My (slow) RKE conversion

[JAMCAR223]

Christmas is over so back to a new theory & back to project. Might of came up with a way to may the RKE delay work & it'll have to be tied into the factory light delay dimmer. This comes off a guess that the solid state part of the Chevy W-body headlight switch is a integral delay dimmer module. It uses circuit #'s 39 &156 but uses Circuit 2 inplace of 40 & this is where Circuit 49 (the blue wire) goes to fron the RKE module & door switches. Now here's how the theory going. With out replacing the white 156/900 wires I plan to tie the blue 49 wire to the 15/900 section that's currently dead headed since it's not used with factory delay dimmers but in non-delay dimmer cars. This should tie in the RKE delay so the feature should work when using the remote. One thing still haven't figured out is what the job of the circuit 39 wire to the RKE module is for as it is not included with module in the interior lighting diagrams.

Still hopeful you will find a way to make it work. Thanks for sticking with this 👍

 

[pagrunt]

Since I had the time & was near it, I stopped in at the one local stealership's service department to try to ask some info on the W-body light switch & to see if my guess was correct. It was usless, all the desk jockey went on about was about the tech who would know gets paid by the job order, it'll cost shop rate to look at it, yada, yada, yada... I had to explain my theory & wanted to know if what I was thinking was on the right track. Told him I had the manuals, had everything functioning as designed, explained it didn't need a BCM just wanted to try to get the light feature. End result, he was usless & didn't understand the work being done.

 

[pagrunt]

Still working on how to get the light delay to work with plus now trying to plan out how to get the horn to beep when locking & get the exterior lights to flash/work on a time delay too. Horn should be simple, a relay off the RKE module lock wire then a horn. Thinking a simular set up for the exterior lights but would like a slight delay. Any ideas just chime in.

 

[pagrunt]

Had some time after a family event this afternoon so I dug back into this some more. Looked at what else I still need to change which isn't much. Checked out the salvage wire to see I still need to order more correct gauge wires. Finally located my power lead jumper for the fuse box to junction block to see the donor car had a over heating issue at the fuse box & slightly melted the lock tab off. More of a reason to order a American Wire fuse box tap set. Then went to the trunk release to harness since it'll be tied in. That'll now have the pink power wire swapped for a orange to plug into fuse box BATT tap. I have everything to make it but ran out of daylight. This was a change I wanted to do since you have to have the key on to pop the trunk & would like to be able to do so at anytime. Nothing exciting but it was something.

 

[pagrunt]

I made the new power lead for the trunk release but found out the hard way I ordered the wrong width male pack con terminal years back (wrong for this application). It crimped perfectly (a sign it was going to be the wrong one), slid it in the housing & it was like throwing a hotdog down a hallway. Since I need to order an American Autowire ATO fuse box power tap set for the one housing, I'll have to wait for that to come in to have everything needed to finish it. Still will need more on inventory so I'll have to double check p/n's & widths to ensure I get the right ones. But atleast the switch side is done.

 

[pagrunt]

Have an update on wire function with the light green that powers off the W body gear range switch. It can be used in our cars but it'll need the CCC neutral safety/back up switch. It would be using the terminal blades for the CCC harness plug (orange/black #434 & black/white #450). If your computer was already removed, repin it with a light green & run that orange/black to battery hot orange wire. It'll allow the remote trunk release to work in park or neutral.

 

[pagrunt]

With what little work I've done on anything other than yard runs for parts I'm trying to get back into everything. Did get some connectors to make the harness but I'm starting to question the location I want to place the module itself. Originally the plan was under the rear shelf but all that metal might reduce the distance it'll pick up the fob signal. Now if I wonder if under the dash on the heat-A/C module side would be better as it'll be under plastic & foam instead of the metal shelf. OE location in the '97-'99/'00 W-body is on the passenger side rear shelf under the carpet which I'm guessing is for a better signal distance. One plus being up front I won't need as much wire so I would just raid the scrap stash instead of buying.

 

[Texas82GP]

The module on my Roadmaster is in the trunk on the driver's side, FYI. I don't think it matters thar much where you mount it but perhaps I'm wrong.

 

[pagrunt]

The module on my Roadmaster is in the trunk on the driver's side, FYI. I don't think it matters thar much where you mount it but perhaps I'm wrong.

I want to think that it shouldn't matter but on Your Roadmaster is it tucked away or in the open around opennings in the internal sheet metal?

 

[Texas82GP]

I want to think that it shouldn't matter but on Your Roadmaster is it tucked away or in the open around opennings in the internal sheet metal?

It's under the package shelf on the driver's side.