Compustar Install

[paulguy]

I took pictures of the last install, so i thought i would do a how-to.

With the new interfaces that are out now a monkey could install a starter in these trucks.

I'm doing a compustar 6200 and an fortin INT-SL

 

Tools needed;

 

Wire strippers

Soldiering gun or torch if your able(I use a torch, but please be careful)

7mm and 10mm(deep) sockets

Light

Drill and 5/16 drill bit

Clip tool or panel popper

Crimpers

Knife

A way to test wires, either a meter or computer safe test light

 

 

Supplies needed;

Soldier

Tape

Seft tapping screw(tek)

Grounding washer

wire ties, 8 or 10"

1/8' or 1/4' loom if you going under the hood

Starter or Starter/Alarm

Data Interface

Now mainly this trucks are so easy to do is the fact that the data interface does so much, I'm using a Fortin INT=SL piece on this truck and it does passlock bypass, door locks, factory alarm integration, parklight control, and even has tach output. There are alot of interface modules and they do mostly the same thing and hook up the same way, for the most part.

So the only wires to hook up in the truck are the ignition wires at the column, the data wire at the obd2 connector, ground behind the kick panel, and maybe the brake wire on the side of the dash.

The first thing to do is prep the harness.

I use a clamp to hold the module brain down, it helps for tapping, You can also screw it down to the bench as well.

 

Plug in the wire harnesses to the module and straighten them all out.

Lots of wires eh? Don't need most of them, so don't worry

Separate the wires you don't need from the ones you do, I just flip them over so I can keep track.

Basically you will need;

On the main Harness;

• Accessory
• Starter
• Ignition
• Ground
• 12 Volt Constant(2 wires)

And on the Secondary harness;

• Status out or GWR(ground while running)
• Park lights -
• Brake
• Tach
• Hoodpin(if your doing one and you should)
• Doorpin(if your doing a starter/alarm)
• 2nd ignition output -
• Horn
• Siren + (if you doing a start/alarm)

And the Doorlock Harness;

• Lock
• Unlock

If your not sure if you need a wire or not, then run it anyway. It's alot easier to have a wire run in your harness if you need it then to rip it all apart to get at one.

 

 

Cut of the wires you don't need, leaving some length on them and then tape up each harness an inch or two. Always leave an inch or two free towards the connector as to not put stress on the plugs

 

Tape everything into a single harness but loop the smaller harnesses so if you twist the module, the wires have room to move and won't pull out of the plugs

 

Now to hook up the interface module and 2nd ignition. Compustar stopped putting in a 2nd ignition output in there starters which kinda sucks, but i can see why because alot of new vehicles don't need it, like 07 and up chevs

Strip one of the power wires and cut off the second ignition out(green)

To strip the wire, use wire strippers, give a little wiggle on the wire to break the insulation free(try not to cut the wire itself), then move down about an inch and cut the insulation again. Then take a knife and cut the insulation apart.

 

Peel off the Insulation.

 

At this point, you have to install the relay that comes in the box. You should have a basic understanding of how it works.

Basically 85 and 86 are the coil wires for the relay, once these wires see power and ground(doesn't matter which wires) the coil energizes and connects 87 and 30 together. That's the best way I can describe it, if you need more help, then google relays or go to somewhere like the12volt.com.

I'll tape up the relay harness almost to the end and hook up 85 to the 2nd ignition wire, then 86 and 87 to the power wire you stripped.

The 30 wire is the output to 2nd ignition, but it needs to be extended to run up with the main harness, you can use the green/white that you cut off the main harness earlier, and hook that up.

In the pic, I'm hooking up two relays, the truck I was doing was a diesel so i always hook up the brown Accessory wire in the truck when I'm doing a diesel or a truck with stabilitrack(I've had issues with those ones). had a brown and a yellow wire in the pic that I used.

Soldier the wires and tape them up.

 

Now to hook up the interface.

There wires you need on it are;

• power
• ground
• lock
• unlock
• gwr
• ignition
• tach
• parklights
• Doorpin
• data out

Cut off the wires you don't need and tape the harness up, I like to be able to put it where I want, so I leave most of the wires full length. Then you need to cut the wires off on the starter that hook up to the corresponding interface wires(except the Ignition ground and power wires, you just splice that on, just like the power wires for the relay). I'll grab a purple wire that i didn't use from the starter, and extend the data out(purple) so that it'll reach. Soldier and tape.

 

If your doing a starter/alarm, you should also cut off your siren wire here as well and strip the ground wire, then I'll take the wires that come off the siren(or you can use speaker wire or something like that) and cut them off, leaving enough to soldier them back up, and I tie them into my harness, so that power and ground run outside. Never ground the siren under the hood, it doesn't last. Soldier and tape.

 

Now to tape up the harness. Tape up the wires ging under the hood(hoodpin, siren wires) for a foot at least. Then tape up the rest of the harness almost halfway. During taping the wires and your starting to tape up something that is already taped, you can stop taping those wires and continue around them so that they come out off the main harness.

