Remote Trunk popper install HELP!

pcmofo · 11-02-2006, 11:39 AM

So I have a 2000 Honda Civic 4 door with a car computer that is almost finished. I am having a 2 way security system installed later this week or will install it my self ( thats a whole nother story) but I need to prep my car for the security system by adding things like a relay that can turn on my pc and a trunk popper so I can remotly pop my trunk....

After calling around and realizing that I cant get one installed somewhere for less than 100$ I decided to get a trunk solonoid off of e bay and do it my self. The trunk latch is in the lid of my trunk so I decided to cut the release cable inside the trunk as it runs towards the front of the car. I mounted it much like a bicycle break cable - the outer casing is held inplace and the solonoid pulls on the inner wire popping the trunk.

It was an easy 1 hr install... untill my trunk didnt close again. The problem was that the solonoid just pulls and has no internal spring to push back out after it pulls. The cable needs to be reset after it is triggered so that the latch mechanism can reset and the trunk can relatch. It took me countless hours to figure this out.. .Including cutting the latch spring in an attempt to make it stronger.

My temp solution is to use rubberbands placed to pull on the cable to retract it away from the solonoid. I think I have a solution that involves a spring that would be clearly more reliable. i will take pics of it and draw a pick of my solution shortly as I am currently between classes.

I am looking for someone who has allready done a trunk popper install to provide info on what they did and for other people to make suggestions on how to make a more reliable solution for my trunk once the pictures are posted. Thanks

seanz0rz · 11-02-2006, 12:09 PM

go to home depot or lowes and buy a spring, they are in the hardware section with the fasteners. they have weight raitings on the packaging, find one you think is sutiabe.

blazinlow · 11-02-2006, 12:29 PM

What kind of solenoid are you using? The Autoloc solenoid I use for my shaved door handles returns back to 'normal' position after activation.

pcmofo · 11-02-2006, 12:44 PM

OK so I took a picture of my current setup and drew a picture of my idea... Yeah its a bit crappy bc its on a camera phone and I drew the picture in paint on my laptops touch pad screen...

You can see the rubber bands all over the cabling thats holding tension on the cable. The picture I drew shows my idea of coiling a spring around the cable so that the cable runs through it. One end it attached to the metal bracket and the other is attached to the connector that joins the 2 cables together. The spring pulls on the cable retracting it into the shielding and away from the solonoid. When the solonoid fires it pulls on the spring and cable then once the power is removed the spring resets the cable...

so what do you think?

romul · 11-02-2006, 11:08 PM

ive been looking to do the same thing, someone please help this man so he can help me ! lol good luck! at least im not alone in wanting to do this on a civic!

wog · 11-06-2006, 04:34 PM

The problem you ran into was caused when you cut the line for hatch relese, the solonoid should have run along the factory cable, it requires that you run a short cable that attaches to the factory line not in place of it. Also, I can not tell from your picture, but if the solonoid is working in an angle it may be causing some trouble.

To fix your current problem you can run a spring or repair the cable. Home Depot will have what you need to do either. Talk to a salesperson or two to see what they have in the store to help.

Best option would be to connect the factory cable back where it was and attach the solonoid in line parallel with original hatch line.