JC Whitney Keyless Entry Installation

JC Whitney/Valiant Keyless Entry Cost: $40 (plus shipping) for the keyless entry, $4.00 for the other misc parts Pros: Easy install, keyless entry Cons: None yet Time: ~1 hour You may also download the 700K PDF version of these instructions. I was looking for an easy and inexpensive keyless entry. My door locks work great for the most part. The problem is when they don't work they become very difficult to turn and threaten breaking of the key to get them to do so. Eventually I'll get a full alarm/keyless entry and wire it when I rewire for better sound (I currently have an Alpine CDA-9833 hooked to stock wiring and speakers...still sounds decent). The sound and alarm is only one of about a half-dozen other major projects that need to get done before I'll get to change the door locks. So I figured I'd install a keyless entry to save the keylocks. I'm sure they'll end up seizing permanently...but I'll still be able to get in. The unit needed to be cheap and easy to install. Not necessarily for reason of thrift...but more so an application of the KISS approach which naturally promotes both thrift and simplicity. The benefit is that it cheaply and easily fits into the early and basic implementation of central locking systems found in our cars. The unit I selected was the Valiant Remote Control Keyless System. The name obviously wasn't the brain-child of some 5th Avenue marketing whiz-kid....but I am looking for simplicity. I purchased the unit for $40 thru JC Whitney. It was another $9 to ship it to Sandy Eggo. The unit is very generic, and includes a wiring harness and wiring instructions to apply to any number of 80's and 90's Euro, US and Japanese cars.
The unit includes the wiring harness, two basic remotes with lock, unlock, and open-trunk buttons. The remotes seem sturdy enough. The receiver is a typical plastic black box with a connector matching the wiring harness on one side and an antenna wire sticking out.
	The first thing I did was remove the unneeded wires. For this install I only needed the yellow, green, black, red, and white wires. The wire ends are held in place in the connector by a metal tab poking up in the connector slot. A small blade screw drive will push the tab down and release the wire end.
Gathered a few tools 6mm Socket Phillips screwdriver thin blade screwdriver Knife and pliers (or wire cutter/connector crimp) Brush T-Tap male and female wire connectors Double-faced foam tape
	I choose the T-tap connectors because I know I will eventually remove this setup. This seemed the best way to disconnect and remove the unit without affecting the car wiring again. As it turns out, it ended up being fortuitous as I found a need to change the wiring connections later. If you are planning to use another more permanent splice connector, be sure to read thru these instructions entirely before doing the splices. Your procedures will likely have to be modified as well.
Using the thin blade screw driver (with cloth to protect the finish) gently pop four body panel snaps on each side of the trunk lock. As you push the panel gently into the trunk, two more panel snaps at the bottom will let go. Once its cleared the two mounting spots on the trunk floor, move the panel out of the way
	Using the 6mm socket, remove the two hex screws holding the trunk central-locking mechanism in place behind the cover plate. Remove the 6 Phillips screws holding the cover plate in place.
The trunk central-locking mechanism hangs from a hook in the trunk latch. Noting the orientation of the central-locking mechanism, remove it from the hook.
	Strip a couple inches of wire cover and locate the brown, yellow/black, and the green/black wires.
Attach a T-tap female connector to the each of these wires.
	Pull the right trunk panel and locate the power antenna wiring. If you have a really early model with a front mounted antenna...so sorry...you'll need to find another constant +12 v source. Rearrange the connector and wiring to allow as much slack toward the rear of the trunk as possible.
Pull the 30amp power antenna fuse from the fuse box under the hood (fuse 28 in mine). The T-taps I bought were for a smaller gauge wire than the power antenna +12v wire. I pulled the small metal piece from the connector housing and used the slim blade screw driver to spread the groove in which the wire sits to accommodate the thicker wire (this was the toughest part of this whole install).
	Loosely route the red keyless harness power wire around the back and side of the trunk to the female connector on the power antenna power wire.
The position of the keyless wiring harness connector will give you an idea of where you will be mounting the units receiver/control box. It looked like mine would just fit inside the tail light pod. If you want extra length for the keyless wiring harness power wire, now is the time to splice or replace the power wire for a longer one. Attach a male spade connector to the end of the red keyless harness power wire. Don't connect it to the antenna power yet.
	Route the other four wires behind the body works toward the trunk central-locking module. Allow a few inches of extra wire and trim and strip the wires. Attach a male spade connector to each of the green and yellow wires. Combine the black and white wires to a single blade connector.
Attach the black and white keyless wire spade to the female connector on the brown central-locking module wire. I had initially hooked the remaining two wires to like colors. As it turned out, this caused a reverse in the locking and unlocking functions of the remote's buttons. Fortunately, with the spade connectors, I simply reversed my connections so the green keyless wire was connected to the yellow/black central-locking module wire and the yellow keyless wire connected to the green/black central-locking module wire.
	Connect the keyless wiring harness connector to the receiver/control unit. Attach the red keyless harness power wire to the antenna power wire. Replace the power antenna fuse in the fuse box and close the fuse box and hood. You can test the unit at this point. Close the doors and position the trunk central-locking mechanism on the trunk floor so you can watch it. Test the lock and unlock function of the remote operate as appropriate. The doors should lock and unlock, and the trunk central-locking mechanism should slide accordingly for the trunk lock. With the exception of having to do the connector reversal described above, the unit worked the first time with no problems. Locate a good position and angle to attach the receiver/control unit to the car body. Once located, stick one side of the double-faced foam tape to the receiver/control unit. Position the unit, routing the wires as desired, and stick it in place.
Attach the trunk central-locking mechanism to the trunk lock hook in the proper orientation (you might tell from the wear in the screw holes if you forgot). Loosely screw the cover plate to the trunk central-locking mechanism with the 6mm hex screws. Position the cover plate in place on the body works and screw in place with the Phillips head screws. Tighten the two 6mm hex screws. Test the trunk central locking and adjust the position of the trunk central-locking mechanism if needed. Reattach the trunk panels. Be careful not to yank on the keyless wiring harness power wire when replacing the panels.

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