Relay 30 Dry Joint - Problem Solved?

[galaxy-one]

This is a question (for all those in the know about auto electrics) and also a possible suggestion for those who need a quick temporary fix for the annoying relay 30 dry joint problem on the Galaxy (all depends on which joints are affected in your particular case).

 

I have a 1999 V reg (Mk.1 - I think, vagcom under ashtray holder, and an old style grill). The car developed the same problems described in many different posts on this and other sites.

 

So using information from grahamm and sniper's posts on Relay 30 Replacement I managed to get relay 30 out and took it apart (quite easily for those that are newbies like me and afraid to give it a go).

 

Now, I needed a quick fix as the wife had to go do the school run. When opened I found the dry joint (yellow arrow).

 

As I did not have time to resolder the dry joint, and as the soldering area was only used to connect two parts of the relay together, I thought (as a quick temporary fix) I'd just make the same connection on the other side of the pcb using a wire.

 

Fix pic 1

 

Fix pic 2

 

Now, this was supposed to be a "temporary fix" just to get the car going, however, this temporary fix has lasted a couple of weeks now and the car has been starting/runing without any problems.

 

The questions I have to the auto electric people out there are:

 

1) Is this safe?

 

2) Could it be doing any damage to other parts (as the resistance provided by the wire connection are different to those provided by a soldered joint)?

 

Any help you can provide would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Giz

 

Btw, if you can't see the pic I have also uploaded them at imageshack:

 

Dry joint: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/6615/fordgalaxyrelay30prob.png

Fix (pic1): http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5296/fordgalaxyrelay30fix1.png

Fix (pic2): http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/747/fordgalaxyrelay30fix2.png

Edited November 4, 2010 by galaxy-one