Well, I stared playing around with my power windows. The set I got came from a convertible, so the driver's side was setup for 4 switches, and part of the harness was missing. No big deal really, but I recently parted out an '87 van with power windows and locks, and today found out the wiring appears to be all the same. At least I rigged it all up (window motors and lock actuators) with the van harness and J-body switches and ran it off the battery of the Belvedere. That all seems to work fine...
The questions I have concern connecting the harness to the car. Just curious if anyone knows of hand (without me digging under the cramped dash) where the power and grounds would connect from the factory. I found that the power windows hot wire is pink, and the ground is black. However for the locks the hot is orange, but there is a relay that has to have it's bracket/casing grounded (for the van harness). That shouldn't be a problem. On the van's fuse box there are numerous "plug-in slots" for accessories where the orange, pink and black wires connected. Well, the Buick's fuse box appears to have a few of the same "slots" where I can plug in the van harness, however it already has power locks, and they aren't plugged into the front of the fuse box. I would probably just remove (leave hanging, more likely) the old power lock wiring, and use the van harness, since the driver's switch isn't getting power.
Not a big concern here, just curious how this would have all gone together from the factory. Wondering if anyone knew or possibly had pix of that area from a car with power windows/locks.
Also, of a little more concern... Is there supposed to be a cover for the fuse box??? Mine has no cover and is not bolted down. It doesn't move around much, but can be moved around some... Doesn't seem to safe/secure...
Hoping maybe I'll have some time tomorrow in the daylight to mess with this. Once I figure out where to hook up the new harness I'll have it made... Kinda sucks that it's getting cold out now... Just as I get the power windows going...
Thanks!!
Geek Squad to the rescue--I have a PW Hawk, I'll take whatever pics you want and send them to ya.
There never was a cover for the fuse box from these years, my old Hawk didn't have one, and neither does this one.
Remember how I once posted that I don't like to jump into threads with postings where I have no idea what I'm talking about...well...
Back in 1984, the shop manuals the mechanics used at the dealerships came in two books--chassis was one, and electrical was the other--yeah, I have both of them. Mine is of the Oldsmobile variety, which has the Firenza, the carbon copy of the Hawk on the inside.
Now since I only kinda-sorta understood what you really wanted, and since these books are a PITA to find anything in (no real index in them), maybe we could set up a time/day you could call me and we may be able to figure out what pages you're wanting. If I can then scan those pages or take pics of those pages and email you, that should get you what you want.
Can't really help, I have power windows, but aftermarked power locks and keyless
My fuse box has no cover either...
I have an '89 z24 that has everything you need. It was wrecked so I am parting it out. The windows and switches still work and it is all factory. I don't need it for my '87 so I'll sell the entire setup with harness, door panels, switches, and center console for $75.
Josh Maloney wrote:I have an '89 z24 that has everything you need. It was wrecked so I am parting it out. The windows and switches still work and it is all factory. I don't need it for my '87 so I'll sell the entire setup with harness, door panels, switches, and center console for $75.
Thanks for the offer, but I think I have everything I need, or at least I know I have everything to make it work. I just would kinda like to hook it up as it would have been, mostly because I didn't want to have wires plugged into the front of the fuse box, but if that's the only way I can do it, it's not a problem...
Wayne, thanks! I may take you up on that manual scan. If I get a chance I might just go dig into it. If I do, I'll try to get some good pix of it as I go along.
My next job will be power trunk release. I "think" I'm missing some wiring there too. So, if anyone can help. Wayne, if you happen to have wiring diagrams for the trunk, locks and windows could you go ahead and email scans? I have a Chiltons or Haynes (can't remember which right now), and it appeared to only have "general" diagrams for second gen cars...
I'll take a look and see if I can understand the book, but because I most likely won't know what it is I'm looking at, I think the phone thing may just be the way to go. I'll try and check tomorrow. I'm too burnt out from redoing my radio and installing rear speakers right now.
Guess what I also happen to have--a power trunk release...need any pics of that?
The thing I always thought was stupid about that release is that you have to have the key turned to power for it to work--not like newer cars where you can use it while the key is in your pocket. A "hot" setup for that might be nice.
I ran my power trunk release off an amplifier that I had wired under the dash. I tried it with both a hot wire and a ingition controlled hot wire and stuck with the hot for convenience sake.
The wiring is pitifully simple. hot to switch, switch to solenoid.
btw, are there different trunk shocks for spoiler equipped cars?
sorry, I should have said hinges...
