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E24 Relays

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 pm
by Jays635
Okay I think the time is coming where I need to get a replacement set of relays for my 86 635csi. I tried to pull the number off my relays and found that these numbers do not correspond with the relays available. I have a number of green cased/covered relays (4 -prong) that carry an integrated diode but I cannot figure what is the correct replacement. Can anyone provide me with the correct part number or replacement relay that would work?

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:10 pm
by Chris Wright
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You asked for it .... Brace your self ........



(Updated 01/01/10)

The main relay is a 5 prong relay with 2 terminal 87's. The OEM's have 2 separate internal contacts with a pin 87 and 87b. In these, one terminal could test good and power the fuel pump relay and the injectors, but the other could be bad and not power the ECU. Many of the replacements just have the one internal contact and two pin outs, both labeled 87. Do not confuse the Main relay with the 5 prong Change-over relay (High-Beam, and Blower Select) with pins 87 and 87a (see below)

Main Relay, 5 prong, 3 Main Choices:

OEM BMW (12 63 1 708 646 - 25x25mm case, Double Diode) - $33- Special order from the Dealer, Pelican or BavAuto (OEM $24 from SteveHaygood.com) These units have potting compound to seal the bottom (First one to the left in the photo below).

Audi-VW /Stribel (61361729004* - Larger white case, with ears, difficult to fit under rubber boot, Double Diode) Potted bottom like BMW OEM - $14.87 (AutoHaus) (White middle one in the photo below). (There is a $13.95 look-a-like at BavAuto & Pelican, but it does not have the potted, sealed bottom. might as well buy the cheaper Bosch below that fits better)

Bosch replacement (0 332 014 135 - 25x25mm case, Resistor) - $11.33 (AutoHaus) This unit is unsealed, like the other relays inside the fuse box and is the 25x25mm metal can that fits under the rubber boot. It would be protected in an M6 glove box. (Last one to the right in the photo below. Due to Bosch supercession, replacement units may now have black plastic housing, version 0 332 019 109, instead of this metal version.)
_______________

(There is also:)

Hella (12631708646 - Black case, No ears, Double Diode) Don't know if unit is sealed or not - $13.08 AutoHaus (not shown)

There is also the Bosch (0 332 014 112) which will work in a pinch, but it does not have a suppression resistor/diode across the coil, so it will wear the ignition key contacts faster - $11 at AutoHaus. (This info may be wrong, AutoHaus shows this relay with a diode on terminal 86)

Fuel pump, O2 and other 4 prong Relays**:

( K1, K2, (K4- '83-'87), K5, K6, K7, K8, K9, and Start Relay. The OEM Green ones - 61 31 1 373 585/ended - 61 31 1 378 297, no longer seem to be available):

Bosch 0 332 014 406 - $9.95 (BavAuto) This is the 25x25mm metal can relay that looks like the one on the right below. It fits under the rubber boot on the outside of the fuse box, and is the same size as the original green relays. I'd match it to the OEM green ones with a bit of paint and these would be my first choice, but ....

There is also the cheaper ($7 AutoHaus), and easier to find (even locally) Bosch 0 332 019 456 - (Same size and style with ears as the White one below, but Orange case) - it is a slightly larger case then the OEM Green ones, with several lugs sticking out that will just barley fit in the fuse box and work, but looks out of place with the other stock relays. This wouldn't be a problem under the dash in an M6.

Image

High-Beam Headlamp (K3), and Blower Select relay in the Center Console:
5 prong change over relay (output changes between pins 87 and 87a as relay operates) - Bosch 0 332 204 401 - Also a 25x25mm metal can, usually with a purple strip across the top. (Do not confuse it with the 5 prong Main Relay, See above)

The photo shows the same 3 Main relays, the OEM BMW, the Audi-VW /Stribel, and the Bosch 135, turned to show all of the sides:
_______________

<img src="http://bigcoupe.com/ims/pic.php?u=21GvpX2&i=341" border="1">

______________________________
For a more comprehensive listing of the relays, and why the relays need suppression resistor/diodes, the BCG Tech library: http://www.normgrills.net/bcg/Electrica ... ical-47857

** Cross References (unverified) for the Bosch 0 332 014 406 = Valvar /230006; - Hella /4 RA 003 205 00; - Stribel /SR 9875; - Wehrle Kirchzarten /21 201 12 V
* (This number at Pelican brings up a BMW Mototronic 5 prong for the e34 5 Series and a list of 3 Series it is used in, but I don't believe it is potted, $18.25).

