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Uninstall or bypass remote start Avital Avistart


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cavalier_2001 
Member - Posts: 5
Member spacespace
Joined: May 18, 2016
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Posted: May 18, 2016 at 6:56 AM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote cavalier_2001
Chevy Cavalier 2001 Z24 2.4 L
Avital Avistart 4200 remote start system
I bought this Cavalier to fix up and sell and not knowing some prior to me attempted to install a remote start system. When I first bought it (don't know the owner that attempted this) it would not start. I finally got it started (stale gas). Brought it home from the car lot I bought it from. After a few days I noticed things like some of the dashboard idiot lights were coming on such as Anti-Theft system etc. Then once when I was getting in the car I accidentally hit my foot up under the steering column and these bunch of wires fell from under it and were dangling. This is when I discovered that someone attempted to install this remote starter system.
After looking under the column I found some of the units for the starter system and researched them to realize it was a remote starter system. I don't have all the units that I can see from the manual I found online and really don't care to have it anyway.
I bought the car to fix it up and sell it. My goal is to get the car to run properly without all those idiot lights coming on. When I leave the satalitte unit from the remote start system plugged in the car will start but some things wack out. Light when I put on the directionals the doors lock, turn on the wipers they don't work but the radios display flashes and other crazy things.
Any ideas as to how to remove this starter system. As I said when I pulled the satellite unit off the wire harness the car won't even start.
Any guidance will be appreciated.
Forget about me returning it to get my money back; won't happen.
sparkie 
Platinum - Posts: 2,061
Platinum spacespace
Joined: November 06, 2003
Location: Canada
Posted: May 18, 2016 at 8:16 AM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote sparkie
Disconnect your battery ground cable at the battery. Trace every wire from the remote starter module and associated other modules/parts and disconnect them. Cut all added wires and tape off any bare connections. Basically remove all aftermarket wiring and return the factory wiring to original condition. Some factory wires may need to be reconnected. If so, solder and tape them up. Then reconnect the battery and test. Be careful when removing the wiring that connectors plugged into car parts, are fully secured in place. Take your time. Most systems come out within an hour. If the car still doesn't start, at least you have ruled out the added remote starter wiring as the cause and a proper diagnosis can be done.
sparky
cavalier_2001 
Member - Posts: 5
Member spacespace
Joined: May 18, 2016
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Posted: June 12, 2016 at 5:57 PM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote cavalier_2001
UPDATE:
It has been a while since I have been able to tackle this disaster where this guy tried to install a remote starter for my vehicle. I read up on the remote starter system and started tracing out the wires and cutting patched wires and securing them with liquid electrical tape and applying electrical for further security.
I am now faced with the thicker wires coming from the satalite remote unit of the starter. I took apart the steering column collar so I can see better where he tapped in. Wow, what a mess he made. These pictures (below) show what I see now as I removed the electrical tape exposing the splices that he made. I pulled the two plugs out of the connectors just below the steering column so I can have a better view (along with you) of what I am facing.
So my question is "Help" where do I go from here. I can see the heavier gauge wires leading to the remote satellite device but some wires from the steering column were actually cut and replaced with the remote start wires.
Can one of you gurus please take a look at this and give me some idea of where I go from here.
Also note where the green wire from the satalite module is attached to the wire from the steering column but where it the original wire now? Where should I be looking?
Thanks so much. If you need a better picture let me know.
Uninstall or bypass remote start Avital Avistart -- posted image.
Uninstall or bypass remote start Avital Avistart -- posted image.
Uninstall or bypass remote start Avital Avistart -- posted image.
Uninstall or bypass remote start Avital Avistart -- posted image.
Uninstall or bypass remote start Avital Avistart -- posted image.
davep. 
Gold - Posts: 639
Gold spacespace
Joined: May 27, 2011
Location: California, United States
Posted: June 12, 2016 at 10:38 PM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote davep.
Yep, that's a mess.
The other end of the yellow wire is attached to the purple wire on the R/S harness. I can see the purple wire in the pic.