Paul94Z28 wrote:sorry, I should have said hinges...
Nope. Just adjust the spring tension. You can adjust it under the package tray. On both sides there are rods that end at the hinges and there should be notches that they hook into. You adjust spring tension by moving the rods in different notches.
Is the adjustment needed because the spoiler put enough weight on the trunk making it close too hard or not stay open?
Funny (to me) about that power trunk release thing--I had one for over 10 years with my Grand Am, I don't think I ever used it.
Hmmm... My Malibu has one on the driver's door and the key fob. I use them both. Although for some crazy reason there's no keyhole on the trunk lid. Hope I never need in the trunk when the battery is dead. Although, I guess I could get through the back seat.
I had no idea the J-body trunk release only worked with the key on. Sounds like I'll want to make my own wiring, and possibly mount it closer to the driver's door, not in the glove box... I'm thinking about wiring up the power windows so they're on all the time, not just with the ignition.
Now if I had it on the key fob, I would've used it--nice not to have to fumble with a lock while carrying something to the car.
But I also rarely use my trunk, it remains quite empty most of the time, and if I was getting out of my car and not carrying anything, I just used the key.
I actually added the release in preparation for adding trunk pop to my keyless entry, but other priorities prevailed.
The trunk lid does not go up since the heavier lid is on - my car did not originally come with a spoiler. My hinges may be a little different as it is a convertible. Not sure if I have rods under there at all. I will have to check that out.
See, we all learn
I love this site! I wish you all were closer to MI.
Paul94Z28 wrote:I actually added the release in preparation for adding trunk pop to my keyless entry, but other priorities prevailed.
The trunk lid does not go up since the heavier lid is on - my car did not originally come with a spoiler. My hinges may be a little different as it is a convertible. Not sure if I have rods under there at all. I will have to check that out.
See, we all learn I love this site! I wish you all were closer to MI.
Well, I'm thinking about doing the same thing. Keyless entry with trunk pop. I've even toyed with the idea of using a DEI keyless system, so I can use their window control module. Might still pick one up, since you can use the one touch control even with JUST the window module. I had an alarm/remote start a few years back with the window control and love it. I had it set to where it would wait 60 seconds after the dome light went out, then lock, arm the alarm and roll up the windows if they were down...
I just can't ever find any time to do ANYTHING though with the new baby... Plus, money doesn't seem to be flowing quite like it used to, and the wife is almost begging me to let her cut back on her working hours...
BTW, I was thinking the same thing about y'all being closer the other day while driving home from work in the Buick. I rarely see any first gen J's. It would be nice to see your cars in person, maybe get together and work on each others projects, etc...
Not to sound lazy or anything, but...
If we would have a meeting, we should also get some 2nd gens involved since as you can tell, there really aren't too many of us 1st gens here and those cars are mostly the same as ours, plus it would keep the tuner crowd out (nothing against tuners, but that doesn't appear to be what us guys are about, and those cars are nothing like ours).
The area I live in (Allentown, PA, AKA Lehigh Valley) is within a one-day drive of 35% of the United States population, so somewhere in my area or near it would make the most sense if I didn't know where anyone was from.
Anthony, Motorman (yeah, he's still lurking about, just not logging in much due to having dialup ISP) and myself are close to each other already; but with Michigan and Missouri being "out there", maybe Pittsburgh wouldn't be all bad?
Just throwin' it out there...should we start a "should we meet" thread?
Wayne Schiff wrote:Not to sound lazy or anything, but...
If we would have a meeting, we should also get some 2nd gens involved since as you can tell, there really aren't too many of us 1st gens here and those cars are mostly the same as ours, plus it would keep the tuner crowd out (nothing against tuners, but that doesn't appear to be what us guys are about, and those cars are nothing like ours).
The area I live in (Allentown, PA, AKA Lehigh Valley) is within a one-day drive of 35% of the United States population, so somewhere in my area or near it would make the most sense if I didn't know where anyone was from.
Anthony, Motorman (yeah, he's still lurking about, just not logging in much due to having dialup ISP) and myself are close to each other already; but with Michigan and Missouri being "out there", maybe Pittsburgh wouldn't be all bad?
Just throwin' it out there...should we start a "should we meet" thread?
I'm game for a get together some time. Although the last time I drove to the east coast the crankshaft snapped in West Virginia and without cruise it's hell on your right foot.
