Does anybody know anything about car alarms?

[Nightwolf]

I got this alarm system for my car (1989 240sx S13 hatch) and I want to install it myself to save some money but I'm still figuring out what goes where (I have a rough idea), but I don't want to do things wrong turn on my car and my car is fried . So I was wondering if anyone here knows how to install car alarms. Here is the alarm and it's specs:Thor Two Way Car Alarm System

Detailed Product Description Features and specifications:1) Jumping code 2-way LCD remote2) FSK technology LCD green backlight and remote vibrator3) Remote arming/disarming 4) Arming reminder5) Engine immobilization6) Remote engine start (optional)7) Auto rearming 8) Automatic door lock / unlock 9) Anti-hijacking 10) Emergency override11) Door open alert12) Mute armed mode 13) Distance range: 800 - 1,500m 14) Valet mode 15) Remote trunk release 16) Real-time clock and personal morning call

Can anyone help me out? (I'll get a diagrame posted later)

Nightwolf

[NCturbo75]

Installing a car alarm is not as easy as you may think. I have been installing them for quite some time now and sometimes they are a pain in the a** to do...especially if you don't have a wiring diagram of the car you are working on. Don't risk messing up your car if you are not competent on doing the install yourself. Pay someone or a shop to do it.

[Nightwolf]

Well I have a Diagram for the alarm and list of wires and their colours as well as where the wires are located. So that'll help, it's just where to put things and what not. How much does is it for a professional to do it?

Nightwolf

[qsiguy]

If you have some decent tools and some mechanical/electrical ability as well as some common sense you can install it. Do you plan on connecting the remote start? That is one feature that could give you some grief. Most of the standard alarm functions can be wired quite easily. Don't be intimidated by the huge mass of wires. You will probably only use about 2/3rds of them at most. Just take them one wire at a time and don't be in a hurry.

Must haves are a good multimeter (with knowledge of how to use it) and some good wiring tools... crimper and stripper. Purchase some good connectors, don't use wire nuts, and if/when you tape up wires, use electrical tape. Can't tell you how many times I've seen duct tape and such on wires in cars.

If I understand you correctly, you already have the wiring list for your particular vehicle, correct? If not I can get it for you.

Here is a link, I just remembered I got it for someone else a while back.http://i78.photobucket.com/alb...X.jpg

As far as getting a shop to do it for you, I'm sure it varies in different places but if someone brings in their own alarm we charge about $80-125 for a standard alarm and with the remote start you'll be looking at about $200+ depending on the vehicle. Many shops won't even install customer supplied equipment.

[NCturbo75]

Well I have a Diagram for the alarm and list of wires and their colours as well as where the wires are located. So that'll help, it's just where to put things and what not. How much does is it for a professional to do it?

Nightwolf

Honestly...if you are able to do the install yourself, do not take your car to a shop to have it hooked up. I'm not bashing on anyone in that field of work, but I have seen my share of shadya** "car audio installers" that do sh*tty work. Just because they work at a shop does not mean they know what they are doing.

[MECP]

Agreed, and if you do take it to a shop, make sure its reputable.

[Nightwolf]

I got a Diagram for the Alarm install



Some of things on here I need a little help with, the 7P wires I don't quite understande, it says it goes with the signal inputs what do I have to do to put them in? There is also a small box that has 2 Green wires, a grey and a black. It says to cut the power supply to the distributor and connect it between the 2 green wires.

[Nightwolf]

Here's a list of pictures of the alarm I got



Don't know where to put this

Don't know where to put this too, it's the little box that connects to the distributor

Can anybody help me out? Some directions would be good , I've figured out where some of the stuff goes... it's the rest Oh and the locks, it's a motor right?