 

You wires only realy go to three places...Under the hood, the main ignition harness, and just to the left on the side of the dash. So you should have your under hood wires coming off of your harness first, then at about halfway, pull out the ground, brake and data out, these wires I'll run under the dash at the obd2 connector and over to the left. I tape up those wires maybe 6" from the end of the ground wire. The rest of the wires.... Ignition, 2nd Ignition(of the relay), Accessory, Starter, 12 volt powers, and horn I tape up to about 6' from the ends of the shortest wire.

 

Your half done...yaaaay.

 

Run the antenna, I always put them on the right side of the mirror. Place the ant on the glass on the right side of the mirror. Never put an antenna up high on the windshield towards the top. The metal in the roof can interfere with the signal and give you range problems. Run the antenna wire under the headliner and then pull of the a-pillar and run it down with the other wires.

 

Pull of the dash bolster cover(2 7mm's) and the brace(4 10mm nuts).

 

Take a clip tool and release the clip holding the harness onto the top of the brace.

 

Undo the plastic clip that holds the main ignition wires and pull out these wires;

• Ignition(pink)
• 2nd Ignition(white)
• Starter(Yellow)
• Power(red and red/white)
• Accessory(Orange)
• Horn(black or black/yellow)

Test them with a meter or equivalent to make sure you have the right ones.(Hint a knike with a test clip hooked up to the metal part works well to probe wires)

 

Strip them with you strippers, about an inch apart.

Then cut the insulation with a knife.

 

Pull of the insulatin on all the wires except the power wires(red and red/white). you don't want those exposed, they're live.

 

Go down to the obd2 harness and un tape some of it and strip the purple wire - don't test this one, it's data.

 

Pull off the fuse cover on the side of the dash, find the harness with foam on it.

 

Slice the tape on it and pull out the light blue, test for brake

 

Plug the antenna in for the starter into the module. Now to set the module close to where it has to go I like to mount mine behind the junction box under the dash. Usually a guy can unclip it, tilt it forward, stuff the module behind and it should clip back in holding it tight.

 

Then reach up and feed the starter harness through the dash to come out ontop of the bracket.

 

Pull the data, ground and brake wires down by the obd2 connector.

Edited December 8, 2010 by paulguy (see edit history)

[paulguy]

Check the length on the wires and make sure there long enough to hook up, then cut them off even so they're the same length. strip at least an inch off the ends and hook them to the corresponding wires on the truck. All but the power wires.

 

Pull back the kick panel a bit, usually the top clip comes off, and using a screw and grounding washer, screw the ground into the painted metal.

 

Run the brake wire up from the ground wire to the wire you stripped and hook it up. Hook up the data wire to the purple wire on the obd2 connector.

Double check you have the right wires and soldier them.

 

Tape up the wires. On the large ignition wires, I use about 10" of tape. Don't be cheap on the tape!

 

Hook up and soldier and tape the power wires.

 

I put the main harness back into the plastic clip and then wire tie on each side of the connections(pretty nice, eh?), and plug the clip back in that you pulled out ontop of the brace.

 

If you doing a hood pin, pry the insert from the grommet where the gas pedal wires run through.

 

Myself I use a wire coat hanger bend into a loop at the end and run the wires under the hood.(this truck is a diesel so I'm running tach, glowplug, and hoodpin)

 

Drill a hole for hoodpin

 

Install it and hook up the wire(grey/black). Close the hood.

(forgot to take a picture, sorry)

 

Program the remotes... key on-off 5 times, hit button one on each remote.

Program the interface module. Hold the program switch in, plug in the harnesses in to it, turn the key to the on postion, when the light flashes, llet go of the button and start the truck.

while it's running, program tach by stepping on the brake and holding button two on the remote.

 

Done

 

Test and if all is good, wire tie the crap out of everything, and test again, then reinstall the metal brace and bottom bolster.

Have a beer...Unless it's freakin minus -25 like it is here, then go get some timmy's.

[joeyg]

Damn, I could've done mine with this... too scary otherwise so I paid to have mine put in, which I now consider a waste of $$$.

 

Very neat install man!

[blackbeast ss]

nice writeup

[BlueAKSSS]

Great writeup and nice autostart!

I installed that one in my 69' Chevy just for fun! I've got a question in stead of cutting into the ignition harness have you ever tried using this harness for these trucks? GM T-Harness Link I used it in my SS remote start install and it worked great, just unpluged the original harness from the ignition switch plug in the T harness run it down from the column with the autostart wires tapped into it and plug the other end into the factory harness. Then all the factory wires except for OBD2, ground and brake wires aren't cutup.

[paulguy]

Thanks guys

 

I've got a question in stead of cutting into the ignition harness have you ever tried using this harness for these trucks? GM T-Harness Link I used it in my SS remote start install and it worked great, just unpluged the original harness from the ignition switch plug in the T harness run it down from the column with the autostart wires tapped into it and plug the other end into the factory harness. Then all the factory wires except for OBD2, ground and brake wires aren't cutup.

