Solenoids don't care about polarity, they just react to the presence of the magnetic field. But running a 12 volt solenoid on 6 volts would be a sometime thing. As you know, cars show a weak battery by chatter from the solenoid as the first symptom. I don't think this would be a reliable way to start the car - as soon as the starter kicked in, the battery voltage would drop to around 4 volts, and I don't think the solenoid would hold in firmly enough to prevent burning the main contacts. Anyway, 6 volt relays are readily available - the problem is in finding one that will fit in the original case. Dick Benjamin -----Original Message----- From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Dave Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 3:41 PM To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: IML: 1953 Custom Imperial Starter Relay Just a thought...Would a 12 volt relay still operate at 6 volts? As to the grounding, I would imagine swapping polarity would make the solenoid travel in the wrong direction...But if you isolate it from the chassis, and keep the polarity correct, it might work in a pinch. This is all assuming that you couldn't get a good 6 volt POS ground relay. David C. Wilker Jr. USAF (RET) "I'm figuring out what's good for me, but only by a process of elimination" ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dick Benjamin" <dickb@xxxxxxxxx> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 3:11 PM Subject: RE: IML: 1953 Custom Imperial Starter Relay >I have been attempting to repair one of these for another member, and I >find > it just about impossible. But, your car is a 6 volt car, so you must > replace it with one from another 6 volt car. Certainly the one from the > 56 > DeSoto will not work, as that is a 12 volt car. > > The actual function of the relay is quite simple, and it could be replaced > with any heavy duty 6 volt starter relay. The problem is to find > something > that can fit in the original can, and so far, I've come up blank. > > Dick Benjamin > > -----Original Message----- > From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Thad Osterdyk > Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 11:28 AM > To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: IML: 1953 Custom Imperial Starter Relay > > I have a 1953 Custom Imperial with the 331. I am looking for a starter > relay. I can't seem to find one anywhere. I have found a couple starter > relays out of a 55 or 56 Desoto with the 331 in it but they look alot > different. Does anyone know if that one will work? Or where I might be > able > to get a new one? Or of someone who can rebuild it? Thanks for the > help-Thad > > > > ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- > This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please > reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be > shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the > Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm > > > > > > > ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- > This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please > reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be > shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the > Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm > > ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm