97.5 Regal GS Remote Start

Well I have dug and dug but still have some questions hopefully someone can help me with. I am trying to instal an older Remote Start that I got from my brother.

I have a 1997 1/2 Buick Regal GS 3.8 SC.

I have found some conflicting data on where to find the tach wire in the car. One place says to look for it on the PCM of the Air Cleaner...others say it is on the BCM. Both reference a PURPLE / white wire, some also referrence that it may be white as well.

First, where is the BCM? Everything says it is to the left of the steering column, but I have 3 seperate modules there and none of them are labled. One is black, one is small and white, and the biggest of the three is bare aluminum.

Secondly, armed with a multimeter, what settings should one use to test a suspected wire for whether or not it is the tach?  Is there a specific voltage range I should be looking for?  I have heard that the tach uses an A/C current, but I suspect this is for older models in the pre-electronic ignition days.

If I find the unlock/lock wires comming from under the dash, is it still necessary to use relay assemblies if I want the remote starter to control unlocking/locking the car? Is there ever an exception to having to use relays for this function, or is it always required?

I have helped install only one other remote start system before and am relatively new to some of these concepts. I can produce pictures of the modules in question above if it helps.

Any help is appreciated...thank you in advance.

Ohhh I have another question I hope someone can help me with.

There is an Orange wire on my remote module that is labeled "Ground out when running(-)"

The manual instructs you to use it in the following way: "Ground out when running(For additional features, VATS, anti-grind relay, etc)"

Problem is, no where else is this wire mentioned in the rest of the manual, particularly in the VATS bypass section (My car does in fact have VATS).

So, the question is, wtf do I need to do with this thing?

Here is a link to the manual, page 5 (of the pdf, 7 and 8 of the manual itself) has the referrence to the wire in question

http://www.spal-usa.com/discontinued/2300%20-%20Remote%20Start.pdf

TYIA

If you wire up a relay as shown it will bypass vats during remote start. https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/uploads/32Z_VATS.pdf

ah ha! So that Ground out when Running would be interpreted as the Blue Status lead shown in your posted diagram then?

I found a PURPLE / white wire on the ignition pack in the engine compartment...but of all the settings I tried on multi meter, I couldn't get a real solid reading when i reved the engine. Do you know, specifically, what I should set my meter to?

I am more or less piecing this install together by working on little bits and peices of it over the course of a few weeks. I get pretty burned out at work so I only work on it for a couple of hours a day tops. I am still pretty much in the planning phase so when I really do start attacking the physical install, I will have a plan. The tach wire is pretty much my last gray area that I would like to get a more sure answer on before I wire it up wrong!

Thanks!!

Alright...looks like I got this all figured out. What turned out to be just a "lets get the parking lights and door locks wired up" night, turned into a full fledged battle to the end.

The PURPLE / white comming off the ignition pack was the tach sense. I gave up on using my multimeter and just hooked it up. After that, I got the door locks wired and the parking lights.

Turns out that the door lock/unlock wires I found work like a champ...no relays needed at all.

Much to my amazement, the remote start works not only without the key in the ignition, but without having done anything to bypass the vats. I don't know how, or why it works this way, and quite frankly I don't think I want to. 

The only things left now are finding a spot for the hood pin, finding the trunk release lead, mounting the antenna, and cleaning up the unsightly mess of wires. I have wanted one of these in my car for years and I damn near flew through the roof the first time it fired up!! I just wish I would have done it before winter...not after!!

Thanks again for your help xtremej!~!

(this part is for google: amenity Pro-Start 2300 1300 2300/1300 Prostart 1997 half 1998 )

Congrats, you'll love it in the winter. I'll bet your vats is bypassed permanetly, I see this more often than not. When you mount the antenna try to put it in the middle (upper) winshield around rearview mirror. Seems to be the best spot to mount them.