Installing a remote starter

Hey everyone,
I have a 94 Cutlass Supreme SL and I'm really sick of having to get into a cold car with the -20*C Calgary winter weather, so I've decided that come some warm weather I will go out an buy a remote starter / keyless entry.

Now I do quite a bit of DIY work, so I will install this myself, but since I've never installed a remote starter before, I was wondering if there is anything special i should be aware of when buying one. My car has a chipped key so I was also wondering if that would be an issue.

I was thinking of getting something simple like this:
http://www.cardomain.com/item/DEI265B
Which looks like it would do the trick.

Thoughts?

Theres forty some wires to hook up plus if you want the saftety switch so it wont start if the hoods open. Its possible but its up there is suck value similiar to a car alarm. I would honestly pay someone to do this for me.

Its not really about the money.
Im hardcore DIY, and noone gets to mess with my car by me :)
I will probably wait untill the summer or utill its warm enough to do it myself though. I really enjoy doing these things myself, but only when its nice outside.

I looked at pictures of the remote starter and it really doesnt look like 40 wires (which isnt that bad anyway) I really dont see the need for so many. Does it have something to do with the security?

Demon-
I work in the aftermarket industry and it pays to have a little knowledge of your car when doing this. So, being you are a big DIY, you may have an advantage. With a car that has the chipped key, there is a separate passlock interference hookup(to trick the ignition that the correct key with the chip has been inserted). You may also have seperate door lock modules that have to hooked up to operate your door locks. If you are going with a model from Directed electronics, the 561t is a great model with a lot of popular features.

Joesabo, that looks like an add-on unit to me. However, my car does not have a keyless entry or anthing i can use. So Im stuck getting a whole unit. Do mose remote starters require you to buy something else to buypass the chipped key module, or is it a matter of finding what wires to tap into?
EDIT: ALso, would you guys happen to know where I can get DEI stuff (or other good brands) In Canada?

Thanks for all the input.

Joesabo, that looks like an add-on unit to me. However, my car does not have a keyless entry or anthing i can use. So Im stuck getting a whole unit. Do mose remote starters require you to buy something else to buypass the chipped key module, or is it a matter of finding what wires to tap into?
EDIT: ALso, would you guys happen to know where I can get DEI stuff (or other good brands) In Canada?

Thanks for all the input.
The only thing I can tell you on DEI stuff is try doing a search on the web. I sell them but am not really set up to sell on the web.

To bypass the VATS system on your car is real easy. All you need is a simple SMPT relay and the correct resistance. DEI sells what they call VATS packs but you can just get what you need at Radio Shack or simular electronics place. Goto www.bulldogsecurity.com and look up your car's wiring info. I think they even have a diagram to show you how to bypass the VATS.

PS> You won't have 40+ wires to hook up, only 39 :icon16:

You can bypass the chipped key by using relays and resistors. Its kind of a pain but its possible, i did it on a 97 lumina. First thing you have to do is use a DVOM and find the resistance of the chip (the "chip" is actually only a resistor) once you figure out that resistance your going to have to go up to radio shack or anywhere else that sells that kind of stuff and pick up the right combination of resistors to equal the same value that you got from the key, while your there pick up a relay and some solderless connectors to hook the wires up. Next solder that combination of resistors together with a wire coming out of each end and make sure you tape all the bare wires with electrical tape. Now your gonna want to go under your dash and find the wires that are in the orange sleeving (make sure its orange and not yellow as yellow is for airbags and that could be bad!) in that orange sleeving there is either going to be 2 white wires or one purple/white and one white/black. if they are both white it wont matter which one you use for what later on. Now take your relay and resistors, solder one of the wires on the end of the resistors to the 87 terminal on the relay, then the other end of the wire from the resistors to the purple/white wire (or either of the white wires if they are both white) now your going to want to take the white/black wire (or the other white wire) and cut it. Solder the end thats going to the key tumbler to the 87a terminal and the other end to the 30 terminal. Connect a fused constant 12v to the 86 terminal and connect the wire from your remote starter (blue on DEI) to the remaining 85 terminal. Now as long as you got the right value of resistors the car will start when you press the remote start button but ONLY if that button is pressed, so the anti theft part still works. If you have any questions feel free to post or e-mail me.

Thanks highspl. I have a background in electronics so I completely understood that :)
The more research I do the more I begin to picutre how this whole thing will work. I think Im pretty much ready to do the install now.

I was also looking at Bulldog remote starters, which come with a wiring harness which seems me like a great idea to take some of the workload off from stripping and splicing into all those wires.

I will shop around locally and probably do the install sometime this summer.

Thanks everyone.

Thanks highspl. I have a background in electronics so I completely understood that :)
The more research I do the more I begin to picutre how this whole thing will work. I think Im pretty much ready to do the install now.

I was also looking at Bulldog remote starters, which come with a wiring harness which seems me like a great idea to take some of the workload off from stripping and splicing into all those wires.

I will shop around locally and probably do the install sometime this summer.

Thanks everyone.
The T-harnesses aren't that big of a deal. They only contain about 5 wires that you'll use. The rest you'll be going around on the car to find. DEI use to have them but for most cars, it was an expense that wasn't warranted.

