Upgrading Autopage RS650 to RF420LCD

I want to upgrade my autopage rs650 to the rf420 lcd in my 1996 Jeep Cherokee Sport (XJ).  A buddy of mine installed the 650 2 years ago but since then I've lost some functionality, (dome light, blinking parking lights, etc) probably because of loose or bad connections.  

The Autopage diagram looks fairly easy to follow.  I was thinking I could simply splice the old wires and attach the wires for the new unit but I want to make sure I fix whatever was wrong in the beginning.  The instructions say that the WHITE WIRE(parling light relay output) should be connected to the wire coming from the headlight switch, but NOT to the dimmer switch.  Could someone explain this to me?  My switch also serves as a dimmer, is there another wire I should be looking for? 

Thanks in advance,

jg

Just wanted to post an update in case anyone was following this.  I now know the difference between autopage RF and RS alarms.  DOH!  I was staring at a maze of wires by the time I realized the unit I purchased did not come with Remote Start.  What a newb! I have another unit on order (RS-622) In the meantime, I did discover that 2 of the 20A fused lines coming from the alarm were burnt.  I'm not sure how or what could have happened here.  I replaced the lines and the fuses and noticed that the original installer had spliced the lines together and had attached them to one 12v red wire coming from the ignition harness, there were actually 2 red wires there and it looks like instructions wanted you to utilize both.  Would tieing the lines together have caused them to burn?  Also, I'm still unable to get the parking lights to come on or blink, I can hear a relay in the brain clicking but I don't know what to check for the output, any suggestions?

The fuses look good.  On the original alarm the installer attached the parking light wire to a blue/orange(red) wire that isattached to a box with relays on it, directly under the dash.  Should there be a voltage coming from the wire when the relays click?

Thanks again for the help.

There shouldn't be any relays connected to the parking light wires.  The alarm itself has an internal relay to do that.  Looking at a wiring diagram for your Jeep you shouldn't need ANY relays to install a remote start/alarm in your SUV, besides the starter kill.  The doorlocks are positive pulse, which the alarm can handle that.  Everything else is standard wiring, + parking brake, - door trigger, - horn, etc.  I would take out the old alarm, get a test light and run over all  your fuses.  Don't just look at them with a flashlight, but touch both the terminals on each fuse with the test light for all fuses in the car and under the hood.  Be sure that the car and headlights are on.  That way when you get ready to install the new remote start/alarm you will be certain that all the factory fuses are good and you wont be scratching your head.  All the wires you need for the install are either in the drivers kick panel or ignition harness.  Just prewire the alarm on a bench or table, bundle you connections together that need to go to the ignition switch, bundle the wires needed for the kick panel, mount the brain and run the wires to the appropriate locations and connect them.  BE SURE to program the remote start before you go testing anything, and also BE SURE to GROUND the BLACK/ white wire on your new autopage rs/alarm or it will not start.  Most the time I just use the voltage regulated start instead of the tach mode, but a lot of installers prefer the tach wire.  The programming on the Autopage units are simple, turn the ign. on/off three times and push the valet switch however many time the manual tell you. 

To answer you previous post, I have no idea what the relays are for, but if there is clicking coming from them then you should have voltage whatever wire they are connected to, either 12v or ground.  On some vehicles I have to step up the ground voltage from the alarm to turn on the (-) dome light or (-) lock/unlock.  Below are a few links.  The first one is a wiring diagram for your car, the second the installation diagram for your alarm you have now, and the third is the installation diagram for you new Autopage 622.

BTW::  THE AUTOPAGE RS 622 IS JUST A REMOTE START/KEYLESS, NOT A REMOTE START/ALARM.  IF YOU WANT A RS/ALARM YOU WILL NEED THE RS 622!!

You had me nervous there for a sec, I checked and double checked that rs622 and it does come with remote start, the 662 also comes with remote start but it is not a two-way alarm.

Anyway,  I really appreciate the help and advice you've given me thus far.  I went over the installation manual for the 650 and it says that the wire going to the parking light wire (from the alarm) is a 12v output wire.  When I trigger the alarm or remote start I never see a voltage on this line.  I only see a voltage when I manually turn on the lights.( parking, headlights, or flashers)  Is it safe to assume that there could be a problem in the brain?  One of the input wires on this harness appears to have burned a little but the wire and the fuses all check out.  The parking wire thing really has me puzzled.

Thanks again,

John

David I stand corrected and once again out of some $$$.  Trying to save a dollar  I errantly purchased the wrong unit again.  Now I have a two-way remote start and a seperate two-way alarm.  Is there any way to combine the two ? 

Yea sure, but it is just extra wiring.  What particular unit are you looking for??  The Autopage RS 622 is a rs/keyless, NOT ALARM.  The RS 662 is a rs/keyless and alarm.  Is the r/s you ordered Autopage??  I didn't know they made a stand alone remote start to add on to keyless.  If you want the RS622 or RS662 just pm me and I will give you a price. 

To answer your question, you should have a 12V pulse when you hit the lock/unlock button on your parking light wire.  If not, the internal relay might be bad.  Also, the wire you mentioned that looked burnt might have caused this.  I would pay close attention to that wire and what it is tied into.  Please let me know on the alarm if you want one.  David