Here's what I have so far

M/wire- Con.to- C/w colour- Location7P- Green- + door pin signal Pos Yellow- Starter Killer Neg White- “Key ON” signal Pos Orange- Brake pedal lamp Pos Blue- - door pin signal Neg Red- Oil sensor signal Pos Black- Park brake signal Neg 3P- Red- 12v- White- Ignition harness Blue- Acc- Blue- Ignition harness Brown- Ign #1- Black/Red -Ignition harness Yellow- Start- Black/White- Ignition harness12P- Purple- Horn/Siren- Red Orange/Bl- White/Bl- Unlock signal - Orange/Blue- Driver’s kick panel Yellow/Bl- Ground (chassis) Orange- White- Lock Signal - Orange/Black- Driver’s kick panel Yellow- Ground (chassis) Brown- L. Turn signal- Brown- R. Turn signal- Green- Trunk Release- N/A Red- Pos Battery- Black- Neg Battery- 3P- G/B- Starter bypass M.- Br/B- Wind. Roll-up - D\G, P\R/W- Steering column harness Bl/B- Hood switch- N/A
Modified by Nightwolf at 9:35 AM 12/18/2006

[NCturbo75]

If you were any closer, I would hook your car up for $30.

[Nightwolf]

Yeah wish I was closer too , oh well. Some pointers and directions would be nice though and very appreciative

[SirSilvia]

take

Yeah wish I was closer too , oh well. Some pointers and directions would be nice though and very appreciative

a road trip, see some new places. That's what I'm doing, the system I want installed have licensed installers in New York, and I live in western PA

[qsiguy]

Looks like this is from China judging from the way the instructions were written. Very confusing.

Lets try and fill in the blanks and make some corrections.

7P:Green: You won't use the Green as it's a pos (+) door input. About the only place you'll find a pos door trigger is on a Ford.

Yellow: is a starter disable output that goes to the little relay with the green wires you were asking about. They state to wire it to the distributor but it's really a starter disable relay. Just cut your crank wire and wire in the two greens. You could wire it to your ignition if you want but if something fails the engine will die. Up to you.

White: If you use the relay for starter kill and not ignition kill then don't wire the white wire to the starter kill relay. Just wire it directly to switched ignition.

Blue: This is the wire you will need to wire to your door switches as your car has negative trigger door switches.

Red: I'd wire this to the tach lead so the alarm will know when the car starts. If you aren't going to connect the remote start features you don't need this wire.

Black: As it says, wire it to a grounding switch from your parking brake. Without seeing the rest of the instructions I have to assume that the remote start might not start unless this wire is grounded.

From your "What I have so Far":7P- Green: You don't need it.

Red- You can try the oil sensor signal but I wire up the tach lead most of the time.

Can't say which wire is which on the door lock without seeing their door lock relay diagram. Looks like you might have it right. It is a negative pulse type so as long as you have the wires right it should work.

Brown(s): you don't need separate left and right turn signal wires connected. I would just wire both of the browns to your parking light wire which is Red/Blue at your headlight switch. The only cars you need separate left and right flashing light wires on are some German vehicles like Mercedes.

3P:Green/Black: Not sure what the "starter bypass module" wire is for without seeing more of the instructions.

Brown/Black: If you are going to wire the windows to roll up this is the trigger wire for that. Most of the time you use a window roll up module and the brown/black wire will just trigger that module.

Blue/Black: this wire connects to a hood switch which you will probably need to add. This wire will probably serve two purposes. First, it will trigger the alarm (when armed) if someone opens the hood. Second, they normally prevent the remote start from activating if the hood is up. That way if you or someone else is working on the car it won't start while your arm is wrapped around the radiator fan or a belt!

The siren obviously goes under the hood, everything else goes in the vehicle. The antenna should go up on the top of the inside of the windshield.

I have to run and this is getting long. Post if you have more questions. Hope this gets you rolling.

[Nightwolf]

Thanks for the info, I also got some questions too.

1. For the 7P White Wire, what do you mean by wire directly to "switched ignition"?

2. Why use the Windows Roll-up? (just out of Curiousity)

3. For the Blue/Black Hood Switch, what do I wire it to?

4. I take it all the wiring if not most is done in the inside of the car?

5. What wire is the crank wire?

6. What colour wire is the Parking Brake Ground wire?

For the Starter Bypass Module I don't know anything about it either, the Diagram that I posted earlier is the only instructions that came with it, that and the diagram for the locks here:

I don't think I have any more questions for the moment but the information is awesome, thanks

For the lock diagram I have it here
Modified by Nightwolf at 10:34 AM 12/20/2006

[qsiguy]

Looks like you got the locks right according to that new diagram you provided.

