98 Ram Install

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Security and Convenience
Forum Discription: Car Alarms, Keyless Entries, Remote Starters, Immobilizer Bypasses, Sensors, Door Locks, Window Modules, Heated Mirrors, Heated Seats, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=8129
Printed Date: May 14, 2025 at 10:51 PM

Topic: 98 Ram Install

Posted By: big_bogus
Subject: 98 Ram Install
Date Posted: January 14, 2003 at 8:10 AM

I am debating on purchasing and installing a Hornet 554T. I can pick the unit up for about $240. I like the features and for the price it seems like a great deal. Now for the fun. I have downloaded the Installation manualfrom DEI and found the wiring Information here. While reviewing the manual and refering to the wiring info, I am confused. The manual isn't the clearest.

Question #1, Concerning Starter Disable/remote start: Is the starter wire from the alarm just spliced into the starter wire in the truck. This seems wrong. I would think that the circuit would need to be interrupted to prevent grinding in the event that the key is turned to the start position??!!? I just reread this and think that I cut the Ignition 1, Ignition 2, and Starter wires and connect the output side to the Alarm brain/relays, and the ignition wire to the input of the brain.

Questin 2: Power locks. I have read this is a 5 wire system. Can anyone verify this? The alarm has 2 wires - lock, + unlock and -unlock +lock. Please help me understand.

Thanks

Replies:

Posted By: 10nesne1
Date Posted: January 14, 2003 at 8:23 AM

Ans 1) The Starter Disable is an optional relay installed with the alarm system. When you arm the alarm/starter then you cannot start it with the key, but you can remote start the vehicle. You do not cut the Ignition1, and Ignition2 than just connects the wires to it. When you installed a Starter Disable relay on the vehicle, make sure you join both wires to the motor side, and not the key side. It will not start if you connected to the key side.

Ans2) This vehicle comes with 5 wire system and your alarm system has 2 wires for lock and unlock. You will have to hook up two relays to lock and unlock the door lock system.

5 Wire Alternating 12 Volts Positive Door Locks

Like the configuration above, the switch, when moved in either direction, applies both power and ground directly to motor legs without the use of any relays. Except, at the switch in this case, both motor legs rest at ground . Therefore it is only necessary to change the polarity of one motor leg to lock or unlock the vehicle.

Posted By: big_bogus
Date Posted: January 14, 2003 at 9:18 AM

Thanks for the quick reply.

Back to question 1. I think I understand. Ignition 1 and 2 from the brain get piggy backed to the I1 and I2. The starter wire gets cut and the motor side gets connected to the relay. Is the starter wire from the key just terminated and left hanging? I am not sure what you mean about both wires to the motor side.

Second, where is a good place to get relays? Parts Express, Digikey, or just the shack.

The install manual wants a switch installed in the Neutral saftey circuit to the brain. Why the override switch?

Lastly, the manual stetes to not use T-Taps or scotch locks for certain connections. What should I use? Strip and solder?

Thanks for your patientence.

Any places where I need diodes?

Posted By: 10nesne1
Date Posted: January 14, 2003 at 10:15 AM

Ans 1) Well, the starter disable relay comes prewired on the alarm system. One side goes to key side and other goes to motor side when you cut the starter wire. When you connect it up make sure you connect the starter wire from the starter relay pack wire together with with the prewired starter disable relay wire to the motor side. It doesn't matter pin 30 or pin 87a on the starter disable relay. As long as the two wires go to the motor side. If you hook it up to the key side then you will not be able to start the vehile. Ex. when you turn the starter over with the key and it sends 12v to the starter wire.

Ans 2) I don't know where you live. You can buy Relays and Diode from any car alarm retailers on your area.

Ans 3) The Neutral Safety switch is different from an Override switch. The Neutral protech your vehicle and tells the starter is safe to start. Override switch allow you to bypass the alarm system and programming for the alarm system.

Ans 4) Soldering is the best connection for alarm system or alarm/starter combo. Some installers still use T-Taps and Scotch locks. Those works ok but not great. It will give you problems in a year or two.

Posted By: big_bogus
Date Posted: January 21, 2003 at 6:51 AM

I ordered the Hornet 554T for $170 with free shipping. Some more Q's before I receive and install the unit.

Does the 5 wire lock relay setup lock/unlock both doors or just one? The reading I've done makes it sound like only one door gets locked/unlocked.

The remote start/starter disable thing still confuses me. I want to view the alarm wires and relays before I ask any more Q's. I see some people refer to the starter wire as the ignition wire, this is confusing when there is a starter wire, ignition wire 1 and ignition wire 2. - I'll get back to this later.

What type of relay harnesses should I buy. With the diode or without?

Thanks again.

Posted By: mykrowsy
Date Posted: January 21, 2003 at 4:33 PM

HI, I am doing the same thing to a 99 ram. I ordered my 554t from autotoys.com on 1-17, and am hoping to get it by the 25th. I ordered relays from parts express for 99 cents apiece, and got a 5-diode pack from autotoys. However, I share the same questions as you about the ignition - why is there a 2nd ignition?

and are my starter and ignition wires connected to two (or three) seperate relays? are they special - made just for that purpose - or can i use any old spst relay in there?

door locks are confusing too.

Posted By: big_bogus
Date Posted: January 22, 2003 at 8:26 AM

The Alarm has 5 relays included. One for starter kill. The rest are in the satellite relay bank. There is 1 for remote start starter power, 1 for ignition 1,. 1 for ignition 2, and 1 for accessory i.e. a/c blower.

I am due to receive mine today. I still need to order the relay for the power locks. I just hope some one answers my earlier questions.

