2003 ram manual remote start ultra start

I have successfully done a remote start install once before on an automatic vehicle but I have four questions on installing an Ultra Start U1271M on my 2003 Dodge Ram with Manual transmission.

The best vehicle notes I have found are at: Bulldog Security's Website.

1st Question: My remote starter claims that it has 5 'on-board' relays but there is really very little info more about them. The included directions show that the unlock and lock outputs are both a negative 250ma (though the instructions found on their website shows they are both a negative 500ma). I understand that on my vehicle the system is a single wire control and I understand that I need to wire 330 and 820 ohm resistors . . ..   What I don't understand is whether my unit is sending the appropriate 'relayed' signal or do I need to wire relays in? Here are the options on bulldogs site

2nd Question: Because it is a manual transmission. . . . for the 'reservation' mode to work properly the door triggers need to be wired. Bulldog indicates for an alarm installation you could use the dome light wire in the 'A' pillar for this purpose as shown here. My application is not an alarm but it seems that by using this wire I could avoid running a trigger wire with diodes to all the doors. . . . am I correct?

3rd Question: The instructions for my remote starter indicates that there are 4 types of clutch switches and thus different ways to bypass the switch. I can not find any information on what type of switch I have and how to bypass it. Please tell me how to bypass my switch. If relays are required please be specific on the setup that is required.

Last Question: On the last install I did. . . .   I just stripped a portion of the wire that I was 'tapping' into and wrapped the two or three applicable wires together and taped (electric) around them. . . . this worked for the 5 years I had the vehicle. What is the preferred method? Are their quick connectors that work well?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

question 1 YES you need relays. you can build your relays like the top ones in your diagram.

question 2 YES, you are correct.

question 3 find a brown and yellow at/on the clutch switch. This need a "ground while running" Or a negative start pulse,  to bypass the clutch.

final question get a soldering iron.

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Thank you KarTuneMan!

Question 1: Ok . . . I'll add the relays and wire them as shown below:




For my edification. . . . I know relays can serve many purposes. . . In this case what are the relays doing?

Question 2: Thanks. . . . that will save a little work.


Question 3: On the remote starter I have a 30amp Select Output Wire - Selectable output for 2nd Ign, acc or starter.
Is this the wire I would use and reverse the polarity to the brown and yellow wire at/on the clutch switch? What would I set the 'jumper' to? Ignition or starter?

Would I then reverse the polarity with a relay and wire it as shown below?



Do I need to first test the brown and yellow wire? If so, what do I test for?

Question 4: I have a soldering iron. . . . . what type of solder should I use?

Thanks again for your help. I am one of those that while I like to save a buck. . . . I really like the challenge and experience of learning something new!

1.)  Current Draw.  Most remote straters without door lock relays can handle a limited current on their lock / unlock outputs.

3.) Your truck has two Ignition wires and Two Accessory wires.  Set the U1271 jumper for Ignition2 and use the White wire for the trunks Ignition2 wire.  That will leave you with the trucks ACC2 wire to power.  An extra 30/40A SPDT Relay and a 20 Amp fuse will be needed for that.  Althought Bulldog Security suggests connecting the remote starts ACC output to both, that's not usually a good idea.  Not sure on the clutch bypass, usually a  relay setup controlled by GRW or Starter will work.  If yours is a low current (-) as KarTuneMan suggests then GWR directly to the correct wire is all you need.  If you are using GWR for your bypass too, diode isolate the connections.

4.) 63 / 37 is best but 60 /40 is more common / available.  A solder with a "no clean" flux is preffered. 

This is a good one : Kester 245 No Clean Wire Solder 63/37 .031" 1 lb. Spool

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Soldering is fun!

Thank you kreg357!-

I can't believe I missed the fact that I needed both of the ignition outputs for my truck. I am glad that I am spending so much time wrapping mind around the project before actually diving in. Now I'll just need to figure out how to wire in the extra 30/40A SPDT Relay and a 20 Amp fuse to power the ACC2. Is the below drawing correct?



