Starter relay 1g vs 2g

[Kettlar 91 laser rs]

Is there a difference between the two starter relays? First pic is a 2g stock photo for the starter relay and the second pic is a 1g starter relay removal video screenshot. They look the same, they’re practically the same engine so i figure it could swap either way. Just really hard to find a 1g at a salvage yard near me, and no parts store have this part either. I see they have different part numbers but thats really the only difference

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[steve]

Is there a difference between the two starter relays?

First pic is a 2g stock photo for the starter relay and the second pic is a 1g starter relay.

They look the same, they’re practically the same engine so i figure it could swap either way. Just really hard to find a 1g at a salvage yard near me, and no parts store have this part either.

I see they have different part numbers but thats really the only difference

I don't have all my manuals handy but while the two might serve the same purpose and may look the same I doubt they are the same.

Lets take a step back and try and figure out what your issue is to see what is going on and if a relay is going to fix it.

There are four different variants to the starter relay in a Turbo 1G, Auto or Manual and with or without the Factory Theft Alarm. (Aftermarket Alarms not included)

The Manual without alarm is the easiest version. The starter relay sits between the ignition switch and the starter solenoid. It is a normally closed relay and the coil is grounded by the clutch safety switch. If you don't push the clutch in currnt flows in the relay coil causing the relay contacts to open and block the signal from the ignition switch from reaching the starter. You may hear it click but the start doesn't crank.

There are several ways this fails. The CSS can go bad, the rubber stopper on the clutch pedal can wear out or vanish and not push the CSS, the starter relay can go bad, the ignition switch can fail and you could have broken wires. A few checks with your multimeter can diagnose most. A visual check gets the rest.

On the Automatics without the alarm the process is different. Their starter relay is a normally open version and the signals run through the Park/Neutral switch on the trans to activate the relay connecting the signal from the IG switch to the starter.

The factory alarm adds additional relays around the basic circuits.

So which of your cars are you trying to fix and what do they have.

 

[Kettlar 91 laser rs]

I don't have all my manuals handy but while the two might serve the same purpose and may look the same I doubt they are the same.

Lets take a step back and try and figure out what your issue is to see what is going on and if a relay is going to fix it.

There are four different variants to the starter relay in a Turbo 1G, Auto or Manual and with or without the Factory Theft Alarm. (Aftermarket Alarms not included)

The Manual without alarm is the easiest version. The starter relay sits between the ignition switch and the starter solenoid. It is a normally closed relay and the coil is grounded by the clutch safety switch. If you don't push the clutch in currnt flows in the relay coil causing the relay contacts to open and block the signal from the ignition switch from reaching the starter. You may hear it click but the start doesn't crank.

There are several ways this fails. The CSS can go bad, the rubber stopper on the clutch pedal can wear out or vanish and not push the CSS, the starter relay can go bad, the ignition switch can fail and you could have broken wires. A few checks with your multimeter can diagnose most. A visual check gets the rest.

On the Automatics without the alarm the process is different. Their starter relay is a normally open version and the signals run through the Park/Neutral switch on the trans to activate the relay connecting the signal from the IG switch to the starter.

The factory alarm adds additional relays around the basic circuits.

So which of your cars are you trying to fix and what do they have.

Trying to fix my 92 talon its an auto and I don’t believe it has the antitheft system.

I was replacing the starter because it was getting worn and when I put the new one in I connected the cable that goes from the solenoid to the battery to the starter terminal rather than the battery terminal on the solenoid, and when I connected the battery like that it sparked real bad and the starter I could hear was engaging but I wasn't turning the key so it was giving it power consistently instead of just when you turn the ignition.

That is when I figured out I hooked the starter solenoid terminal to battery cable up wrong and it fried the solenoid of the new starter and so I put the old worn oem starter back in and it will not start, it makes a whirring sound but the starter will now not engage. It did start before, it was weak but it fired up every time, it only has 51k miles.

So from there I imagine I fried a fuse or a starter relay, honestly i don’t know a whole lot about electrical side of cars.

I bought a multimeter and my battery still runs 12.5 volts so i didn't fry that either.

Any help would be appreciated, thank you

 

[steve]

Not sure I follow how one would mistake the large ring terminal (B) with the spade connector (S) so I assume you connected the battery wire to the other terminal, what the manual calls the M terminal (the output of the solenoid) rather than the B terminal (the input of the solenoid).

While that would cause the starter to spin I don't see how that would damage anything connected to the S terminal circuit or how it would damage the solenoid unless you also connected the ground wire to the terminals too instead of the bolt to the block.

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I misremembered the Auto starter circuit. There doesn't seem to be a starter relay involved, just the inhibitor switch (Park/Neutral).

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I assume you can follow this diagram. The large Black/Red wire runs for the battery positive terminal to the B terminal on the starter.
The Ignition Switch Start signal runs through the inhibitor switch on the trans when it's in either park or neutral position and goes to the S terminal on the solenoid.

As mentioned, the ground for the starter (and engine block) runs from the battery negative terminal to one of the bolts on the starter mounting flange to the transmission bell housing.

If you old starter is whirring when you turn the key, it would seem that the signal from the key is reaching the starter but the starter bendix isn't engaging and you have a mechanical issue now rather than an electrical one.

 

[Kettlar 91 laser rs]

Not sure I follow how one would mistake the large ring terminal (B) with the spade connector (S) so I assume you connected the battery wire to the other terminal, what the manual calls the M terminal (the output of the solenoid) rather than the B terminal (the input of the solenoid).

While that would cause the starter to spin I don't see how that would damage anything connected to the S terminal circuit or how it would damage the solenoid unless you also connected the ground wire to the terminals too instead of the bolt to the block.

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I misremembered the Auto starter circuit. There doesn't seem to be a starter relay involved, just the inhibitor switch (Park/Neutral).

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

I assume you can follow this diagram. The large Black/Red wire runs for the battery positive terminal to the B terminal on the starter.
The Ignition Switch Start signal runs through the inhibitor switch on the trans when it's in either park or neutral position and goes to the S terminal on the solenoid.

As mentioned, the ground for the starter (and engine block) runs from the battery negative terminal to one of the bolts on the starter mounting flange to the transmission bell housing.

If you old starter is whirring when you turn the key, it would seem that the signal from the key is reaching the starter but the starter bendix isn't engaging and you have a mechanical issue now rather than an electrical one.

So i switched the cable from the “b” terminal (solenoid input) to the “m” terminal (solenoid output) other than that i hooked it up correctly, like you said it had made the starter spin… and im pretty sure it fried the solenoid on the new starter i had just bought.

So after i hooked up the new starter incorrectly, i corrected it and still couldn't get it to start so thats where i figured i had fried the solenoid on it. After that i had taken out the new starter and replaced it with the “stock” starter (which did start and drive the car previous to hooking up the new starter) the bendix was definitely worn when i had taken the old starter out prior to putting it back in after the new starter did not work.

Now im back to where i was before i started this adventure, but now instead of my car starting it does not, my car makes the whirring sound when i turn the key currently. Can post a video if it will help

 

[Kettlar 91 laser rs]

With the old mitsubishi starter in it again and it still not starting. I bought a new starter again, wired it up correctly and it fired right up. Do not know what the difference was between the two, other than one was brand new and one was old (prior to all this it did work)

 

[steve]

I'm glad you got it started!