GP Relay

[Ottoparts]

Does the GP relay usually give a notice before it goes out, or does it just stop working?
I have not had a single problem with the GP relay while owning this truck. but the other day I notice that it was not working.I tried it again the next day, same deal. I no longer hear the "whine" that it usually makes.
Just curious.
or is there something else I should be looking for?

 

[plywood]

Mine wines sometimes and not others.

You can test the solenoid by measuring voltage across the big terminals of the solenoid.

Should be battery voltage when the solenoid is off, and it should be near zero when the solenoid is on (GPs are on).

 

[Agnem]

The good (Motorcraft) relays have a disc in them. The disc turns as it is used, so a different contact surface is available with each use. After it has spun around a few times, it could land on a pitted spot that may not conduct so well. The cheap (Autozone... Advance... what have you) relays have a bar with a single set of contacts. You get far fewer actuations out of one of those before it starts to go bad. So yes, it could become intermittent with a good relay. A cheap relay will generally just go bad.

 

[Ottoparts]

So I went out to test everything and the truck was dead. Batteries were dead.
Will a bad GP relay cause a drain on the batteries?

 

[Goofyexponent]

The good (Motorcraft) relays have a disc in them. The disc turns as it is used, so a different contact surface is available with each use.

THAT is something I did not know! I will have to remember that next time I go shopping....