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 7:33 pm
by Brucey
BTW it is possible to 'pot' your own relay if you wish. I repaired my relay by cleaning the contacts and making sure both poles came in at the same time, then used epoxy resin to repot the base. Its been good fror nearly three years now.

I daresay you could do the same thing with a new relay if required.

cheers

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 6:17 am
by World-Class6
this thread is very informative- thanks Chris! 8)

I recently asked my mechanic to place a Dinan Chip on my 85 M635- after Dinan Chip was replaced, I found out from P.O M635 already had a Dinan Chip and mechanic failed to observe the differences. :roll:

Now I have an extra euro spec Dinan Chip I will be selling at some point. The M635 recently started jerking, hesitating and loosing power while driving- it litterally turns off and is making a clicking noise in the glove box at the relays- There wasn't a problem before for the first 250 miles until the Dinan Chip was replaced with another Dinan Chip :-k

I will replace the Main 5 prong relay(Bosch) with BMW OEM inside the glove box as well as the 4 prong BMW OEM relay inside the glove compartment. I am hoping this will do the trick, if not I will check the other relays in the fuse box areas at the engine bay. I will be upgrading my existing Main relay numbered 0332014112 to 135 or BMW OEM.

I definitely educated myself on relays for sure- I see a relay nightmare coming tonight :shock:

I've attached pictures of what two of the relays look like inside glovebox on the M635- the 4 prong looks like it has some dark edges- perhaps this one is no good.

Pictures have been retaken and resized.

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 5:21 pm
by Chris Wright
privileged6 wrote: I will replace the Main 5 prong relay(Bosch) ..... I will be upgrading my existing Main relay numbered 0332014112 to 135 or BMW OEM.
Actually the white Audi-VW /Stribel (61361729004) would be my first choice, it has the potted bottom, only has one contact so it is easier to test in the car, it is only $15 and can be found locally. The Bosch 135 would be next, especially if I already had an order going to AUtoHaus. I've kind of gone off of the OEM relay, here is why.

My car had the white Stribel relay as pictured above (center) and I had a Bosch 135 (right) as a spare in the trunk. I gave a friend my Boxch spare to get him going and ordered a new OEM BMW (left), The OEM BMW relay sat for many months in the trunk until I got around to installing the new relay and pulling the old one out while it was still working to keep as a spare in the trunk.

I immediately started having intermittent starting problems. Sometimes it would start normal, others not until the second or third try or sometimes not until I got out and pulled and reinstalled the main relay. So I took some contact cleaner and cleaned up the relay holder and relay prongs, but it didn't help. I put the old Stribel back in and it has started first time every time since then! It appears that the new OEM BMW relay was bad out of the bag.

Relays-

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 6:32 pm
by World-Class6
Yikes- guess it's a bit too late for me as I went to the nearest dealership here in Berkeley this morning. I've attached some pictures- If you have spectacles, this would be the time to put them on, as pictures are blurry :roll:

Relays from left to right:

BMW OEM main metal 5 prong goes inside glove box on M635 at a cost $46.59 and does have the gel coating.

BMW OEM white 5 prong main relay is for engine bay area- bought as spare $27.19

Tyco Electronics Blue 4 prong relay is for glove box area $18.28

I'm not reinventing the wheel, as Chris and other links have done a phenomenal job in describing details, so this is just for fun. 8)

Re: Relays-

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 8:27 pm
by Chris Wright
privileged6 wrote:Yikes- guess it's a bit too late for me as I went to the nearest dealership here in Berkeley this morning.
Chances are that the relay will be good, but just keep it in mind.
BMW OEM white 5 prong main relay is for engine bay area- bought as spare $27.19
What is this relay for? What does the diagram on the side show (like the third row down on my photo above)?
Tyco Electronics Blue 4 prong relay is for glove box area $18.28
Does the blue relay show a diode/resistor across the relay coil on its diagram?
I'm not reinventing the wheel, as Chris and other links have done a phenomenal job in describing details, so this is just for fun. 8)
Always looking for more info for sources to add to the post. 8)

