I have a '73, 2.0, stock DJet engine that sometimes dies when I am driving. It usually happens about 15 minutes into my morning commute. It cuts out with no warning and I can tell that the fuel pump does not run when I try to restart. The heater motor also stops at this time. I am able to get it running by reseating some of the relays on the circuit board - I am not sure which one does it because I am on the side of the road with traffic going by.

Since it seems to run after I mess with the relays, I would like to clean the contacts on the relays and the contacts on the relay board. How do I get inside the female connectors to clean them? Is there a special tool or trick to doing this? The male connectors on the relays themselves should be pretty straightforward.

Any ideas?


Thanks.


Warrenoliver

Get some CRC Electronic cleaner and spray it.

What I used is called a pin vise and a small wire brush. Wood wire brush is easiest to get a bundle of brushes out of.

You pull one bundle of wires, insert them into the pin vise with the cut ends into the pin vise. This gives you the loop on the outside so you can insert it into the hole, spin the pin vise and blow out with air.

Also the male pins have a cross cut in them. To expand them for better contact use a razor knife, just a little bit, too much and you can crack them.

Picture of pin vise

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/4KY33?Pid=search

Good Luck

It may be the pins on the outside but it also may be internal. I had an intermittent one and took it apart. Moisture had gotten inside and corrosion was the result. The rust particles collect around the top of the magnet and would hold back the contacts. If your relay is intermittent, I suggest you toss it and get a replacement.

You can also spread the relay contacts with a micro screwdriver. Watch out for some contact cleaners, since not all are plastic safe. I would also check the fuse contact on the relay board as one of the two control the heater fan and fuel pump. You can get tiny wire brushes from the smoke shop (don't ask) that will fit in a drill chuck. I usually put a dab of die-electric grease when I put the relays back in. Keeps them from tarnishing. Just my .02

with all advice......BTW....CRC QD electronic cleaner is plastic safe....Once fixed a 944 fuel pump relay by tighening the female spade. The relay wasn't making good contact in the female connector. Found the problem by moving the relay with my hand while driving. Move it one way, and it would die, move it back and it ran. Tightened all connectors on the back side of the relay/fuse panel and all was well.

razor blade works for spreading them too if you don't have the screw driver handy.

And don't forget to disconnect the battery first!

Andy

Actually, some CRC is safe. Had a co-worker drop his cell phone in a machine coolant tank. he decided to "clean" the coolant out with contact cleaner (CRC contact cleaner + degreaser) and had just the circuit board and battery left ! I made him use that phone like it was for a month before we got him a replacement. The CRC i get is plastic safe but it can still freeze plastic if your too aggressive with it and bad things happen. I try to use 90% isopropanol alcohol first now.