alarm in my 87 mercedes

Hi guys...

I have a 1987 Mercedes 260E that did not come with a factory alarm that started in 1988.

It has vacuum locks as standard....but I am not sure exactly where to start or what alarm system I should buy that will work.

1) Keyless
2) Need a horn.

I don't need a crazy fancy system, just something that if someone opens the doors the alarm will go off. Smashing a window would probably too difficult I assume for an older model like this?

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My car got keyed last week and my friends car got broken into for an iPod so I really want to get an alarm ASAP now.

Where do I start? I have rebuilt engines and did my audio install myself, so I am a pretty good DIY'er if lead in the right direction.

Thanks,
Robert

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1987 Mercedes 260E

Viper 1002 with the optional 508d proximity sensor will fit the bill perfectly, it has instructions for your form of locking plus you can set the lock time to 3.5 secs to accommodate the vacuum time.
When you're ready to start post again, I'll take you through it.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Sweet. Ordered that model. Looks like I can add the sensor later if I want to.

I'll bump the thread if the instructions are confusing to me.

Thanks,
Robert

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1987 Mercedes 260E

Pay attention to the trunk switch. If the switch AND light are in the lid, the switch is positive and you have to reroute the ground side through that switch. If the light is under the rear shelf don't worry.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

the switch is in the lid, the light is under the shelf. So nothing to worry about you say?

Since I know nothing about alarms and how they work -- how do they recognize lets say someone smashes the window? Or is that with power locks only? (Are vacuum locks considered power locks?)

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1987 Mercedes 260E

You're OK, BROWN / red* I believe in the loom coming out of the trunk lid by the support.
*Pop the trunk light it should have 2 wires, RED / white(?) and BROWN / something. You want the BROWN / something.
Re your second question, I've already mentioned the 508d.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Got the kit!

Going through the main harness first and figuring out which wires I need.

Bare with me here....Newbie, but trying my best:

Main Harness:
Red = +12v constant
Brown = Siren (+)
Yellow = +12v ignition ---> I'll figure this wire out in my factory service manual
Black = GND

Now the ones I am not sure about: Do I need any of them?

Violet = (+) Door Trigger input....???
Green = (-) Door Trigger Input... ???
Blue = (-) Instant Trigger Input....???
BLACK/ White = High current output from on-board domelight supervision relay...No idea what this is haha
WHITE/ Blue = 200 mA (-) channel 3 output...???
White = parking light flash output...Is this to flash the lights when you lock the car....or ?
Orange = GND when armed....???

Door Lock Harness

This is a little confusing...
What are those lock / unlock relays?



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1987 Mercedes 260E

Oh also, I have some 18 gauge speaker wire...is that good enough to use to extend my 12v wires to the battery with? Or should I get some 12 gauge?

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1987 Mercedes 260E

From your questions I'm very much wondering whether you should do this yourself rather than having it professionally installed..but I did say I'd help so here goes.
Red brown and yellow, up through it's base and into the underhood fusebox. Underneath the fuses you will find the cable entry.
Red to the battery (input side of fuses coloured red).
Yellow to pink/red.
Brown out through the fuse box to the siren's red wire, ground it's black wire.
Violet ignore.
Green diode out into a "Y" 1N4004, bands away from alarm, one side to either front door pin switch BROWN / white (I think, it's a hell of a time since I've done one, it's the side that goes to ground when either front door is opened. Also connect the BLACK/ white to the same point.
Take other side to either rear dome light switch on dash or up into rear door (either) pin switch, I believe BROWN / grey, but again TEST).
Blue gets a Y connection just as the green above, one end goes to a hood pin switch. You're better off going to a Benz dealer and buying the factory alarm switch.
The other end goes to the trunk switch as mentioned in a previous post.
Failure to use diodes in either the green or blue above might give you lots of grief such as a flat battery.
Ignore WHITE/ blue and orange.
White as you thought, again to fusebox, again you might have to diode out in a "Y", this time the bands away from the alarm, if you have 2 separate fuses.
Door lock harness confusing? How? I couldn't explain it any better. Except the wire you are looking for, blue or green is in the floor harness each side. Each one has it's own loom, carefully open it's a rubbery style sheath, the other two colours in each loom will be RED / white and BROWN / black.
PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL, there are PNEUMATIC lines there..

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Errata green and blue wires, diodes

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Forget my last post r-read my major post.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

The 18 gauge will be fine for the hood, trunk and rear door post triggers. You are NOT going to have to go to the battery.
Also when do, extend lock/unlock time to 3.5 seconds

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

I have rebuilt my transmission, wired my headunit amplifier and sub on the car without any prior experience. I just need a little helping hand in the beginning until I can understand how it works basically.

Thanks for your patience. Let's see what I can do.

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1987 Mercedes 260E

Ok I think I am beginning to understand things now...slowly.

I got my Red +12v constant, black GND and the horn hooked up.

The ignition +12v....You said "to pink/red"...In the fusebox a wire that is pink/red? The only one I see goes to Fuse "C" which is for central locking/defroster etc....I checked it with my DMM and it seems to be a constant 12v?




Here is the door trigger....The RED / Blk gets 12v when switch is pressed, the 2 brown wires turn GND when switch is pressed.
--> so to clarify:
https://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productid=2036270#
Green wire to 1a diode then split. One side to the brown wires on Left door, another wire to the Right door same place. Correct?

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1987 Mercedes 260E

Kind of a pain I can't edit...

Green wire...so one side only? It does not need to go to both doors? So the other "Y" wire needs to go to the rear door pin switch. Again, one side only?

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1987 Mercedes 260E

OK, you're doing fine, in the picture it's the wire with the insulated terminal, or NOT plain brown. Every (original) plain brown wire on your car will be a direct ground.
Your last post is correct, either front door for one green either rear or rear dome switch for other green. Again if you remove the door pin switch it's the side that isn't plain brown.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Green, blue, white split via TWO diodes.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Split with two diodes...good thing you told me. I did one diode then two wires coming off that. I'll have to go back and correct that.

When it comes to the Wht/Blk wire, does that have to go to each door pin also, or just one? I couldn't tell for sure by your long post.

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1987 Mercedes 260E