I don't need bypass (black key) so my - while running wire is unused. How can I confirm low current (-) as KarTuneMan suggests? I have an analog amp meter. .. .   just need to know what to do and what to test for. Assuming it is low current. . . Would I just use the - while running wire as shown below and connect it to the brown and yellow wire at/on the clutch switch?



Thanks for your help.

If you are going to use just only relay for the ACC2 circuit, your drawing is almost correct.

Pin 87 to +12v constant thru appropriate fuse.
Pin 86 to U1271 ACC1 output Green ( that is also connected to the trucks ACC1 wire at ignition harness).
Pin 30 to trucks ACC2 wire at ignition switch harness.
Pin 85 to U1271 GWR WHITE/ Violet wire with inline 1N4001 diode, band towards U1271.
Pin 87a is not used and should be insulated.

This relay will be actuated whenever the ACC1 ciruit is on (+) AND the U1271 GWR signal (-) is active in a remote start.  The diode is to keep the circuit islolated because you will also be connecting GWR to the clutch depressed wire for clutch bypass during remote start.  An inline diode with the band towards the U1271 will be necessary in the GWR branch to the clutch wire also.

Below is the diagram I have for the U1271s' bypass connector where you will get the GWR signal.  

Ground While Running Output (-)250ma        WHITE/ VIOLET
Ground Output (-)250ma                                    BLACK
12Volt Output (+)250ma                                     RED

I believe most newer Ultra Start units have circuit overload protection for their low current outputs so you can try it directly wired without harm to the U1271.  If you don't want to chance it, a 10A SPDT relay can be used as follows:

Relay Pin 85 to GWR with inline diode
Relay Pin 86 to +12v constant thru 5A fuse
Relay Pin 87 to Chassis Ground
Relay Pin 30 to Clutch wire

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Soldering is fun!

I just thought I'd add a comment regarding question 2. Make sure your truck does not turn the interior lights on when you turn it off. This will kill your reservation mode. My car with a manual trans does this. When I get out of it, keys and remote in hand, car running, it turn interior lights on when I shut it down with remote. If your truck does the same thing, you will have to use the door triggers.

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Keith

Thank you kreg357 and kohara73!

I think I am ready to tackle this now.

kohara73. . . . My light does not come on when I turn the car off but it does come on when you open the doors and stays on for about 30 seconds after I shut / lock the doors. Does this mean that I would need to keep the truck running until the lights turn out in order to keep the RS in reservation mode? If so . . . I might just attach to the driver door trigger. I am not really worried about someone entering from the other three doors and putting the car into gear.

Try this...Sit in the truck with it running. Open the door, close the the door. The dome light delay may not be present with it running. Then turn truck off. Then press lock button on door. You have just done what your reservation mode will do. If the dome goes out as soon as the door is closed and doesn't come on again when the truck is turned off and locked, you should be OK to use the dome light as your door trigger.

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Keith

Although it's 4 more diodes and two long wires over to the Passenger Kick Panel, if the Dome Light wire does not allow easy entry into "Reservation Mode", I would wire all four doors status'.  A 5,000 pound diesel truck is a hard thing to stop...

NOTE *3 the DRIVERS DOOR is a TAN (-), the DRIVERS REAR DOOR is a TAN/ORANGE (-) or a PURPLE / ORANGE (-), these wires are in the DRIVERS KICK PANEL. The PASSENGE DOOR is a TAN/RED (-) and the PASSENGER REAR DOOR is a TAN / YELLOW (-), these wires are in the PASSENGER KICK PANEL. When connecting to an ALARM SYSTEM, use all 4 DOOR TRIGGER wires and DIODE ISOLATE. to connect, See DIAGRAM

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Soldering is fun!

The dome light immediately starts to dim once I close the door. Takes about 2-3 seconds to completely go out which would be a tolerable time to wait for me to finish the 'reservation' mode process.

I went to Radio Shack after work today to get all the stuff I needed to complete the project.

