EL CAMINO Power Locks - new switch and actuators, still too weak to lock/unlock.

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HK_Camino

Apprentice
May 25, 2021
53
12
8
Houston
So on my '86 camino I have me door panels off and am trying to get all the power accessories working.

the factory power door locks have never worked. In fact I'm still troubleshooting - I had to run 12v directly to the relay to get the actuators to engage. for some reason that 3rd wire isn't providing constant power.

I did test the circuit breaker by replacing it with a different 30Amp fuse in my fuse box. no effect. I'm planning to run a permanent 12v source to the relay, but if anyone has input on what the root cause here may be or a easier fix let me know.

Here's the other lame part. Even with the new parts, the locks are too weak to lock/unlock. I lubed the heck outa everything mates, but maybe I need to do another pass. I had hoped the actuators would be much more powerful. I made sure they are aligned correctly and pushing straight up/down.

My hope is maybe the battery is a lil weak from all the various electrical testing I've been doing with the ignition switch on over the past couple weeks but I doubt it.
 

CopperNick

Comic Book Super Hero
Supporting Member
Feb 20, 2018
3,347
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Canada
MIght be that you need to move the ground location. Both the solenoid and window regulators likely ground though the door shell to the hinges to the body. If the relay is using that sequence then the ground wire for it may need to be extended and stuffed into the rubber sleeve that bridges the gap between the door and the A-pillar and grounded directly to the body metal. The other option is to fabricate and install a separate ground wire from the door shell to the A-pillar. One way to do that is to score some Co-ax cable, strip the outer skin off, very carefully slip the woven copper layer away from the inner insulation, and then pull gently on the ends to close up the weave and create a cable that you can solder eyes to and pop weld to the door and pillar. Used that trick to ground my doors on my Non G-Body --G-body when I ran CB antennas and they seemed to work quite well; both of them are still in place and serviceable to this day. if you can hit and electronics shop and they happen to have copper weave in bulk, that would work too.



Nick
 

HK_Camino

Apprentice
May 25, 2021
53
12
8
Houston
MIght be that you need to move the ground location. Both the solenoid and window regulators likely ground though the door shell to the hinges to the body. If the relay is using that sequence then the ground wire for it may need to be extended and stuffed into the rubber sleeve that bridges the gap between the door and the A-pillar and grounded directly to the body metal. The other option is to fabricate and install a separate ground wire from the door shell to the A-pillar. One way to do that is to score some Co-ax cable, strip the outer skin off, very carefully slip the woven copper layer away from the inner insulation, and then pull gently on the ends to close up the weave and create a cable that you can solder eyes to and pop weld to the door and pillar. Used that trick to ground my doors on my Non G-Body --G-body when I ran CB antennas and they seemed to work quite well; both of them are still in place and serviceable to this day. if you can hit and electronics shop and they happen to have copper weave in bulk, that would work too.



Nick
Thanks. I think the power locks are grounded through the relay behind the passenger kick panel via the mounting screws into the body. I'll have to make sure there is a good connection there.
 

CopperNick

Comic Book Super Hero
Supporting Member
Feb 20, 2018
3,347
3,011
113
Canada
Good plan. The cavity behind those panels is a moisture trap. On the passenger side it is also the pocket in which the CCC unit gets stuffed. That is cased in an aluminum shell so another good reason to dig into there and determine how grungy things are.



Nick
 
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