For the white wire, switched ignition is the wire at your ignition switch that is OFF when key is OFF, ON when key is ON, and ON during cranking as well. It should be a Black/Red wire.

Window roll up is just for rolling up your windows when you arm the alarm. So you just have to park the car and arm the alarm. Doors lock and windows roll up, car is secure. Now if you are asking why use the roll up module...It controls the windows and knows when they are up and shuts off. If you just wire them up to a relay and power then off that roll up wire they will keep trying to go up and will burn up the motors, blow a fuse, etc.

The hood switch wire will need to be connected to a grounding type pin switch you'll need to install. They are quite common. I'm surprised your alarm didn't come with one, most do. The pin switch will need to be mounted so when the hood is closed it pushes down the switch and when it's opened the switch pops up and grounds the Blue/Black wire.

All the wiring will be inside the car except for the tach wire (your instructions say to wrap it around one of your spark plug wires a few times which does work, I've done that before), the siren, and the hood switch wire.

The crank wire is the starter wire. It only has 12 volts while you are cranking. It is Black/White on your vehicle in your ignition switch harness.

I don't know what color the parking brake wire will be on your car. If you pull your console around the parking brake lever it'll be the only wire going to the lever.

The "starter bypass module" is really just a relay. If it were mine I'd just use it to disable the starter motor which is the same wire as the "crank" wire mentioned above. If you want to disable your ignition, fuel, etc. I'd do it another way and not through the alarm. Might be asking for trouble to wire it to that alarm as the car can die while driving if you use it to disable one of those "ON while running" circuits.

[Nightwolf]

[QUOTE=qsiguy]All the wiring will be inside the car except for the tach wire (your instructions say to wrap it around one of your spark plug wires a few times which does work, I've done that before), the siren, and the hood switch wire.QUOTE]

How would I do that exactly? Also there is an Orange wire for the 7P that connects to the Brake pedal lamp Positive signal, I'm guessing it where the warning lights are? Oh the wires that hook up to a 12v battery, that doesn't connect to the Battery it self does it? There is also a Black wire from the relay that is supposed to conect to one of the Green wire from the relay and to the white wire on 7P.

Perhaps when I can do this and it all works I should post a thread on how to install a car alarm

[qsiguy]

"How would I do that exactly?" How would you do what? You quoted a few things to do.

The orange wire at 7P will connected to the Red/Green (+) wire at the brake light switch above your brake pedal. It turns on your brake lights.

Your 12V+ battery connection could be done at the battery but they will often corrode and cause problems. You can wire this wire to the large white wire in your ignition switch harness.

For the starter relay:White: (alarms switched ignition (+) input) wire to the Black/Red wire at your ignition switch harness only. Doesn't need to connect to the starter relay.

The green wire and the black from the relay will go to the key side of your now cut starter wire (red/white) and the other green wire will go to the starter side of the cut red/white starter wire. Here is a diagram redrawn with that info.

[Nightwolf]

I should have benn a bit more specific, sorry . What I meant is how would I attach the red wire(for the tach lead) to the spark plug wires, also which side is the key/starter side of the ignition? (I'm still learning... )

Your information is very helpful thank you , I'll be able to to install in the spring 'cause unfortunatly I don't have a garage so I'll do it when the weather is nice for proper soldering and not freez my butt off... Thank you again!

[qsiguy]

Just run the red lead out under the hood and wrap it around one of your spark plug wires 3-5 times and tape it up with electrical tape. The high voltage will be induced into the red wire and the alarm can see that induced voltage. It can tell the engine is running when it gets a constant pulse through that wire.

For the starter wire here's what you'll have. Find your ignition switch harness, right at the ignition switch usually. You'll have the switched Black/Red ignition wire we've talked about, the White constant 12V+ lead, and the Black/White starter lead, and a few others we don't need except for the remote start if you decide to wire that up.

