Relay advice

[steve91tt]

When I turn my key to the run position (without starting) I can hear what sounds like a relay clacking back and forth. Everything in the car seems to work but I want to make sure that there is not a mission critical relay that is starting to fail. If it's a relay that is starting to go flaky then I'm quite content to let it fail as long as it isn't needed to drive the car.

I went through the FSM and I can't find a relay that would leave me stranded if it failed. Did I miss any? Can anyone think of a relay that could put me on the end of a tow truck in a stockish 1973 240Z?

[FastWoman]

I don't know on that model whether any relay would be mission-critical, but I'd track the thing down while it's clicking back and forth for you! It's going to be easier to find now than when it fails altogether. Just sayin'...

[steve91tt]

I'd love to find it but it's intermittent and I have not been able to make it happen when I have my tools near by. I can tell you that it comes from the passenger side foot well but beyond that I haven't been able to get much more information. If it starts clicking and I can get my hand down there before it stops I should be able to figure out which one is making the noise or if it fails completely then I will just look for what system(s) stopped working. Is there a better way to check a flaky relay?

[SteveJ]

Steve,

Is the clicking coming from the passenger side near the kick panel? If so, that is the accessory relay. The only other relay in the cabin is the defroster relay.

The nice thing is that if you can hear a relay clicking, you can also feel it. Put the car in Run and touch components until you can feel the tapping of the contacts opening and closing. If I'm correct, you'll see three blue wires running to it.

I doubt that the relays in the 73 would be the cause for your car coming home on a hook.

Edit: I took too long in composing this. From your second post, I'd say it is the accessory relay.

[kenz240z]

It could also be the fuel pump relay for the electric fuel pump mounted by the fuel tank, if your '73 has one.

[bavarian06]

does it look like this? i just noticed it clicking this past friday when i switch from ACC to ON.

trying to decide if it went bad.

[steve91tt]

It could also be the fuel pump relay for the electric fuel pump mounted by the fuel tank, if your '73 has one.

Not the fuel pump relay as I have the power for the relay bypassed to a remote switch.

Thanks for the feedback guys, looks like the consensus is that I should be able to keep driving it and if starts consistently acting up then start feeling around the relay cluster until I find the bad actor.