaired or replaced.
Where is the temperature sensor located?
If the temperature sensor does not show on the instrument panel, there is a high risk of overheating the engine, since the instrument panel does not inform the driver about the heating of the internal combustion engine coolant. Of course, the instrument panel or electrical wiring may be faulty, but most often the temperature sensor (DTOZH) on the engine itself refuses to work.
Where is the temperature sensor located on an injection car 099? Of course, you need to look for it in the engine compartment:
- open the hood;
- we find the wiring that is located between the rear of the engine valve cover and the air filter housing;
- where the DTOZH is located can be seen in more detail in the following photos.
Repair of starter retractor relay
First, we suggest watching a video instruction on how to replace the solenoid relay yourself, and then we will tell you how to repair it.
Depending on the manufacturer, starters are equipped with a collapsible or non-demountable solenoid relay. To fix a problem with a non-separable element, you just need to buy a new part. All that remains is to unscrew the two mounting bolts, remove the faulty relay and install a new one in its place (see the video above).
In the case of a detachable solenoid relay, you can try to repair it. The repair is as follows:
- Unscrew the screws securing the housing cover.
- Sometimes it is necessary to additionally solder the ends of the winding.
- Removing the cover opens up access to find a possible problem - these are power contacts that may be worn out or burnt:
- in the first case, replacing contacts will help,
- in the second case, the problem can be solved with the help of sanding paper.
- Now all that remains is to assemble the solenoid relay and check its functionality.
- The repaired starter is installed in place, after which its operation can be tested.
And lastly, we recommend watching a video that shows how you can start a motor with a non-working starter solenoid relay.
Element Role
All VAZ cars, including model 2109, have a standard engine starting system, which is based on an electric starter. Here's what you need to know about him.
- A starter is a small electric motor that is connected to the flywheel of the motor via a coupling (Bendix) for a short period of time to start the rotation of the flywheel.
- Despite its small dimensions, the starter passes through itself enormous currents.
- If the starter circuit were closed directly in the ignition switch, then not a single component of the system would be able to withstand such current loads. As a result, they would burn out.
- Therefore, for these purposes, the starter is connected remotely to the battery via a relay. Its contacts are designed for high currents.
- The starter operates briefly and must be turned off after the engine starts. Otherwise, its active destruction will begin due to the influence of motor power.
- Relyushka performs these tasks perfectly. Actually, it is precisely to ensure the functioning of the system and protection against current, timely shutdown of the starter, a retractor relay is included in the design.
Element diagram
Location of components and parts on the injection car VAZ-21099
Front-wheel drive VAZ cars are very popular in Russia due to their high maintainability, relatively low cost of spare parts, and simple design. But due to the large number of modifications, it is not easy for the driver to understand even the instructions where this or that unit (part) is located, in particular, on the VAZ-21099 car the injector.
Before repairing a car, some parts have to be searched for a long time and painstakingly, thus wasting a lot of time. In this article we will help you figure out where this or that device is located on the VAZ model 21099, and we hope that the information will be to some extent useful to car owners who have just bought a car, or to novice drivers.
Checking status
Before changing the relay, make sure that the problem with starting the engine is related to this component.
To do this, consider two situations that indicate its malfunction.
Situation
Your actions
The relay makes clicks, but the armature does not spin
If there are clicks from the relay, check the condition of the armature. To do this, the terminals of the retractor relay are bridged with a large screwdriver or a piece of welding cable to the terminals at the ends. Taking a thin wire or a screwdriver can easily burn the terminals. When the armature is working, after closing the terminals, the armature will spin, which can be determined by the sound. Consequently, the solenoid relay itself has failed and requires repair.
Dismantling
There should be no problems with the dismantling process. The main thing here is to remove the starter, since the required relay is held on it. Therefore, dismantling is carried out as an assembly.
- Turn on the handbrake, disconnect the battery by removing the negative terminal from it.
- A wire with a large cross-section goes from the battery to the contact of the relay. It can be turned off by unscrewing it using a 13 key.
- Remove the thin winding power wire from the solenoid relay.
- Using the same 13mm wrench, unscrew the three mounting nuts holding the starter to the clutch block.
- You can remove the device through the bottom or top. If you chose the top, then you need to slightly rotate the starter around its axis and remove it.
- The lower output is more difficult, since here you need to remove the crankcase protection. But if parallel work is carried out that requires similar manipulations, problems will not arise.
Repair
Next, you have a choice to make: replace the entire relay or try to repair it.
Only a relay that has a collapsible design can be fully repaired. It is not uncommon for cars to have a relay with a non-separable body. Repairs there are also possible, but only partial.
But if you want to save money or just like to tinker with your car, you can try to bring a damaged relay back to life. To do this, we offer you detailed instructions.
Disassembled element
If this measure does not help, we will disassemble the case and repair it.
- The relay consists of a housing with a winding inside, a core with a return spring and contacts.
- The spring disconnects the starter rotor gears from the Bendix ring when the power to the relay winding is turned off.
- The back cover of the relay is fixed with screws to the body. Therefore, the first thing we do is remove this cover by unscrewing the corresponding fasteners.
- Both contact bolts have a nut, which you also unscrew.
- You will see washers under the nuts. Do not lose them so that you can return them to their place during reassembly.
- Unsolder both terminals of the winding using a soldering iron. Then remove the cover.
- If you find traces of carbon on the contacts, they can be removed with a small file.
- There is a rubber O-ring under the cover. Check it for elasticity and integrity. If the ring is damaged or worn, replace it with a new one.
- Remove the contact plate along with the rod.
- Use a flathead screwdriver to remove the return spring.
