Relay - need auto elec opinion

[Zahos]

Hi,

This is not skyline related, but from my wife's 96 holden astra.

There is a 4 pin 5A relay that has shat itself, but I cant find an aftermarket replacement. It is used for the A/C I think, and my question is:

Can I use a relay with a higher current tolerance? Like a 4 pin, 30A relay instead as they are very common.

From my understanding the only reason for this relay being 5A is b/c it is more cost effective for the manufacturer.

Thanks

[hako]

relays arent really used for circuit protection, thats the job of a fuse

i cant see a higher amperage relay causing a problem

[Zahos]

yeah, true, but will it still switch with alower current? I'm guessing it will, as I tested all relays with a 12V, 500mA transformer, and the others all switched.

From the looks of it, I may have to get an original as it has a 555 timer in there too. Pretty weird for an A/C relay....