Hey all, I just picked up a remote starter- and for some reason instead of a tach input it wants 12v+ to see when the engine has started, suggestions? its getting dark out...

Better yet - where inside the car might I find an output from the oil pressure switch, or the control for the alternator dummy light?

... sorry - in mad rush here - 1997 4 door, 2.2 automatic

3:00 and its getting dark..???
anyways, u can get 12V when the cars is running from something that has accessory power. Like you could use a fuse tap on the wiper fuse or, since its a remote start, you could tap the accessory wire in the column. IDK what color it is though.

-Seth

it was more like 8:00 - not 3:00... (is there a place to specify my time zone here?)

Anyways, using an accessory will not work for the source for this 12V - the starter will initialize (allow fuel pump to prime) and then see the 12V and think the car is running and not even try to start - it needs something that comes on ONLY when then engine is running... it is looking more and more like I will have to find the alternator dummy light on the instrument cluster and use a relay to get what I am looking for.

any other suggestions?

use the wires form the column...best way...take a meter to um off the key

what kind of remote start is that

Some remote starters have different setups one is called voltage threshold checking and the other is the generic tach signal. If this one has voltage checking it may also have the option of tach signal ie viper, ungo most DEI products. If it doesn't it simply means that when the line detects a rapid change in voltage ie 12V to 14.4V it reads that the vehicle has started and shuts down the starter line. Its not quite as clean a cut off as a tach signal meaning it may drag the starter but it will work. I have never seen a remote starter that requires a 12v signal after the car is started, and if there is let me know cuz thats just a pain in the A#$.

This is one of those alarms off e-bay that features an LCD remote as well as a un-arm/un-lock feature that happens automatically when you approach the car.

In the manual for the unit it says it is looking for a signal that is normally grounded until the engine is running. Yes this does sound like a pain in the ass... the more I think of it the more I am pretty sure I should be using a relay running off the alternator or oil pressure dummy-lights on the cluster. Using a relay would allow me to supply a normally grounded signal and the 12V+ signal both - this is assuming the output from the computer that runs the light is enough to run both the light and a relay...

Try the tach wire the white one on the coil pack it sounds like thats what they are tryin to get at anyway

Dewie Barber wrote:
In the manual for the unit it says it is looking for a signal that is normally grounded until the engine is running. Yes this does sound like a pain in the ass... the more I think of it the more I am pretty sure I should be using a relay running off the alternator or oil pressure dummy-lights on the cluster. Using a relay would allow me to supply a normally grounded signal and the 12V+ signal both - this is assuming the output from the computer that runs the light is enough to run both the light and a relay...

What are you talking about? Just use the ACC wire. Won't the idiot lights come on in ACC anyways? There is no wire off the key switch that will show 12V when the car is running only. Something isn't correct there.....You probally need either the ACC wire or true Ignition.

The ACC wire will show 12V when the car is running. As for the tach input, it will be more accurate, like Evan said, but it is one more wire to hook up. You can try voltage sense, and if you do, you do not need that tach wire so you can ace it.

Hope this helps!

Sam


Ban low-performance cars, not high-performance ones.

I posted this awhile back man, this should help you out.

Ok folks,

this is Remote start #18... every unit I have installed thus far has used the tach signal wire to detect when the engine is running thus it stops trying to start the engine. This unit however does not use the AC (Alternating current) signal that the tach puts out - it is looking for a hot 12V signal that is on ONLY when the engine is running. No I am not crazy, no I am not stupid.

I will attatch a link to a scan from the only (Crappy ass) wiring diagram that came with this alarm.

I have determined that in order to do what I need to do I will need to access the alternator or low oil-pressure lights on the instrument cluster. I will use this light to run a Relay - when the light is on (engine is not running) it will supply the remote start unit with a ground signal - when the light is off it will supply the unit with a 12V+ signal.

If this does not make sence to you please look up how relays work.




So in short - does ANYONE know what wires I can tap into that feed the alternator and/or oil pressure lights on the instrument cluster? having someone give me a wire color would greatly reduce the time it is going to take me to probe every bloody pin on the back of the cluster.

ughhh - just went and tore my cluster apart - it appears the cluster is driven off a serial interface- and all the little lights inside are LEDs integrated into the back of the unit.... sooo... not sure what I can use now...

Does anyone out there have a COMPLETE wiring diagram for these cars?

Update:

it seems the alternator only outputs a 5V+ signal - not enough to trip the relay. Next and last idea was the oil pressure switch. The oil pressure switch goes to ground so I was able to use it to actuate a relay which supplied 12V+ to the unit when the engine was running - however the engine only cranked, started - then immediately shut-off.... hmm - so I opted to perform a search on Google again for the model number of the alarm - While 2 nights ago there were no results there are now several results for my alarm - all for auctions that are currently going. Turns out in some of these other auctions they make mention that "The remote starter senses the engine starting by one of two methods, either ignition tach signal, or voltage sensing of the charging system or oil pressure indicator system. "

This would have been nice to know earlier...

I have tried attatching the wire to the tach signal wire (purple/white as mentioned above) and I am having the same results - the car cranks, starts, then shuts off... what a pain in the ass..

Suggestions?

Dewie,

After you remote start the car and it stalls, does the "theft" light come on in the cluster? Also, you do need a bypass for our cars. Do you have one? I saw no mention of one in any of the information and that could very well be your problem.

As for relays, they operate off current, not voltage.

"Update:

it seems the alternator only outputs a 5V+ signal - not enough to trip the relay."

A standard SPDT relay needs 200mA to operate, regardless of voltage. So 5V or 12V or anything in between would trip the relay if it had 200mA.

I honestly think you are thinking WAY too hard as to pull the cluster out. There is really no need to do something so drastic. At least not on a remote start. I was able to get all my wires (Viper 791XP) off the steering column or down in the DKP.

What I would do is hook up the tach wire and check all your connections at the passlock wires. That is most likely your problem. Just double check everything! I am always online to help out, contact info in profile.

Sam


Ban low-performance cars, not high-performance ones.

you need the 556lw interface that dei makes to make it work!












GOT ECOTEC?

Hey,

Sam - thanks for the info there - I wondered about the passkey etc as it looked like previous remote start unit (that had been hacked out) had one. In my browsing around the internet I have found some conflicting information as to wether I needed this module - most that say I do say to measure the resistance of yadda yadda yadda - I will be the first to admit I have limited knowledge of they bypass modules as I have installed only one in a '01 Ford Taurus - everything else I have installed units in has been an older car.

Another that led me to believe that I didn't need the unit was that the key has no type of chip or anything in it. The rubber is gone off my master key and there is most definatly no chip in the key like I can recall seeing on the newer GMs. If someone wouldn't mind taking a minute to explain how this works that'd be great.

In looking up the 555LW interface I see where it automatically learns whatever resistance values it needs - wonder if I can find one of these locally....

Thanks for the help thus far,

- Dewie

Dewie,

Yes, you need that 556LW module. There is a resistor hidden in the lock cylinder that, when you turn a key in it, it sends the R-Code (the resistance) to the computer. Without this R-Code, the car will NOT start. There is a way to bypass the R-Code without the module using relays, but the module is fail-safe. If you use actual resistors, they tend to burn out and you have to change them every-so-often. The module can be found at any audio shop, Circuit City, Best Buy, mom-and-pops shops, ect ect. If you look on the bottom of the tech sheet Corcica Dude posted, it says you have Passlock 1 and need the bypass. They are usually $30.

Sam


Ban low-performance cars, not high-performance ones.