# Old Ford Truck- Starter Relay

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-ford-truck-starter-relay/2628>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [August 4, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-ford-truck-starter-relay/2628 "2007-08-04T20:30:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kla351](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c4cdca/32.png) [@kla351](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kla351)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-ford-truck-starter-relay/2628/1 "2007-08-04T20:30:16Z")

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Truck is 85 F150, 8 cyl-  
  
 If the starter relay was bad, could I use a jumper wire on on the relay posts in order to start it (then remove the jumper wire) or does the relay sevre another function that would not allow the truck to run once the posts were not jumped or closed?  
  
 Thank you

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**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-ford-truck-starter-relay/2628/2 "2007-08-04T20:36:10Z")

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I had the same problem with one of my cars. I would just bridge the starter relay terminals with a pair of pliers–I would bridge the posts with the handles of the pliers. It would start every time and kept people from wanting to borrow my car. I would tell people that “only wimps use the starter switch inside the car. Real men start their cars under the hood”.

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**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-ford-truck-starter-relay/2628/3 "2007-08-04T20:41:53Z")

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I should add to be certain that your truck in neutral or park, or otherwise out of gear when you start it this way. Real men don’t want to be run over by their own vehicle.

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**Author:** ![kla351](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c4cdca/32.png) [@kla351](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kla351)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2007, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/old-ford-truck-starter-relay/2628/4 "2007-08-04T20:44:05Z")

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Thank you Triedag- that is what I needed to know-  
good tip also on limiting borrowers!