Aftermarket Remote start questions

hey guys im looking to install a remote start system on my car before it gets too cold out. is there any problem with using this on a manual xj? i know if i leave it in gear it will be, but in talking about wiring it up. any one do this on their xj before? suggestions/comments?

I worked at a car audio shop doing installs, and remote starts are tricky. If they work first time then its great, but I always had a bitch of a time troubleshooting them. What year XJ, the general rule on every make/model, is the older it is the easier it is. Next weekend I think I'll be at the shop putting one in my 97', I can do a writeup on it if people want.

If you dont have power locks, you can leave out a relay, if you have and old XJ and no factory alarm or remote it gets even easier. And if your putting in a cheap one, then it pretty much taps your acc, 12v and starter wires. I'm not familiar with standard Jeeps, but it should tap the little switch that the clutch pushes when its all the way in (Thats the way my 240sx is anyways). And make sure your ebake cable is tight

awesome mines a 97 2 dr no power. no options really, 5spd, 4x4 L6.... a write up would be awesome... i'd appreciate it alot... also let me know what system you reccommend specifically

I installed two on my 2000 XJ, and one on a Dodge Avenger. Not hard, just time consuming. On the second one in my XJ I soldered all the wires as I had some problems with the scotch locks previous. Some alarms need relays for the locks some don't. I found on my second on that the lock needed a relay, but the unlock didn't. the12volt.com has wire colors and locations, a FSM helps too. One thing I may do is cut the accessory wire when it is remote starting as I don't need my stereo running when it is remotely started.

-Chris

PLEASE do not add a remote start to a manual car. You WILL forget one day and leave it in gear. I had an escort start while on a drive on rack, and dang near kill a construction worker outside the door. :soapbox:

If you decide to put a remote start on a manual XJ, you had better make sure that you wire relays into a neutral switch. I have one on my 99 XJ with an AW15. At first I didn't have the relay setup installed and I I will tell you the 4.0L starter will turn the engine over and drive your unoccupied vehicle across a parking lot if left in gear.

You may say now "I will leave it in neutral", but that one time that you don't, it will be a minimum of $1000 in repairs. Speaking from expierience the relay is required.

We sold Avitals, and had minimal issues. Bull Dog or whatever the Walmart ones are crap. And there is a way to make it so the Jeep wont start if it's left in gear, if other people have bypassed it, well then they did it wrong.

http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_topics.asp?FID=3

This site has helped alot as I'm installing a Viper remote start in my '98 classic.

Going slow but have about a gazillion other projects going at the same time.

Do a search when you run into a given snafu - you'll usually find the answer or someting close to it.

BTW, the Viper 160vx is a very nice unit, has a separate "satellite" unit with a number of relays in one enclosure.

MM

Viper is good stuff. I have a Viper 791XV, as does my sister's Dodge Avenger. Works great.

-Chris

i got a remote starter in 2001 for christmas. its by designtech international, based in springfield, VA. it came with a video to show how to install it, but the really nice part was going on the website, where they listed what color wire did what for my XJ. I've had mine for almost 4 years now and it still works just fine.
i installed the supplied kill switch on the radiator support. its function is to make the car quit running if the hood is raised. i'm sure i could have bypassed it, but i did everything just as the manual said.
i didn't cut a single wire. instead, i skinned the insulation off of a small segment of each wire, then poked the copper wire bundle with a nail to sort of spread it out, then i took the wire from the kit and fed it through the hole. wrapped it around a few times, then hit it with a little solder.
my stepdad confessed that he bought it for me at target when it was on sale for 50$ not bad. ive seen them for as much as $100, so shop around
i've heard about alarms/remote locks/remote starters being integrated with the OBD2 diagnostic port, but havn't seen any of them. i'm sure someone will chime in.

Designtech (International) or DEI makes viper, clifford, python, etc..


Much of the line is of the same great quality, I was told by an installer that many people go with viper because of the name recognition, but any other line from DEI is top-notch.

Mike

Didn't matter to me if mine was viper. I just wanted a remote start with paging made by DEI. Viper was teh only one I could find unless I wanted to got o an installed and pay someone to install my alarm... no thank you. Most of those installers are damn scary.

-Chris

Different people use different ways to tap the wires. DONT USE THE CLIP ON THINGS!!!! Buy a pair of center-strips, mine were like $11 at VIP. Then wrap your remote start wires around it, and then solder. After that, wrap in elec. tape, and pull on the elec tape when you do it, it makes it stick and hold better, it wont come undone (little trick if you didnt know). Make sure you do it right, being stuck somewhere in the cold, trying to figure out what came undone sucks (not that I've done that). I'm not sure why installers get such a bad rep, I know I did everything right, and if I didint know I went right to the boss and asked, or had him do it. But then again I hated to have to fix other shops mistakes, and I had a few (Best Buy and those places).

zfinger said:

I'm not sure why installers get such a bad rep, I know I did everything right, and if I didint know I went right to the boss and asked, or had him do it. But then again I hated to have to fix other shops mistakes, and I had a few (Best Buy and those places).

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I agree, I am an installer, and see (fix) mistakes from those big name stores all the time!
Definitly find a neutral start switch that will only let it remotely start when it is in neutral. We won't even install into any stick shifts.

TRAILREADYXJ said:

and see (fix) mistakes from those big name stores all the time!

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Thats why.

awesome, thanks for all the replies, co-incidentally i work at best buy, but in the computer department lol, the guys i know in the mobile electronics dept, are pretty good, ive seen some of their work... i know that it is rare to find a good retail store that does quality work, but i guess this is one of the few... I guess im gonna have to figure out what wire is which for the NSS and the rest shouldnt be too bad... im gonna install it myself so i know how its hooked up. im gonna look and see what kind of prices i can get at work on these units. thanks again... please feel free to post any links or write-ups you guys may have on this topic, so i can install this thing and make it as safe as it can be....

I dont mean to Hijack this thread but its the only one I can find on remote starts. Will one of these systems work on my 88 with the renix system even though it takes some time to to start because it has to crank a few times?

texinteg said:

I dont mean to Hijack this thread but its the only one I can find on remote starts. Will one of these systems work on my 88 with the renix system even though it takes some time to to start because it has to crank a few times?

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On the nice remote starts you can program in the starter durration so it cranks longer. Just for us Jeep owners who take an extra crank or 2.