For relays. . . . all they had were 40a SPST relays which I assume will work since I don't require the 87a pin for any of my needs. . . . . Am I correct? They did not have a 10A SPDT / SPST relay which was what I was planning on using for the clutch bypass. 1.) Can I use a 30 or 40 amp SPST? I assume the 30 or 40 just means up to and including 30 or 40 amps?   OR. . . . can anyone confirm the suspicion that a relay is not actually required and I can wire the GWR wire straight to the BROWN / yellow wire at the clutch switch as described in the previous posts? I appreciate kreg357's suggestion (and all his other help) that he believes that most newer Ultra Start units have circuit overload protection for their low current outputs but I would love to hear from someone that has actually done this bypass. I tried to find confirmation of said circuit overload protection on their literature to no avail.

On a strange side note. . . .   Ultra Starters phone number as displayed on their box goes to some kind of people chat / dating hotline. . . . I thought I just dialed wrong buy no. . ..   each time I dial . . .. it's the same. I got more than I bargained for when I purchased this RS!

Radio Shack had the two 1N4001 diodes I need.

I need a 330 and 820 Ohm resistor.   They had 330 Ohm resistors with amp capacities of 1/4 , 1/2, and 1 amp. Which amperage resistor should I get? They did not however have any 820 Ohm resistors. Any suggestions?

Thanks again for any and all help.

The SPST relays will work as long as Pin 87A is not required.  The 40A capacity is OK, just overkill.  A 10A relay is just a little smaller. Some of the full line auto stores will carry the relays.

The only place I could find the Ultra Start "overload protection" statement was on the info for a u1272, 3rd paprgraph down :  https://www.ultrastarters.com/Feature_Sheets/PRO_Feature%20Sheets%20PDF/1272XR-PRO.pdf

While there are sources for that exact size resistor, if you are in a hurry, buy 2 resister that add up to the value you need and connect them is series.  Look for a 150 ohm and a 680 ohm.  That will give you 830, which should be close enough.  1/2 watt is fine.  ( If you get the 5 Packs, use your meter to find the lowest ohm in each pack to get even closer.)

Here is a to another way to buy pass a clutch using a relay.  Use your DMM to "figure out" the clutch switch and wire accordingly.   https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=123887&KW=kreg357

Most major manufactures do not give Tech Support to DIYers, only authorized dealers. 

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Soldering is fun!

Well thanks to several of you. . . .. The installation went reasonably well today. My vehicle starts remotely and locks and unlocks. . . . all the things I thought might be challenging were no problem. . . .. BUT I can not find the - horn wire or + Parking light wire. According to the wiring charts the - horn wire should be black / red. As shown below there were only two wires that are black with what might pass as a red stripe but both are + wires. I tried a couple of the smaller gauge wires randomly with no success either.    Any ideas?





The parking light wire is supposed to be black / yellow and under the relay station under the hood. It is quite a bunch of wires but I did not see a definitive black with yellow. . . . though there are several dark blue with yellow. I thought about just tapping into the parking light relay above (just soldering to the appropriate pin) any ideas what pin I would connect to?

Thanks again for all your help.

OK . . . . I have been pulling my hair out trying to figure out the horn wire. . . I tested every wire and for the ones that tested negative I clipped them and tried the horn. . .. no dice. So I went back to the black / red wire (which is supposed to be the correct wire according to the diagrams. . . . this is the one I previously mentioned tested positive instead of negative as it should). . .. .   and I clipped it and it is indeed the horn wire. It is very much a positive wire though and my output from my RS is negative. Is the below diagram the appropriate wiring for a relay to reverse the polarity?



I checked several diagrams and they all show the horn should be negative. Is it really, really weird that mine is positive? Am I missing something?

I can't find the correct positive wire for the parking light (my output is positive) which is under the relay center in the engine compartment. . . .. there are so many wires and they are hard to get to so I am going to just wire the negative wire in the cab. Is this the correct diagram:



My output from the RS is fused at 10 amps. Can I just cut that fuse out or should I leave it in?