How long should I hear the capacitor hum after I shut down the engine?

Thanks,

John

 

5-15 seconds.

 

Yeah that is about what I figured. So if you hear the whine for 20 minutes what would that mean (besides a dying battery)? Failing ignition switch maybe?

 

Isit like a weeeeeeee kinda sound, really high pitch and soft?

 

John,

The ICU or ignition control unit is powered by the delayed action relay which is turned on when the key is in the second position just before you start the car. It's the relay in the picture that turns the ICU on. It's the on the drivers side wall in the back next to the ICU box. From my schematic the "S" terminal is going to the ignition lock where the key is for the switched 12v so I assume the delay is within the relay, hence the name "delayed action relay". If this is the whole reason for the delay then the relay might be bad. You could pull it out and check with a volt meter that the 12v is gone when the key is out. If the whinning continues then the relay is bad. There around $45 from Pelican parts. Hope this helps,

Brent

 

Actually that is a 5 not an S, but good advice.

 

Thanks Brent, good info I will check that out. This might also explain why my engine died when I hit a bump yesterday.


Sameer, that is the sound. It comes from the drivers side of the engine bay (where the ignition is mounted on the engine bay wall)

 

jhunt,
thanks, i've always wondered what it was.

 

John,

Sounds like this relay is an issue and hope it isn't more than one problem. One it stays on too long and when you hit a bump it's possible the ignition got cut? Seems like two different scenarios but it's usually just one problem.