Trunk: Install Release Solenoid
Contents
Introduction[edit]
This how to was designed to show how to install an after market power solenoid to allow for a remote unit to pop the trunk/rear hatch. These instructions were performed on a 91 VR4 so I can not guarantee that they will transfer over exactly to any other year, however I see no reason why they shouldn't work with any year 3s as they do not rely on any factory wiring.
Disclaimer[edit]
As always I hold no responsibility if you in any way hurt your car and/or yourself following these instructions.
Installing the Unit[edit]
Parts used[edit]
- Solenoid - I used a solenoid made by VPA with a part number of 80138. This solenoid can be seen on summitracing.
- 12 volt relay capable of carrying at least 20 amps. I used a relay made by VPA with a part number of 80237. This relay can be seen on summit racing.
Step 1[edit]
Disconnect the battery
Step 2[edit]
Build a bracket out of angle bar which can be purchased cheaply from most home improvement stores. You can see how it must be bent in the pictures below. This is the silverish metal bar that connects under the 2 factory screws with arrows pointing to them. This will be the main support for the back side of the solenoid.
Step 3[edit]
Connect the gold bar that comes with the solenoid kit made by VPA (if you're using a different kit then you should be able to use angle bar to build this bar as well). You can see where the gold bar connects to the bracket that you just made out of angle bar in the picture below. You'll connect the other end of the gold bar to an un-used hole in the trunk. Sorry, but I do not have any picture of the whole that the other end connects through, however it should be pretty obvious when you get things apart because it's the only open place in the general vicinity of where the bar is pointing in the picture below. Please keep in mind that you need to keep the bar low enough that the light bulb can be removed should it need to ever be replaced because you don't want to half to remove all of this stuff just to replace the light bulb. It will be very tight, but with my setup below you can still remove it.
Step 4[edit]
Connect the actual solenoid to the gold bar. This is done by using the 2 bolts that come with solenoid which should already be mounted in it's bracket. These to screws thread into the bracket and will do so through the gold bar which should secure the solenoid in place. I've put arrows pointing to the 2 bolts that thread through the gold bracket securing the solenoid.
Step 5[edit]
Reroute the cable that the solenoid pulls on over towards the trunk latch. You can see in the picture where I have the cable coming back out from behind the back metal plate of the trunk.
Step 6[edit]
Connect the cable to the trunk latch release assembly. You must actually attach the cable to something that does not conduct electricity as the solenoid grounds the cable and if you attach it directly to the release leaver your trunk light will stay on continuously as this supplies a constant ground to the light. I choose to use a heavy duty zip tie as it's what I had laying around, but anything that's fairly strong and will not conduct will work fine. You can see the leaver that I choose to pull on and how a routed the cables in the pictures below.
Wiring the relay to control the solenoid[edit]
On a standard single pole relay you have 5 basic pins. 85 and 86 which connect to either side of the coil and pin 30 which is connected to 87a when the relay does not have power and 87 when the relay does have power.
These wiring instructions are only for devices that supply a ground when a button is pressed (this is by far the most common but not necessarily guaranteed).
Relay wiring[edit]
85 = Connect to a constant 12 volt source. 86 = Connect to the ground wire from your remote unit. 30 = A constant 12 volt source that can supply at least 20 amps of current. 87 = One of the pins on the back of the solenoid. It does not matter which pin as either one will work as long as you don't connect them both.
Solenoid wiring[edit]
One of the terminals on the back of the solenoid must be connected to pin 87 on the relay and the other must be connected to ground. It does not matter which one is connected to which pin, but insure that you do not connect both pins to either power are ground.
Picture of how I routed the wires to the back of the car[edit]
The green wire is the 12 volt supply and the black wire is the ground tricker wire from my remote unit.
Final Pictures of what things should look like through the access panel[edit]
This article was originally written by andyvr4.
