1997 Ford Taurus LX Install, follow along kiddies... - Page 2

2k1Toaster · 05-24-2007, 01:25 AM

Im in the springs, and we have meets some times. I have been to 1 meet, and 1 time met up with forum member GoHybrid. They were both fun times.

And the power supply is one of the more important areas. Since this project is in the early stages, watch ebay for the power supplies since they are rare to be on there, and see if you can get it. And $200 for the PSU and $200 for the screen since everything else you already have, is much much less than any HU that will be able to do the same thing.

And yeah insurance is a mess... But if you have a good immobilizer, (no spare key, and not hotwireable) then you are fine. Like my civic isnt going anywhere without the master key within a couple feet of the steering column. Before I installed the immobilizer bypass, that only works with the remote start, and if the tach wire goes, it shuts off, and if the RPMs go above 2000, it shuts off, so if you move, the car locks and shuts off, anyways, I could get the remote start to work but I had to have the key somewhere in the car or the farthest being outside pressed on the windshield. Any farther, and it would just crank and crank but never turn over. Move the key into the bubble, and it started right up. I love RF keys.

monkeyracer · 05-24-2007, 02:04 AM

formerly in the springs myself (SCHS grad actually (D49))
I'm going to be there tomorrow to help my brothers move up to denver (they just graduated PHS) and occasionally I am in that area. Let me know when the next meet is scheduled for around here.

So I think the 556U (different module, I guess the 555P won't work with my MYTaurus) the Remote Start, and the BU-353 will be the next things to get.

monkeyracer · 05-25-2007, 10:37 AM

Just ordered the cheapo DEI remote start off ebay. Will get it probably monday or tuesday. Hopefully the bypass that I have will work, otherwise I have to go and order the right one, rather than the one I already have (probably put it up on ebay for cheap.)
I was looking into remote start a long time ago, but I also wanted the security and two way paging, $600 installed was a little over budget at the time. (and I realize unnecessary, the two way is nice to see when someone is messing with the car, you can go and check it out, but too many false alarms present a "boy-who-cried-wolf" situation where a real break-in becomes ignored.) I'm going to build everything as stealth as possible, obviously except for the touch screen, but the unsuspecting thief will think it's OEM with the way I mold it, and even still, have a damn hard time getting it out, and even if he gets it out will have a hard time finding a replacement bezel, etc...

Still have the question though:
if I remote start it, then get in the car and touch the brake to start the car, the car shuts off, then I put my key in and start it myself, will I just need to set the SSC to delay a bit so that by the time it's started back up, the SSC will not shut it down?

2k1Toaster · 05-25-2007, 11:25 AM

I found it very useful to not attach the brake wire. Here is why:

The remote start should have a tachometer input too. If it risese above a certain RPM threshold, it shuts off. Meaning if the car is moving or something, or you hit the gas.

The parking sensor makes sure the car is parked. If it is not parked, it wont turn on. If it is moved from park, it shuts off.

When it is -30C outside and you need to grab something really quick from the inside and the engine is already running, you can push the button on your keychain, activate the remote start (which wont try to turn the engine because it is already on) the engine will stay on. Now you can take the keys out of the ignition, and the car is still running, and get out, lock the car, and get what you need.

I am a delivery driver and this is priceless. Get to a house in a bad area and snowing or rediculously hot and I want the heater or AC to keep going. So, push the button, get out, lock the car, and it stays toasty or cold, and I have my car locked.

monkeyracer · 05-25-2007, 02:13 PM

I think I'd still like the brake switch active, just in case. I can start the car with the remote, and when I get in, put the key in and turn it to the on position, and as soon as I press the brake to shift out of park, the car will stay on since the key is in the ignition and I can drive away without worrying about the puter turning on or off, etc. If I want to get out, but keep the car on, I can activate the remote start (after it's already parked) and get out, lock the door with the factory remote, (btw my car has the keypad, so if for some wierd reason I want to lock the doors with the key in the ignition, i can still get in and out and lock it without the key.) and leave the engine running, and when I get back in; key in turned to on position, drive away.

Side note: Summer is coming and the A/C on my car doesn't work, how much should I expect for repairs? If it's just a recharge, it shouldn't be that much, but if the compressor is bad, what can I expect for this? (Maybe it would be easy to troubleshoot what part is bad, any help with this?)

monkeyracer · 05-26-2007, 05:32 PM

Power supply/SSC questions...

For my purposes (look at the specs above) would these work?

SSC - http://store.mp3car.com/Micro_Shutdo..._p/pwr-007.htm

Power supply, it's been recommended to go with the OPUS units:

180w - http://www.opussolutions.com/index.php?p=product&id=54
320w - http://www.opussolutions.com/index.php?p=product&id=49

but are there any other suggestions before going right on into these?

monkeyracer · 05-26-2007, 05:39 PM

what about this from opus:

http://www.opussolutions.com/index.php?p=product&id=33

This would solve a few problems at once.

Where to get it? (No Buy-Here button on the web page)

This seems to integrate the SSC, PSU, and case in one package, so all i do is put my mobo, HD, and cd-drive on in it, and I'd be pretty good to go. (mounted on top of my Sub box...maybe)

What do you guys think?