- If the spring is deformed or stretched too much, it will need to be replaced. Otherwise, a worn spring will not be able to guarantee the desired contact. As a result, the relay does not work properly.
- Disassemble the contact plate. To do this, you need to remove the retaining ring that insulates the washer. After this, the plate will fall out on its own due to the pressure created by the spring.
- Remove the contact bolts from the cover. Clean the surfaces of their contacts. Often, due to burning of the contact surfaces, the solenoid relay stops working normally.
Contact bolts
- If the carbon deposits are too strong and cannot be removed with simple sandpaper, do not rush to buy new bolts. Just rotate them 180 degrees. So they will touch on the other side, where there is no carbon deposits.
- The relay windings are located in a non-separable housing. If they are damaged, you will have no choice but to completely change the relay.
- Replace all damaged and worn elements of the switching relay, and then put everything back into the housing. Reinstall the solenoid relay and check if the ignition returns to normal.
If the relay has a non-separable housing, many recommend replacing it. But if you wish, you can even repair such a unit. To do this, you need to flare the housing with pliers, then unsolder the contacts and remove the cover. Next, follow the instructions given above.
Self check
To independently check the functionality of the solenoid relay, you first need to check the starter itself. The scheme is quite simple. First of all, turn the key in the ignition and try to start the car. If the starter does not work, you will hear a specific clicking sound. This means that the fault lies in the relay.
Without disassembling or dismantling the starter, you can check the mechanism of the device yourself. To do this, bridge two contacts on the rear panel of the traction relay (they look like copper bolts). If the device starts to move (spins), then the problem is in the retractor.
Remember that when disassembling and repairing a car yourself, you should be careful and careful. Follow the instructions to avoid aggravating the damage or getting injured.
Where is the fuel pump located on the VAZ-21099 injector
Removing and installing a gasoline pump (PG) is not a difficult job and does not require extensive plumbing experience or high qualifications. But if you don’t have to look for a fuel pump on carburetor cars for a long time (it is located on the engine, under the hood), then a beginner may not find it on the injector on the first try. Where is the fuel pump located on the VAZ-21099 sedan injector? Let's figure it out step by step:
- we move the front seats in the car forward as much as possible to free up space in the rear;
- open the rear left door of the car, find a small hinge on the rear sofa, which is located at the junction of the “seats” approximately in the middle of the cabin;
- pull the loop up, thereby raising the back of the lower seat;
- under the carpet we see the gas tank flap;
- unscrew the two fastening screws, remove the hatch and find the fuel pump underneath.
Causes and solutions to the problem
All faults can be divided into two categories:
- the breakdown lies in the starter and retractor relay;
- the starter armature rotates and the relay clicks;
The most common reason for a relay to not work is that the soldering point of the wire to the terminal has lost contact. Before disassembling the device, just try soldering these places with a soldering iron - the problem is solved. Well, if the starter still does not work, then the relay will have to be disassembled. Sometimes the coil that creates the electromagnetic field burns out. Simply replacing the old wire with a new one eliminates the problem; to do this, you just need to rewind the coil with your own hands.
In the second case, when you hear clicks, but the starter does not rotate, try bridging the terminals on the solenoid relay with a screwdriver with a rubberized handle. Having done this, the starter armature will start and begin to spin, you can easily understand this by the characteristic sound. In this case, the breakdown lies in the inability of the relay to pass electric current through itself. Be careful when working, because you are in an area of electromagnetic activity and you may get an electric shock.
Troubleshooting a removed generator
The starter is dismantled as follows. The ignition is turned off. The wires are disconnected from the battery terminals. Then the starter itself is removed.
Once the generator is removed, you can safely check it. It is necessary to short-circuit the battery minus and the generator housing with a copper cable with a cross-section of 6-8 mm 2, plus the batteries with a relay connector. The generator should be running.
If it does not rotate, it means the brushes are worn out and need to be replaced. If there is a problem with the collector, then in this case it is easier to replace the generator. There may be a break in the armature winding, which is determined by measuring the resistance using a multimeter. If it shows infinity, then there is a break.
Next you need to check the remaining moving parts of the generator. From the positive terminal of the battery, voltage is supplied to the connector of the solenoid relay.
When working correctly, a click is heard. The fork should push the bendix all the way. The starter shaft should turn. It is necessary to start the generator several times to make sure that everything is working properly.
Then the generator shaft is checked for runout. Replacing the brushes usually requires disassembling the generator. At the same time, all parameters of the windings are checked for compliance with the product data sheet.
With proper repair, the starter will work without failure for several more years. The duration of operation depends on compliance with several rules.
Firstly, starting the engine should not exceed 15 seconds. If there are unreasonable failures during startup or strange sounds, you must stop operating until the causes are clarified and eliminated .
It is necessary to monitor the condition of the connectors on the solenoid relay. A properly functioning starter will guarantee peace of mind on the road.
When it's the starter
If after these steps the starter continues to be silent, it means it is broken. To repair it, you need to disassemble the solenoid relay. But how to do this if the mechanism itself is not intended for disassembly? In an old-style relay, you need to unscrew one or two screws and unsolder the wiring that goes inside the device.
Modern devices are non-separable, and in order to open the back panel, you will have to flare the metal body of the mechanism. Flaring can be done with a large screwdriver or pliers. After this you need to remove the cover. To repair, clean the burnt contact plate and the surfaces of the bolts from soot to a shine. The better you clean it, the longer the relay will last you.
Of course, it would be wiser and safer to go to the nearest service station, but for a number of reasons, drivers sometimes repair the car themselves. Saving money and time requires preliminary preparation and certain knowledge in machine repair.