When you find the Black/white starter lead you are going to pick a spot with plenty of clearance on both sides of it and cut it. Now your car won't crank and therefore won't start. The side of that wire you just cut closest to the key is the ignition switch side and the other side that leads to the starter is the starter side. The power to your starter now passes through the starter disable relay and when the alarm is armed the relay contacts open if someone tries to crank the starter. So while the alarm is armed the car won't crank unless then "hot wire" the starter disable relay or manage to get the alarm disarmed.

[Nightwolf]

So for the spark plugs wires, I just wrap the red wire 3-5 times and tape it. Can I just wrap it or do I have to cut into the Spark plug wire then wrap it?

Here's what I got:

M/colour Con.to C/w colour Location7P -Green + door pin signal Pos (don't need) -Yellow Starter Killer Neg - Relay Grey - Relay -White “Key ON” signal Pos - Black/Red - Ignition harness -Orange Brake pedal lamp Pos - Red/Green(+)-brake light switch -Blue door pin signal Neg - door switches -Red Tach lead - Spark plugWrap 3-5 - Engine -Black Park brake signal Neg - Parking Brake consol-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Relay (Lit. Black Box) -Green1 Crank Wire - Black/White - ignition switch harness -Green2 Crank Wire - Black/White - ignition switch harness -Grey 7P Yellow - Grey - Relay -Black Crank Wire - Black/White - ignition switch harness-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3P -Red 12v - White - Ignition harness -Blue Acc - Blue - Ignition harness -Brown Ign #1 - Black/Red - Ignition harness -Yellow Start - Black/White - Ignition harness------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12P -Purple - Horn/Siren - Red -Orange/Bl (don't need) -White/Bl - Unlock signal - Orange/Blue - Driver’s kick panel -Yellow/Bl - Ground (chassis) -Orange (don't need) -White - Lock Signal - Orange/Black - Driver’s kick panel -Yellow - Ground (chassis) -Brown - L. Turn signal - Red/Blue - headlight switch -Brown - R. Turn signal - Red/Blue - headlight switch -Green - Trunk Release N/A -Red - Pos Battery - 12v large white- ignition switch harness -Black - Neg Battery - 12v large white- ignition switch harness------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3P -Grn/B - Starter bypass M. -Black/White -starter motor- Ignition switch harness -Br/B - Wind. Roll-up - D\G, P\R/W - Steering column harness -Bl/B - Hood switch - N/A - Have to install------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also when hooking up the wires, do you cut all and connect to where they have to go or for some to you have to splice and if so how?

Thanks

[qsiguy]

Looks pretty good except for a couple things.

Just wrap the red wire around the spark plug wire, do not cut into the spark plug wires.

Make sure the black wire on the starter kill relay goes to the side of the black/white wire that goes to the ignition switch or the relay won't work.

You have "-Black - Neg Battery - 12v large white- ignition switch harness". This is incorrect. Just wire the black wire directly to somewhere on the metal frame under the dash which is a good ground. This can be on an existing bolt or by using a self tapping screw into a clean area of the metal. Make sure there is no paint on the area.

The only wire you will be cutting is the black/white starter wire. All the rest you will just "tap into" them. To tap into a wire you can do it one of several ways. You can strip about 1/4" of insulation off the wire and wrap your alarm wire around it and tape it up good or you can solder it after wrapping it (much better). You can also use a connector called a T-Tap that just clamps around the wire using pliars. You then install a male quick disconnect, or "spade" connector on your alarm wire and it will just plug into the T-Tap on the vehicle wire making a connection.

[Nightwolf]

Awesome, thanks so much for the information . I hope I got everything and the next day that has good weather I'll try and hook it up and hopefully everyhing goes well. Oh and where would be a good place tp put the main control unit?

[qsiguy]

Most people just wire tie it up under the driver side of the dash. It's up to you really. Just remember that the better you hide it the harder it will be for the thief to find.

Main things I'd make sure you do it mount it as high as possible under the dash and make sure no wires can hang down and get tangled up with your feet.

[Nightwolf]

Awesome, thanks so much for your help. Hopefully when I install it everything works ok. Thanks again .