How to check the starter retractor relay of a VAZ 2109

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.

Device

retaining ring
restrictor ring
overrunning clutch drive
lever axis
front cover
drive lever
armature relay
traction relay
back cover
protective cover
lock washer
pinch bolt
shim
brush spring
brush
frame
anchor

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 mass of the VAZ-21099 injector (main)

If the starter turns weakly, or the engine does not start at all (clicks occur when starting), various electrical problems arise, it is likely that the car does not have normal weight. Fixing such a problem is generally not difficult, but to do this you still need to know where the mass of the VAZ-21099 injector is located.

The main mass (thick) wire goes from the negative terminal of the battery to the engine, the thinner wire is connected to the car body, all energy consumers in the car depend on this connection. If the contact is poor, the battery stops charging normally; in order for the starter to turn well, you should check the reliability of these contacts and clean the metal from oxidation. If, due to a heavy load (for example, when installing additional equipment), the ground wire heats up and there is clearly not enough of it, you can “lay” additional ground almost anywhere where good contact between the engine and the body is ensured. The main thing is that this wire has a sufficient cross-section.

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.

Popular causes of malfunction

The most common reasons account for about 95% of all cases when the starter does not turn. That’s why we pay attention to them first.

The starter does not turn differently in different situations. It is important to take this into account and clearly monitor all associated symptoms. So, even without the help of specialists, you will be able to return the unit to operation and resume normal operation of the ignition system

Situation	Probable Causes
There is one click, after which the starter goes silent.	The power bolts on the solenoid relay are burnt out. Therefore, the voltage cannot reach it or it is less than the required 12 Volts; The fork that pushes out the bendix is broken or deformed. For this reason, the bendix cannot completely reach the flywheel; the cores partially enter the coil. The contacts cannot open; The Bendix has worn out teeth. This prevents the voltage from the solenoid relay from reaching the starter; The armature bushings or brushes have worn out; Shorted the winding
Multiple clicks occur in succession	The battery is dead. Check, recharge if necessary; The battery terminals are loose or oxidized; The retaining winding does not properly hold the core being pulled in by the retracting winding.
Clicks are completely absent, as are other signs of starter life.	A winding short circuit has occurred. In such situations, a burning smell is clearly observed and smoke appears; The ring in the starter gearbox has collapsed; The key was deformed and damaged. If you replace it, the problem may go away

Bendix

Often, simply disassembling and cleaning the internal components of the starter can eliminate problems with its functionality. Therefore, after removing the device and not finding damaged elements inside it, try to thoroughly clean everything, assemble it and put it back in place. It is likely that the starter will start turning.

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

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.

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.

Unscrew the pair of bolts that hold the relay on the starter, disconnect the core shackle from the upper end of the drive lever;

Install a new solenoid relay in its place, thereby completing the replacement.

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.

How to repair the retractor?

To carry out repairs, the car enthusiast will need to disassemble the mechanism, guided by the following diagram:

first remove the nut holding the wire connecting the lower contact of the retractor with the starter winding;
then the housing is disconnected from the starter (this is easy to do using a regular screwdriver).

The back cover is screwed to the relay body. It needs to be removed (unscrew the bolt) in order to be able to clean the contacts using a needle file. This solves the problem of soot formation.

After disassembling and repairing the mechanism, it is recommended (as they say, “in passing”) to check it for a break or short circuit. To do this, connect an ohmmeter between the bolt that sends voltage to the starter and the control contact (checking the winding) or between the housing and the control contact (checking the coil). If there are no faults, the device should show the following values:

0.75 Ohm for holding coil;
approximately 0.55 Ohm for the pull-in winding.

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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.

Starter performance monitoring sequence

If, when turning the ignition key to the “Start” position, the starter does not show any signs of life, you must perform the following sequence of actions:

1. Measure the voltage at the battery terminals with a multimeter. There must be at least 12 volts to start the engine. If less, you should charge the battery.

2. Next, you need to measure the quality of the vehicle's ground tire. You should check the contacts of the “minus battery” bus - the car body and the “minus battery” bus - the engine body, actually the starter. This is best done by turning on the ignition and measuring the voltage between the battery negative, the metal elements of the engine body and the stripped elements of the engine body. Voltages must be strictly 0.0 Volts. If more, the connection contacts may be broken.

3. Before taking further actions, it is better. In many cars, the engine may be blocked by the immobilizer, which may require key binding. A malfunction of the automatic gearbox components can also introduce a prohibition mode for starting the car.

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.

How to replace the central locking fuse on a VAZ 2110 with your own hands

Great, now let's move on to the step-by-step instructions for replacing the starter relay on a VAZ 2110 with your own hands:

Press the fuse box cover switch and lower it down.
We take a Phillips screwdriver and unscrew the screw securing the latch and pull it out.
Now remove the fuse box from the cover and turn it over
Now we disconnect all the plugs with wires and take out the fuse box.
Using pins, we remove the failed fuse responsible for the cigarette lighter, recall its designation in the R7 diagram and replace it with a new one.
We put everything back together in reverse order.

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.

Old style mounting block

On carburetor VAZ 21099 with a high panel (until 1998), fuse blocks 17.3722 were installed, which looked like this:

Electrical circuit of the old-style block and its pinout:

In order to find the response address of a specific wire in the harnesses, first determine which connector it is in, and then find its number in the block.

Designation of connectors and their contacts of block 17.3722. Designations of relays and fuses of mounting block 17.3722:

Fused circuits:

Relay (indicating factory markings):