I've had to fix a couple of messes like the one you have here. I went junk-yarding, and found ignition switch pigtails from an unmolested car. I cut the connectors off with as much extra wire as I could. I spliced the new pigtails into the car using uninsulated crimp connectors, soldered them, and slid heatshrink tubing up and insulated the splice. When I reinstalled the factory split loom, the repair was undetectable, because the splices were within the loom.
I don't know what car-lines use the same ignition switch as your Cavilier, but I'm sure there are several, and for a bunch of years. Don't limit your search to same make, year and model, because there are certainly other donor models and years with the same switch and connectors.
Good luck.
geepherder 
Platinum - Posts: 3,668
Platinum spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: October 27, 2003
Posted: June 13, 2016 at 10:08 AM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote geepherder
Davep makes a great point. One resource that comes in handy for me: www.car-part.com.
My ex once told me I have a perfect face for radio.
cavalier_2001 
Member - Posts: 5
Member spacespace
Joined: May 18, 2016
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Posted: June 13, 2016 at 10:59 AM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote cavalier_2001
Thank you both davep and geepherder for your help and advice. It is very much appreciated!!!!
My friend actually bought the car to fix and sell again. I am helping him with the electrical as he is a good mechanic but I said I would try and remove the remote start for him. I know nothing about electrical for a car but I am a residential electrician by trade. Although they are different I feel a bit more confident in working on the electrical of the car. Hopefully later today he will be ready to fire her up again and see what happens.
In the meantime I have looked at the wiring again since yesterday now that there is better day light. I think I have all the remote connections disconnected and any bare wires where he spliced into wrapped with electrical tape for now. Once I know the electrical is sound I will make more permanent connections.
How important is it that I use un-insulated connectors and solder them. I don't want to be putting money into things like a solder iron and connectors if I don't have to. Can I just be sure I twist the wires firmly if I have to reconnect any and then the ones that were tapped into I just cut the wire that ran to the remote system and tape that end not disturbing the splice he made with the soldering iron originally. I also use liquid electrical tape under the electrical tape as I repair the connections. We don't have to make it pretty just sound and then get rid of the car. No one is going to pull the steering column off and check how neat the connections are. I just want to be sure they are secure.
REF A - below picture. Davep, yep, I did not realize as you did from your experience but when I took another look, I saw it as you did in the picture, thanks. Ok,I see now that there was more daylight that the other end of this yellow wire (which I believe is the starter wire) is back down in the steering column and the guy had tapped into it with a purple wire. I just happened to see it when I was looking around down in there. He had wrapped it with electrical tape and I just saw a small portion of the yellow wire by chance. So I connected the purple wire to the green (temporarily) by twisting them and electrical tape.
Uninstall or bypass remote start Avital Avistart -- posted image.
REF C & D below - I realized that this yellow wire was cut in two completely and the other wires attached to them went to the remote start relay satellite. So I just connected them back together again temporarily. I guess that is the ignition switch or something.
Uninstall or bypass remote start Avital Avistart -- posted image.
davep. 
Gold - Posts: 639
Gold spacespace
Joined: May 27, 2011
Location: California, United States
Posted: June 13, 2016 at 2:39 PM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote davep.
If you just want to get rid of it, and don't care about reputation as a seller ("wth was the previous owner thinking...?") then anything that works is appropriate I guess.
I work on 50-70 foot boats and yachts as a profession. Mostly electrical and mechanical stuff. My owners don't care what it costs, they want it to be as neat and professional as it can be. So I guess it's my training and experience that makes me want to do things as neatly and un-detectable as possible. When I find a mess, I clean it up. I make it "go away" by attempting to restore the circuit or system to original specification performance and integrity.
I use the uninsulated butt splices and solder because that is the best method I've found for making numerous splices in large gauge wires in a harness in limited access work areas such as under dashboards. Twist splices work, but aren't nearly as neat.
All depends on what your "standards" for execution are. If my work was to the level shown in your pics, word would get out and I'd never be hired to do what I do again.
