How to fix old relays

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Hello everyone, so I got myself a second Z, a 77 280z this time. The PO said it needed a new ignition switch because it wouldn't turn off, but me knowing electrical systems I new something else was the issue. After fixing all the ghetto hotwiring they had done to make it run I traced the issue to the ignition relay. It wasn't opperating, strangely both relays in the housing weren't opperating (one is for key ON and one for key ACC).

 

Taking out the relay and popping the cover will reveal something as shown (didn't take a picture so had to use one I found)

 

The part circled in red is where both relays have wires connect to each other, this is the ground wire and attaches to the metal casing housing the relay.

This will break when you remove the cover.

If you hook a wire to this part and hook it to the battery's negative and then take a wire to the battery positive and touch it too the terminals in the relay that go into the big block thing (that is an electomagnet) you should see and hear the relay pull that thin piece of metal towards the output contact and make a click.

if this happens then you know your relay works, and the issue is with the ground.

To fix this solder a wire to the ground bus (circled in red) and then solder that to the housing of the relay. MAKE SURE IT DOESNT TOUCH ANY OTHER PART OF THE RELAY.

 

Plug the relay back in and enjoy your working relay.

If instead you pop a fuse then your newly soldered in ground is in fact touching a part of the relay electromagnet and shorting, open it up and check your wire.