newbie needs relay testing help?

could someone please help me to test this relay...i have terminals 30,85,86,87,87a....if i manualy close the relay with my finger the devise works....im unsure what wire is the trigger and how to check it...i suspect it i fine as i also have a new one that does not cure the prob

thank you for any help  

what do you mean 12v between 85 and 86...does that mean + to one and - to the other

with the ign on in the car all terminal are 12+ apart from87a and 87....should 87 power up

sorry if this is annoying for a pro ,but i cant figre it 

you just have to know how a relay works, if you apply 12 V to a coil of wire it creates a magnetic field, by creating the magnetic field in a relay a small metal contact becomes attracted to it, therefore it moves, this piece of metal is attatched to pin 30, the 2 ends of the coil are pins 85 and 86. the metal tab that is attatched to pin 30 rests normally at pin 87a, when it moves because of the magnetic field it goes to pin 87. think of it as a switch (between 30 and 87) but instead of using your finger to control it you use voltage on the coil (85 and 86). So if you attach 12V (positive to one terminal, negative to the other), it will move that matal contact and you will hear a 'click'.

hope that helps

ok i tested as in xetmes explanation...... nothing at term 87 on my old and brand new relay....everything else is as it should be.....am i safe to assume theyre both dud

thanks for the help

i have 12v at pin 30....when i turn the ign on everything except 87 and 87a goes live.....if i manualy close the relay then 87 goes live 12v and my abs pump works

thanks for helping