 

I can't comment on the t-harness, I never seen one so I don't know the quality of it. I know harnesses for radios and stuff have really gotten poor over the last couple of years and it's only what?... 7 wires at the column. There is passlock wires and if the harness changes the resistance on anything you could be in trouble. Also, the time you'll spend to get the t-harness in there I'll be done my install. This truck takes me about 45-50 min.

And beening an installer, I wouldn't be caught dead using one, because I know if I heard of another installer using one, I wouldn't let them live it down. I would probably say"Maybe we should have your mommy come here while you work so she can hold your hand".

The t-harness might be alright for a do-it-yourselfer as long as it's made well. But be careful taking stuff apart. I rule i use in working on cars is take as little apart as you can, less problems that way. Notice I don't take the cluster cover off, I've seen guys break them. In fact I've seen guys break just about anything. And the more you take apart and unplug, the greater chance of leaving something unhooked.

If you hook up the wires properly like this, you will never have a problem, and it looks ok, imo.

 

You should see the new dodge interfaces, they come with a t-harness already wired. When you do a starter in a new ram, you plug the ignition harness in, hook up power, ground, parklights, and hoodpin, and your done. Takes like 25 min. Way too easy.

Edited December 8, 2010 by paulguy (see edit history)

[BlueAKSSS]

But be careful taking stuff apart. I rule i use in working on cars is take as little apart as you can, less problems that way. Notice I don't take the cluster cover off, I've seen guys break them. In fact I've seen guys break just about anything. And the more you take apart and unplug, the greater chance of leaving something unhooked.

If you hook up the wires properly like this, you will never have a problem, and it looks ok, imo.

 

You should see the new dodge interfaces, they come with a t-harness already wired. When you do a starter in a new ram, you plug the ignition harness in, hook up power, ground, parklights, and hoodpin, and your done. Takes like 25 min. Way too easy.

 

I can see your point on why you would not use something like that on a customer vehicle, because of the points of messing something up either with their interior or forgetting to hook up something.

For the DIY guy like me it's perfect, I used it because all of the Two Gm dealers in Anchorage love to pull the old "oh the autostart is interfering with the resistance of the ignition wires, we need to replace the ignition harness bs". So I just wanted to easily remove it if I have to sell the truck or have to take it to the dealer for some odd reason. That's the only reason I went that direction and was just curious if you had ever used it. As far as taking stuff apart? I've got that covered.

[paulguy]

I can see your point on why you would not use something like that on a customer vehicle, because of the points of messing something up either with their interior or forgetting to hook up something.

For the DIY guy like me it's perfect, I used it because all of the Two Gm dealers in Anchorage love to pull the old "oh the autostart is interfering with the resistance of the ignition wires, we need to replace the ignition harness bs". So I just wanted to easily remove it if I have to sell the truck or have to take it to the dealer for some odd reason. That's the only reason I went that direction and was just curious if you had ever used it. As far as taking stuff apart? I've got that covered.

 

I never thought about the whole 'my dealer says it's the car start issue'. That would work pretty handy for that.

 

The last shop I worked at, If the dealer mentioned anything about the starter, I'd make the installers completely remove it, and tell the customer to go back to the dealer, just so we wouldn't get blamed. The installers probably hated me for that.

 

In my truck, I first put a viper in when i got it, and the old vipers had a plug inline on the main harness, so I can unplug mine. That's nice for upgrading.

[2001silverado364]

Thanks for the info, this was really helpful for me finding a place to mount a hood switch. In a million years, I would've never thought to mount it at the back by the brace. Do you by any change have any ideas on where to mount a "hood" switch on the tailgate? I can't find any places where tailgate would actually contact the bed enough to work.

[paulguy]

I use magnetic switches for tailgates and stuff. You should be able to get them anywhere they sell home alarms.

[2001silverado364]

That is a good idea, but I thought magnetic switches were closed(circuit) when shut and open when separated. And the alarm calls for something that closes when separated. I guess I must be wrong though, because it seems like house alarms would call for something that is closed when separated as well.

[paulguy]

The switches that I buy have both normally closed and normally open contacts on them. So you can use one like that.

 

Or if you had a Compustar, it comes with a closed loop sensor built in, so you can use anything. Much better then other crappy brands like Viper that you have to buy a hundred dollar module to make it work.

I just wanted to slam DEI.

[2001silverado364]

Feel free to slam directed. Mine is an Excalibur, no better than a viper maybe worse. But, they're local right here in Georgia and they made it easy for me to get one. I just wanna hurry and get the thing hooked up where I can actually tell if it's worth its weight in salt. It's just taking me forever to get all the windows hooked up to all my relays to make the 2nd and 3rd channel control my windows. It took me 6 relays just to be able to control the front doors. 4 of those were just for the drivers side, passenger side wouldn't have took me any if I had some diodes on hand.

 

Nice slam! Who needs hundred dollar modules when you can make your own?

[paulguy]

I run the xk01 expresskit module in mine, rolls the front windows up on a aux. Of course that is made by dei.... Doh.

[mx622]

just a heads up u dnt need the second accesory. it only turns the radio on.