I see...
Thanks for that info. Now I wont spend the extra money to get one, or the time looking for them.

You can buy the gm inter face offf the shelf ant best buy which is now in canada . as for bull dog security you can purcashe there products from your local walmart store in the car audio section for like fourtybucks or something CAN $

Awesome,
Do you guys recomment one brand over another, or are they mostly on par with the same feature list?

I personally like DEI but thats just me

Awesome,
Do you guys recomment one brand over another, or are they mostly on par with the same feature list?
Had 2 different customers come in today for me to do installs. They both had Bulldog(one was remote start only, other was with keyless). The first one wouldn't work with the remotes and had no instructions how to rectify it. The other one just kept clicking the parking lights then finally started to smoke.

As you should guess, I do not like Bulldog. I have installed some that worked though.

Also, since I could pick any brand to carry and now carry DEI, I will say DEI is about your best pick. They do have a line called BOA that's priced cheaper than Bulldog but they are only out for the winter so if you want one, better find it soon. They have another called Rattler. It is much better than the BOA line but a little more money. Just remember, it doesn't make sense buying a DIY kit then to pay for someone else to install it. Those that have me install their Bulldog units could have spent less for a better DEI unit through me!

Thanks for the info ponchonutty. I dont mind spending a little more on a quality product especially since i will probably be buying it online.

I have one more question, have you ever seen a remote starter with 3 aux outputs and the lights-flash option? THe reason I need 3 is 1 - Door Locks, 2 - Power Trunk, 3 - I can wire this up to my garage door opener.

ALl the ones Ive seen only have 2, so I would have to probably sacrifice the option for power trunk release.

Thanks again.

Thanks for the info ponchonutty. I dont mind spending a little more on a quality product especially since i will probably be buying it online.

I have one more question, have you ever seen a remote starter with 3 aux outputs and the lights-flash option? THe reason I need 3 is 1 - Door Locks, 2 - Power Trunk, 3 - I can wire this up to my garage door opener.

ALl the ones Ive seen only have 2, so I would have to probably sacrifice the option for power trunk release.

Thanks again.
Any of the DEI's starters that have 4button remotes can work. You'll have to get 3 channel reciever #519h
http://directechs.com/guides/manuals/ig/accessories/N519H_05-01.pdf
What you'll do is hook this up next to your existing opener's reciever and piggyback this on it. Then, program any button on the remote to this new reciever. Most of the time people use the AUX button even though it might be used for trunk pop. The reason is there is a 4 sec. delay for trunk pop but for the opener, it is instant. You can use the remote start button and set your car up for 2 or 3 presses to start. Or you can use any 2 buttons together. See, the 4 button remotes are actually like 11 channel output. You'll just have to press more than one button at a time. The options are almost unlimited.

Also, DEI has started a refurbished line of starters and alarms so you might be able to get a real nice one even cheaper.

You can bypass the chipped key by using relays and resistors. Its kind of a pain but its possible, i did it on a 97 lumina. First thing you have to do is use a DVOM and find the resistance of the chip (the "chip" is actually only a resistor) once you figure out that resistance your going to have to go up to radio shack or anywhere else that sells that kind of stuff and pick up the right combination of resistors to equal the same value that you got from the key, while your there pick up a relay and some solderless connectors to hook the wires up. Next solder that combination of resistors together with a wire coming out of each end and make sure you tape all the bare wires with electrical tape. Now your gonna want to go under your dash and find the wires that are in the orange sleeving (make sure its orange and not yellow as yellow is for airbags and that could be bad!) in that orange sleeving there is either going to be 2 white wires or one purple/white and one white/black. if they are both white it wont matter which one you use for what later on. Now take your relay and resistors, solder one of the wires on the end of the resistors to the 87 terminal on the relay, then the other end of the wire from the resistors to the purple/white wire (or either of the white wires if they are both white) now your going to want to take the white/black wire (or the other white wire) and cut it. Solder the end thats going to the key tumbler to the 87a terminal and the other end to the 30 terminal. Connect a fused constant 12v to the 86 terminal and connect the wire from your remote starter (blue on DEI) to the remaining 85 terminal. Now as long as you got the right value of resistors the car will start when you press the remote start button but ONLY if that button is pressed, so the anti theft part still works. If you have any questions feel free to post or e-mail me.


Your information is very useful. My son's car will not start because of the theft control modual. If I would connect the proper resistance across the wires from the orange sleave, would the car then start, even with out the relays? At this point, give the age and shape of the car, a functioning theft deterent system is not a major a concern. Also can the proper resistance be read from the key with a vom?

Yeah that should do it
You can measure the resistance with an ohm meter, I just did it on mine and it works.

BTW: I got a reading of 520Ohms, a common resistor value.

After installing several Bulldog alarms and remote starters, (including one for myself), I can honestly say, avoid Bulldog like the ebola virus... Their website is good though for most cars wiring schematics.

Hey, sorry to bring up an old topic, but Im finally ready to buy something, and I came accross this:

http://commandocaralarms.com/productdetails.asp?ProductID=496

Has anyone ever had experience with something like this, and what are your oppinions on it?

Thanks.