Re: Relays-

Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 5:23 am
by World-Class6
Chris Wright wrote:
privileged6 wrote:Yikes- guess it's a bit too late for me as I went to the nearest dealership here in Berkeley this morning.
Chances are that the relay will be good, but just keep it in mind.
BMW OEM white 5 prong main relay is for engine bay area- bought as spare $27.19
What is this relay for? What does the diagram on the side show (like the third row down on my photo above)?
Tyco Electronics Blue 4 prong relay is for glove box area $18.28
Does the blue relay show a diode/resistor across the relay coil on its diagram?
I'm not reinventing the wheel, as Chris and other links have done a phenomenal job in describing details, so this is just for fun. 8)
Always looking for more info for sources to add to the post. 8)
See pictures with more clarity on all three relays- I've replaced the main metal relay along with the blue and M is still shutting off while driving :-k . My new mechanic really did me a good one this time :shock:

The 5 Prong white relay 61 1 31 373 585 is for the headlamps :|

Re: Relays-

Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 8:11 pm
by Chris Wright
privileged6 wrote:See pictures with more clarity on all three relays-
Ok, now I see. These are functionally equivalent with the correct diodes/resistors, etc. and should work fine.
The 5 Prong white relay 61 1 31 373 585 is for the headlamps :|
The headlamp high beam relay is a 5 prong relay, but is is a changeover relay, where the output switches from one prong to another. The diagram on the one you have clearly shows that it is a Main relay.

The White, 5 prong is part number 12 63 1 729 004 (it is marked on the side) and is mentioned at the bottom of the post on relays above:
" * (This number at Pelican brings up a BMW Mototronic 5 prong for the e34 5 Series and a list of 3 Series it is used in, but I don't believe it is potted, $18.25)."
If you look at the diagram on the relay it is virtually the same as the Audi-VW /Stribel relay and the Main relay. It makes for a perfect spare main relay.
I've replaced the main metal relay along with the blue and M is still shutting off while driving :-k . My new mechanic really did me a good one this time :shock:
We'll need to go back to the basics and rethink what the cause could be. :-k

relay redux

Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 3:29 am
by bhmf
My right turn signal works intermittently. The bulbs are good, and all the connections appear to be sound, so I'm left thinking it's the relay. The only problem is I'm not really sure where it is! Help.

Re: relay redux

Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 3:50 am
by World-Class6
bhmf wrote:My right turn signal works intermittently. The bulbs are good, and all the connections appear to be sound, so I'm left thinking it's the relay. The only problem is I'm not really sure where it is! Help.
Relay is a 3 prong under the dash, just left of the steering wheel on LH vehicles if I'm not mistaken. Remove the lower plastic cover with 2 long screws by steering wheel and one short screw past the adjustment lever, you will see the turn signal relay towards the back-end of a short bundle of wires coming from the turn signal stalk.

Let us know your findings 8)

Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 6:52 pm
by bhmf
I'm thinking of putting quick release connectors on these dash panels! Thanks a bunch.

Re: relay redux

Posted: Fri May 27, 2011 4:22 am
by Chris Wright
bhmf wrote:My right turn signal works intermittently. The bulbs are good, and all the connections appear to be sound, so I'm left thinking it's the relay. The only problem is I'm not really sure where it is! Help.
Before you get a new flasher, try using a bit of WD40 in around the edges of the Hazard Warning button and work it in/out a bit to see if that helps. The turn signals go through the Hazard Warning switch and won't work unless it is plugged in and working.