I understand "fix it and flip it" standards are lower, but don't overlook my point regarding seller reputation. Do nice quality repairs, sell well-sorted and functioning vehicles and word will get out. You'll sell everything you take on quicker and at higher prices. People will pay for quality. Good luck with your ventures.
cavalier_2001 
Member - Posts: 5
Member spacespace
Joined: May 18, 2016
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Posted: June 13, 2016 at 3:08 PM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote cavalier_2001
davep I agree with your philosophy on reputation. I as I said am a residential electrician and do take great pride in my work when people see it.
I was not trying to make reference to just trying to "get by" but wanted to know the importance of the connectors and the way to do it. It is my friend's venture and I think at this point with the beating he has been getting on this car having more problems than anticipated I don't think he wants to invest much more money in this car than need be. I just wanted to be sure if my method was safe at least.
Thanks again for your help; it is so much appreciated. Hopefully we find out tonight if my work and the advice from this forum post paid off; well mainly on my end saying I did not screw something up. I almost feel as though I want to stand there with a fire extinguisher :-) When I work on residential electrical I know what I am doing and have confidence in my work.
davep. 
Gold - Posts: 639
Gold spacespace
Joined: May 27, 2011
Location: California, United States
Posted: June 13, 2016 at 5:10 PM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote davep.
Thanks for the feedback.
cavalier_2001 wrote:
wanted to know the importance of the connectors and the way to do it.... I just wanted to be sure if my method was safe at least.
No problem.
Dealing with current in both residential and automotive systems is the same. 20 amps is 20 amps. Requires the same wire gauges, and same integrity of connections. The circuits at the ignition switch are some of the highest current circuits in a car, and require integrity for safety. Bad connections here can cause stalling or no-starts when you really want it to stay running, or need it to start.
The main difference is of course, the voltage. 120/240 has the potential to be lethal. 12 volts does not. If you're not cautious enough, or don't know what you're doing, 120/240 can cause cardiac arrest and death if no one finds you in time.
The greatest risk of personal injury with 12 volts is a short on an unprotected circuit that causes the wire to get hot enough to burn you. I doubt there's a guy on here that's been doing this for more that a few days that won't admit he's burned himself with a shorted wire.
cavalier_2001 wrote:
I almost feel as though I want to stand there with a fire extinguisher :-) When I work on residential electrical I know what I am doing and have confidence in my work.
Automotive circuits and systems are generally pretty well protected by either fuses or fuse-links. Just like residential is. If you bypass the protection either deliberately, or incidentally because you don't understand what you're doing (such as tapping a 10ga circuit fused at 50 amps with a #18 wire), then there is a risk of fire. In this case, you'll be fine unless you ran wires directly to the battery without protection at the source (battery). Again, same as residential.
You guys will be fine.
cavalier_2001 
Member - Posts: 5
Member spacespace
Joined: May 18, 2016
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Posted: June 14, 2016 at 6:49 AM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote cavalier_2001
davep I hear what you are saying. Confidence in your workmanship is key. I did learn a bit about DC when taking my electrical courses to become certified but it was a while ago. Reading the wiring diagrams of a car I can do to a point but what my problem was with this adventure was that I had no clue what this guy before him that owned the car attempted to do nor do I know how far he went with the attempted install. I had to research the remote start and hope that I had found all the components and then disconnected them. When I originally saw that heavy gauge wire harness (satellite relay) I thought it just unplugged and plugged back into somewhere under the column. Then researching more come to find out it was tapped into the wires of the car. Urgh!! Well, it seems that all my hard work in studying this originally and of course the help of this forum I was able to remove all components of the remote start system. My friend fired up the car last night and I guess my work paid off so far. All the accessories are working properly now and the anti-theft light is off and stays off now. He is having problems though keeping the vehicle running. He has to spray something into the engine to keep it running or it stalls. Again, I don't know the terminology of what I just explained but it seems that the problem with the car not running is not the removal of the remote start system but some other problem with the engine. I feel good to know I was able to help him as he has helped me in other areas before.
Thanks again for your help.

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