remote starter...again

Ok, so I ran a search on remote starter and got some info but I am still a little confused. I have the factory alarm system and keyless entry, but I want to get an auto start with some specific features: remote start (obviously), window up/down (as an option), kill switch, protection against accidental cranking, and maybe light on/off. Due to my incredible cheapness, I looked on ebay and found some for like $25-$50. Would any of these work? which would you guys recommend? and would i have to purchase extra parts? thanks in advance.

 

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I got mine for $30 from Sams Club It does not have the window up/down option, or the kill switch option, but everything else. Mine is a BullDog, and it has worked perfectly for the past two years that I have had it. Its a universal unit, you can choose which options to hook up, and they have a website where you can go and get a wiring chart telling you what color and function each wire does. I was very impressed with it! No extra parts were needed, but I think you could have purchased extra things to add more options to it, but I don't quite remember. So if you saw them on ebay for $25-$50, I would say go for it. Or you might check and see if the company who made the unit has a website

 

The feature you are looking for normally cost a little over $300. I'd be very skeptical to buy something so cheap. If you could get the manufacturers name and part number you could look up on their web site the features that it has and go from there.

 

I just put one in my 96 from http://www.bulldogsecurity.com/
It was pretty cheap has a lifetime warrenty and easy to install. To make it easier I got their optional T-harness and you'll need their transponder bypass module for our anti theft system.

 

On a 1-10 scale, how hard is it to install something that looks like this....

It's the factory ford remote start and keyless entry system and includes everything needed including detailed instructions. I just dont know if this is something I should try doing. What do you think?

 

Pretty easy really. I guessing you already have power door locks, I'd give it a 4. It is a little time consuming though. If you decide to do it, http://www.bulldogsecurity.com/ has color codes and locations on their website for your model.

 

the tough part is finding all the wires to splice into the first time through

 

right here
http://bulldogsecurity.com/New Wires/New Wires/Wires/explor97-98.htm

 

X24 where did you get that? and the cost?
thanks,

 

There should be no need to splice into the wiring harness with a factory unit. It should come with the correct wiring harness connectors already attached.

 

Well, I see a lot of wires in that pic without connectors. This system is supposed to work on ALL Fords. It's a keyless entry and remote start system. I already have keyless entry so does that make the installation easier or harder? I've had some friends who have tried to install these and failed miserably and said dont even try. Electronics scare me... a lot. Give me a hammer and nails and I can build you a house, but don't make me wire it. Then I see you guys saying that its so simple and I looked at that bulldog wire color sheet and if that's all there is too it as far as connections go, then I really don't see what's so hard. The manual that goes with this system is pretty thick so I think I'm gonna try it. If I can't do it I can have ford install it for me for $100-$150. None of the local shops will touch it.

 

Yes, it is that simple and you don't have to connect every wire. For instance, there is probably one to turn on the dome light, don't want it, don't connect it. Same with the keyless entry, if you already have it don't use that option. But, that ford model looks expensive and you don't need the keyless entry part, why pay for it?

 

I dont need the keyless entry part of it, but I want it. If I dont hook up the keyless entry part of it I'll have to use 2 fobs. I dont want 2 fobs on my key chain.

 

ok so I went to a local dealer and he said i needed some modules for window rollup and any other additional options i would want. What would i get if I just bought the system and installed it, no extra parts? Im thinking of the crimestopper RS-900 VI or the bulldog rs92e. heres the link to the manufacturers sites:

http://www.crimestopper.com/remotestart03.html

http://www.bulldogsecurity.com/starters2.htm

What would i get with each and which would you guys recommend? Thanks.

 

Well, the bulldog one will start and stop your engine and turn on your parking lights. Basic functions, cheap price. In addition, you should get the t-harness and you will need the 718 transponder. Installation time about 45 mins tops.

 

First problem

I have to splice into the heater wires in the ignition harness. The wire color chart that came with it is for a 2001 explorer (mine is a 98) and it says that both heater wires are gray/yellow. Bulldogs website says that one is gray/yellow and the second is black/green. The problem is, I have all three and they all test out the same. Which is right? Maybe I need to use all three? I checked bulldogs website to see what they say for a 2001 explorer and it wasnt the same as my manual for the heater wires. Something is weird with them. I have a feeling its all three but only two need to be spliced. Maybe if I knew what these wires did I would know (I assume they send power to the blower when the ignition is on).

What do you guys think?

 

I don't have a 98 wiring diagram so I don't know for sure but for my 96 I followed the bulldog color code and it worked like a charm.

 

Remote start on a ford, Now here is something i know. Open the steering column and right at the ignition switch is all the wires you need.

Constant 12v power - Yellow or Green/violet (there should be 4)

Starter wire - white/red or red/black

Heater - Grey/yellow ( there is 2 and you may need to power both depending, some work with just one) these wires will go on when you turn the key foward only and shut off while cranking.