If it is the flasher, BMW wants $42 for this flasher! :shock:

I took a bad turn signal flasher in last year to my local independent Import Auto Parts store, and the owner took one look at the pin numbers on the bottom (31, 49, 49a) and informed me that it was a standard Bosch flasher configuration and gave me one used on the VW ($6). The case was a slightly different size but fit fine under the column and works fine. (The e12 based cars I believe have a 4 pin flasher and are different)

AutoHaus doesn't show a flasher in it's menu driven listings, but if you do a parts search for the flasher (61311371907) it cross-references to this:

Meyle/Wehrle ($5.95)
Hazard Warning Relay; Flasher/Turn Signal with 3 Prong Connector
Image

Posted: Fri May 27, 2011 7:19 pm
by bhmf
Good to know. The warning flashers work on four corners. I'll try a new flasher relay this weekend. Thanks.

Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 5:26 am
by Chris Wright
bhmf wrote:Good to know. The warning flashers work on four corners. I'll try a new flasher relay this weekend. Thanks.
If all 4 turn signals are working correctly when you push in the hazard warning button, then it is not the flasher relay that is bad (the relay is common to both systems), nor is it the bulb sockets or the grounds.

Unfortunately, that points to the Turn Signal Switch itself as being intermittent.

(What year is your car? Maybe the car info in a signature?)

Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 3:47 pm
by bhmf
I missed your reply...yesterday I put in a new relay and as you state, it did not fix the problem which led me to believe the stalk is at fault. Wish I noticed your response before...cause now the OBC resets each time I shut the car off, which probably means it's power is being shut off when I turn off the ignition. Balls. What could I have done that would cause this?

Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 4:03 pm
by bhmf
It's an 86. $270 for a stalk! Back to hand signals.

Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 6:44 pm
by Brucey
BMW are masters of 'parts bin engineering'. Now is time to see if you can benefit from this.

A quick trawl of 6er stalk switches showed that most of the likely part numbers are also fitted to various E30 and E28 models.

Time to raid the scrappies, methinks.....

If you enter your chassis number into realoem (or other online ETK) then get the part number as fitted to your vehicle, and then see what other vehicles that part number is also used on. IIRC there is a tool to help you do this.

Alternatively take your old one along to the breakers and match it up that way.

If you are successful I think it will lower the cost by about 90% and stop your from freezing your hands when the weather turns bad!

Good luck

cheers

Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 11:06 pm
by 7thtolast
this was good information..... but i still cannot locate this relay for, correct me if I'm wrong...the primary fuel pump (external)!

oh....this is on an 88 M6!

http://www.nextdayauto.com/1988-bmw-m6- ... 25671.html

Re: E24 Relays

Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:21 am
by jbmike
Novice question - how do I bench test a fuel pump relay?

Relay posts are labeled
87
85
86
30

Thanks in advance.

Mike

Re: E24 Relays

Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2021 4:36 am
by hornhospital
85 and 86 are the coil power connections, 30 is the 12v supply and 87 is the feed to the pump. 12v across 85 to 86 will pull in the solenoid, closing the circuit from 30 to 87, powering the fuel pump.

BMW E24 Main Relay - Narva 68024BL

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2022 12:58 pm
by TimU
The Narva 68024BL appears to be a suitable Main Relay replacement as well.
It's not sealed, and is not diode protected (resistor only), but it looks like it has the correct pin-out.

I'm not sure how globally available the Narva brand is, but they are very common here in Australia.
AU$10-$15 in most auto shops.
Main Relay - Narva 68028BL.jpg
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Re: E24 Relays

Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2022 6:34 am
by TimU
I came across these other two option at my local auto store today.

Tridon TR016PAC - Dual Contact No Resistor
Tridon TR018PAC - Dual Contact WITH Resistor
IMG_20220604_123222~2.jpg
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IMG_20220604_123210~2.jpg
IMG_20220604_123210~2.jpg (683.22 KiB) Viewed 4554 times

Re: E24 Relays

Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2022 10:39 pm
by RossDinan6
You want the one on the right. The left would not be connected to sensitive electronics. The bottom little rectangle on the schematic is likely a suppression resistor since it is not a symbol for a diode.

When the magnetic field created by the relay coil collapses when the circuit is turned off it sends a reverse polarity pulse of voltage into the circuit potentially damaging the electronics. A resistor or diode suppresses this to protect the electronics.

Re: E24 Relays

Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2022 10:50 pm
by TimU
Good to know, thanks Ross!