new flasher relay near disaster

[steve shea]

I have a euro spec 73 with a slow, weak, original tall Hella flasher relay. So, I install a new porsche part 914 618 303 11 flasher relay and I immediately hear a buzzing noise but try the signal any way. Everything was screwed up; both on at once then not at all then both arrow indicators on all the time when not signaling. All this time the handbrake flasher did not work. Suddenly I smell smoke and see wisps of smoke below the dash. I shut off the ignition and pulled the relay as fast as I could. After a few minutes I reinstall the old Hella and try everything again. Fortunately everything worked and there seems to be no damage. Any of you electrical experts on the board please weigh in with what you think happened. Is it a bad relay? There is only one way to install it, what went wrong? Any suggestions and where can I get a good one? I'd even buy an original if in good order, anyone want to sell a good one? Thanks, Steve. S Reg#2

[RickS]

That is the correct part number but the part may have been defective, or your wires may have been previously partially fried and running full current through them was enough to get them smoking. Even though everything appears to work with the old relay, you did sustain damage. You have fried wires, which are probably hanging on until sufficient current is run though them and you have a fire. Its just a matter of time.

I would highly recommend tracing down the fried wires and either replacing the harness (pricey) from a wreck, or splicing in replacements. You need to replace the crispy critters.

Sorry to break the bad news, but better to be warned now rather than lose a good portion of your harness or worse your car.

[Alan.uk]

Hi,

I have heard before that the "new" relays have casued problems on our early cars, something to do with the relay not being 100% correct due to the feed from the handbrake.


HTH

Alan

[steve shea]

Thanks for the replies. I traced the wiring for any crispy ones and found none. I'll pull the steering column covers and trace up to the signal switch tonight and will keep the board posted. However, as suggested in the replies these might not be right for our cars. I called Systems Consulting they are familiar with this problem and warned to CAREFULLY MONITOR everything when installing one of these new replacements. Sounds like a problem with this part and a definite pattern of bad ones in the batch. You don't know until you install one and then it might be too late. Has any one on the board installed a good one recently? Mine came from Perf. Prod... they have yet to return my calls. Any more comments? Does anyone have a known good one to sell me. Thanks again, Steve

[lwalwa]

Relays are fairly easy to check using a DMM. Across the two coil terminals, you should see a finite resistance of a couple hundred ohms. If you see zero or a big number, its fried. Between the coil and the switched circuit terminals, you should see a big number. Between the two terminals on the switched circuit, the value measured will depend on if the circuit is normally open (big number) or closed (< 10 Ohms).

Larry

'71 E Targa

[steve shea]

Testing the relay is good advice but the problem is further exacerbated by the fact that parts houses will NOT take electrical parts back. Steve

[HughH]

I put a new flasher relay in my 73 car within the last 12 months or so. It is an australian car so the same as euro spec but may not be the same as US spec

I got it from Porsche and it was the specific one for my model year. From memory it was a normal sized black one and I would have the part number at home (i hope) which I will post later. It had no problems at all. The previous one, that was also the same part number, had stopped working and was buzzing and not flashing on a right indicator but still fine on left. From memory again I put the previous one in the car in about 1998 and the Porsche guys said that the relays dont seem to last as long these days, but it may be a bit of luck of the draw as it is often with electrical parts


edit just checked it was part 914 618 303 11 put in on 31 august 2007 and the previous one (same part number) was put in in august 1996

[berettafan]

what is it brit car people say? you let the magic smoke out and now they'll never work right!

[Bavaria911]

Team,
I'm pulling up an old thread because I have problems with the 1971 Targa Hella flasher relay directly behind the fuel gauge. My Hella relay is clicking all the time. The turn signal lights and E-Brake light still works.
Is there a repair shop for the old Hella relays or a new replacement part that has a better track record than those made in China (URO) and Spain?

Vr,
Scott

[ejboyd5]

It's a process somewhat akin to replacing the fluid in a bulb thermometer - very tedious! Here's what to use.