Accessory - Black/green (not needed unless you wanna have your radio come on too, extra relays required on some model starters) this wire goes on while the key is turned either backwards or foward and also shuts off while cranking.

Ignition - Can't remeber been a while but use a test light, it's the wire that comes on when you turn the key foward and stays on durring the cranking cycle

Brake - green/red at brake switch, there is only 2 wires and one is constant 12v the other is the one you need

Ford changed wire colors durring the years but this is the latest i remember, it's been about a year and a half since i've been doing remote starts.

easiest way is to tap the wires all at the ignition switch includeing the main power for the unit cuase basically all it is is a relay box that sends power to the porper wires in a sequense.

Transponder, there is several way around it:

1- pry open the door on the keys you got and pull out the little chip, carefull cause it's a small glass vial with a white plastic thing on it. take one of them and hot glue it on the ignition switch. You need to take the key the chip came out of and crank the truck moveing the chip along the ignitionm switch till the truck starts, then just glue it there. VERY IMPORTANT - you must take the chips out of the other keys as wel cause the 2 negate each other and the truck won't start.

2 - much easier, get an extra key made or an uncut unprogramed key (you'll have to program it yourself) and buy a transponder bypass kit. It looks like a small box you open it and put one key in it. it comes with a small loop that you wrap around the ignition switch and plugs into the box. There should be 2 other wires one goes to a wire on the remote start and the other to ground or a 12v feed depending on the unit you use. You can also get one of these boxes that you don't need a key, the box programs to the signal to start the truck.

Keyless entry - there are 2 types that ford uses

Positive lock unlock- uses a single positive pulse to lock and unlock the doors. Easiest way is to pull the door panel of and look at the colors on the lock switch then run wires to them. one for lock one for unlock. Some units require relays to convert the negative pulse to a positive pulse.

Reversed piolarity - litlle complex, requires relays to hook up. involves cutting the lock and unlock wires and hooking inline. if not done right fuses blow constantly. I'd have to draw it to explain, it's kinda tough.

I used a Crimestopper unit in my truck and it works great and comes with crazy options as well as diagrams for keyless entry it the manual. You can pick them up on ebay for 60 bucks. Great unit, and has the most accurate start i've seen in the 5 years of installing them.

 

Thank you very much!!

Couple questions...

I have to use both gray/yellow heater wires. Does it matter which I consider the first and which I consider the second? They don't get hooked up to the same wire from the remote start box.

I'm pretty sure I have the negative type door lock system. When I probed the lock/unlock wires with my test light, it actuated the locks. I think the only thing I need a relay for is the priority driver door unlock. It doesnt come with the kit and I don't have any relays (me and relays just don't understand each other). I guess if I knew what kind I could just go to radioshack and pick one up, right?

Is the airbag circuit negative? I'm so worried that I'm gonna probe the wrong wire and my airbags are gonna blow.

 

well air bag wires should be in a yellow wire loom, so stay away from those, lol

some trucks require both gray/yellow wires to be charged but you'll have to check, easiest way is to peel back a smal section on insulation and juice the wire and see if the heat comes on, if so just put your ACC2 or HEATER wire from your remote start to that one. If you need to charge both, you just need a simple relay. Most remote starts come with an activation wire which you'll put to pin 85 on the relay, then splice a small wire off the ACC2 or HEATER wire from the remote start and put it to pin 86 on the relay. The take a hat 12v lead and put it to pin 30 on the relay. Last pin 87 goes to the second heater wire and your all set. If the remote start doesn't have the activation wire just ground out pin 85.

AS for relays they are actually quite simple little things

pin 85 and 86 are the pins that activate the switch. just puting 12v to one and ground to the other turns the switch on. I personaly always use 85 as the negative and 86 for positive, just so if i have a prob i can trace it back without getting confused. so basically if you have 85 grounded perenitly, every time you add 12v+ to 86 the switch will turn on and vise versa.

Pins 30, 87 and 87A(one 5 pin relays only) consider 30 to be the middle pin in the swicth. 30 can either be connected to 87 or 87a. so when you activate the relay pin 30 and 87 have continuity. When you de activate the relay 30 and 87a have continuity. You will always use pin 30 for a constant 12v+ or ground depending what your doing. generally 87a is used for things like starter kills for alrams and such, pretty much you'll mostly use 87.

as far as the neg lock, you may be right i did mine about 3 year ago so i can't remember, just make sure you use one of those test lights with the LED they are way better. and also make sure that when you test the wire you get the pulse from the appropraite dirrection, like lets say you ground the end of the light and probe a wire and hit lock, it lights, cool, but makes sure with the same wire probed, if you take the light off of the ground and hookit to 12v+ and hit unlock it don't light, cause if it does you may have reversed polarity locks and those suck. that's why the LED test light is the best, cause it lights green for NEG and red for POS, a little easier to use, less confusion.

hope that all helps, let me know how it goes or if you get stuck, i'll see if i can help you out as best i can.