2k1Toaster · 05-26-2007, 07:37 PM

All the opus PSU's you linked to, have SDC built in. And the mp3car store has them, but Opus should allow you to buy it.

I think they are just updating the website, because if you go to the 320W: http://www.opussolutions.com/index.php?p=product&id=49

there is still the buy now button where it should be on all of them. So they are definately messing around with the site right now.

monkeyracer · 05-26-2007, 11:15 PM

it was the opusdirect website i couldn't find it on, there were only ITX cases, (i have an ATX mobo) and that is the one I'd be interested in, it would save a lot of fab time, (i know there are many atx cases out there, but this has the vibe damping for car pc applications...)

But, i'll be more focused on my remote start the next few days anyways...

monkeyracer · 05-28-2007, 07:31 PM

i had a thought today while postulating what to do for a case.

I want something that could fairly easily be removed (if I wanted to) and fairly small for a full size ATX mobo, and I came to think I could fit the components in a car audio amp case.

Why not? it is designed for high heat situations, and already has terminals for power and ground wires and it's fused too. I could stuff all the components into a medium to large size amp case after it's all gutted. I'd leave out the CD drive, and use only external drives, and may look at a laptop HDD (better for in car use and smaller.) I'd of course find some way to cool and vent everything, probably mount everything to the top of the amp case, and install fans on the bottom cover. (the puter would be oriented upside down) and place the PSU and HDD on the bottom cover. Also I'd run the VGA cable through a female connector i'd install on the case. This way it could be mounted the best way to fit in the amp. Also, it would look like a "crappy" amp and would most likely not be a temptation to be stolen. This whole thing would be mounted on the sub box, where my current amp is located, and my current amp relocated to the top of the box. (I'll show pics soon of this.)

Anybody tried this and failed? comments?

2k1Toaster · 05-28-2007, 08:37 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by monkeyracer

i had a thought today while postulating what to do for a case.

I want something that could fairly easily be removed (if I wanted to) and fairly small for a full size ATX mobo, and I came to think I could fit the components in a car audio amp case.

Why not? it is designed for high heat situations, and already has terminals for power and ground wires and it's fused too. I could stuff all the components into a medium to large size amp case after it's all gutted. I'd leave out the CD drive, and use only external drives, and may look at a laptop HDD (better for in car use and smaller.) I'd of course find some way to cool and vent everything, probably mount everything to the top of the amp case, and install fans on the bottom cover. (the puter would be oriented upside down) and place the PSU and HDD on the bottom cover. Also I'd run the VGA cable through a female connector i'd install on the case. This way it could be mounted the best way to fit in the amp. Also, it would look like a "crappy" amp and would most likely not be a temptation to be stolen. This whole thing would be mounted on the sub box, where my current amp is located, and my current amp relocated to the top of the box. (I'll show pics soon of this.)

Anybody tried this and failed? comments?

Check out the Ampie/VoomPC or Ampie2/VoomPC2 case. It is just this. But for ITX. Houses optical drive, mobo, 2 harddrives, and a M2. So for a full atx board, you will need to find a big amp, but it will work. May even be able to make the amp casing a huge cpu heatsink.

monkeyracer · 05-28-2007, 09:26 PM

that's another reason I was thinking about using these. there are some rockford amps that are broken on ebay for a few bucks. That's why i'd mount the motherboard to the top of the amp, it would be right on the heatsink. Meaning a small fan and exhaust port should be enough to keep it cool.

monkeyracer · 05-30-2007, 11:17 AM

Today, I have the opportunity to install my remote start system, I'll post a write up on how I did it later today. Also, I will start constructing my fiberglass sub box. Here's a diagram of the MDF, then I will stretch the fleece over it, and start work on glassing it. (Glassing may not happen until saturday though.)

Diagram:

In the end this box will have an estimated internal volume of about 1.3 Cu Ft per side, which is kind of big for a 12, but with the curves, the internal volume will be a little less, hopefully around 1.1 to 1.2

I'll post a write up on this as well, it will be located in the fabrication forum, look for it there soon.

Now it's off to the depot for a few supplies!

monkeyracer · 05-30-2007, 07:24 PM

Okay, all of a sudden, not feeling so great

, going to take the afternoon off, so no box frame today.
I did finish the remote start though, and i've decided not to post a write up, i didn't take any pictures anyways. Pics for sure on saturday when I build the box.

monkeyracer · 05-31-2007, 09:47 PM

ok, something i noticed about my car after installing remote start:
I have two accessory wires. I wired the remote start into the main one, leaving out the second one (need relays, etc.)
What this means is that I can wire the carputer to the main accesory wire, and the deck and screen to the secondary one. When I start the car, the computer starts to turn on, but will not display anything or play any music (I'll have RR default to pause on resume) and when I get in the car and put my key in, the CD Deck and the screen will turn on, and I just press play. As soon as I get out and turn off the car, everything will start to turn off.

This all started because I was being lazy and didn't want to wire two relays to join the two accessory wires. It turned out to be a good thing.

I'll need more range though, the package states up to 500+ feet. I get usually about 100. Any suggestions?

Also, I don't like the remote too much, can I program a different style one to this? Meaning any DEI remote start remote remote?

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