Good luck

Posted By: 10nesne1
Date Posted: January 22, 2003 at 9:59 AM

5 Wire Alternating 12 Volts Positive Door Locks

This will lock and unlock your power door lock. You can get the relays from any local electronic retail store in your area. Or you can pick it up at a car dealership which will cost a more for the relays. I will include a wiring diagram for this vehicle. Good luck...

Posted By: mykrowsy
Date Posted: January 22, 2003 at 5:59 PM

boy am i glad i ordered my alarm when i did. I got it for 168.95, and now the same place is asking 199.95

so will i just need 2 extra relays? and are they the spst type or another kind?

will i need the doorlock module (451m i think), or will the relays do just fine. what about window roll up/down, turn neons on/off, and so on?? thanks again, mike

Posted By: big_bogus
Date Posted: January 23, 2003 at 6:18 AM

I am glad I ordered my 554T when I did!!! It recenly went up to $175, then to $199. I guess it is a hot item. I also ordered a glass break sensor. My only question about that is the best location to install it???

I ordered my SPDT relays from Parts express. Really cheap, but shipping sucks. I ordered the twin relay harness to use for the door locks.

I received the 554 yesterday and took a good look at it. It seems like it should be an easy, but tedious install. The only wire I was unsure about was the yellow wire on the starter kill. The manual states connect it to the ignition wire. I assume they mean ignition 1, a wire with 12 Volts when the key is in the on position. But looking at its function, it only provides 12V to the starter kill relay and the alarm provides ground when armed. I think I can use the actual starter wire (key side) to feed the yellow wire.

The only wires that need to be cut is the starter wire for the Starter kill, and the door lock and unlock. Not bad, cut 3 wires and piggy back the rest.

While researching this install, I was surprised to see how many installers are using T-Taps and scotch locks, which is contrary to the advice of soldering all connections received here.

Mykrowsy - Good Luck. I plan on doing my install this weekend. Hopefully the temperature will rise and my relays will arrive. -- It doesn't help that I totaled my car on Tuesday and need to shop for one this weekend. I guess I'll be extremely busy - 554 install, car shopping, superball party.

Thanks to everybody. I let you know how it turns out.

Posted By: mykrowsy
Date Posted: January 23, 2003 at 3:37 PM

how did you get yours so fast\? i ordered last friday, and they still don't know when i'm going to get it?

Posted By: big_bogus
Date Posted: January 24, 2003 at 6:09 AM

I think I ordered a day before you and live in the DC area. They are located in NJ and I routinely get UPS packages from up there the next day, without the additional charge. I guess I just got lucky when I ordered. Hopefully yours will arrive soon.

Posted By: mykrowsy
Date Posted: January 24, 2003 at 6:21 PM

hopefully, cause they haven't even shipped yet. I'm beginning to worry. Let me know how your install goes, Later.

Posted By: big_bogus
Date Posted: January 27, 2003 at 6:25 AM

Well I installed the system yesterday. I spen a few hours Saturday disassembling the truck and identifying wires. Sunday I started the install. Unfortunately, my relays won't arrive until today, so I couldn't do the keyless entry part yet.

My results: The remote start works like a champ. No problems. The alarm is not really functional yet. I am having a rough time with the door triggers. I resorted to tapping directly into each switch, but that didn't work very well. I tried using my DMM on the Central timer unit, but the BLACK/ lt. blue doesn't exist and the tan didn't seem to go to ground when the door was opened. I will need to play with this today. Next problem is the Neutral saftey switch. I couldn't find a second BLACK/ white. The first BLACK/ white is Ignition 2. For now I just grounded the alarm Neutral input, but I would like to enable the rolling locks in the future.

Thanks for any help

The next problem is the shock and glass break sensors. How should the sensors be mounted (Double sided tape behind dash?). Any particular direction for mounting? Where should the mic be mounted?

Thanks.

Posted By: big_bogus
Date Posted: January 29, 2003 at 6:11 AM

Latest update:

I took the door trigger from the door pin switch, yellow wire. The directions that talk about a tan wire and the central timer unit to the right of the steering column aren't corrrect for my application.

Next I will install the Dome supervision relay, The shock sensor (Why does it have 2 connectors, the green on one side has a jumper from green by itself to blue and the other side has a hanging green? - the unit says the green is warn output and blue is alarm), and the glass break sensor. Which zone should I put the glass break sensor on? and how do you set the sensitivity without breaking glass?

Sorry for the questions, but I just want to get finished and have it installed correctly the first time. As soon as it warms up I can clean up the install and work on hiding the brain.

Thanks

Posted By: mykrowsy
Date Posted: January 29, 2003 at 1:00 PM

sounds like things are coming along well. I want to install mine today, but i am also waiting for my relays and dmm, which i purchased just for this install

Posted By: mykrowsy
Date Posted: January 29, 2003 at 6:25 PM

what's the best place to pull the tach wire from?

Posted By: big_bogus
Date Posted: January 30, 2003 at 4:07 AM

I took mine from the PCM. It was the BLACK/ gray wire on the connector closest to the engine. The voltage was about 7Vac at idle. Either take it from there or grab it from the coil. I believe it is the same wire.

I just hope we get the warmer weather we were promised for this weekend. It would be nice to get everything tucked away in the dash properly. I am not overly concered with the security aspect, I was mostly looking for the keyless entry and remote start, and I liked the two way capability and price of the 554T. So I am just wire tying the Brain up to the frame above the steering column.

If it wasn't for all of the excellent information here, I never would have been able to perform this install. I am am electrical engineer, but these installers deserve praise and the fee they charge. I am glad I don't do this for a living.

Good luck with your install. I soldered ALL connections. Take your time, place the xacto knife/razor blade in a safe place ALWAYS. I put it on the floor next to me just once while cutting the tape off of the door lock wires. My hand slipped and I sliced my hand. Not too bad, but I probably should have gotten a stitch or 2.