One of the coolest features of the DeLorean is the gullwing doors that rise effortlessly. With most modern cars, you get remote keyless entry things making it easy to unlock, lock, and even start your car. DeLorean Parts Northwest has taken keyless entry a step farther, and offers door launching! To me, being able to lock, unlock, and launch your doors remotely greatly adds to the “wow” factor with the car.
I chose the Basic Remote Door Opening System. I skipped the other available options, including remote start, trunk release, and alarm in favor of keeping it simple and inexpensive. I read through the directions, and without any prior knowledge of the DeLoreans doors and wiring, I knew this would take some time. I also decided to attempt this project without reviewing the workshop manual (I don’t own it yet). Against recommendations, I tried using cheap wire crimpers. I couldn’t find a good set anywhere! After my first few poorly done crimps, I switched over to vice grips. Not pretty, but they did the job. I also didn’t use a multimeter. To find the wire that goes to each door, I used a length of scrap wire, a taillight bulb, and a 9 volt battery creating a simple circuit.
I planned to photograph everything during my installation since I wasn’t impressed with the photos that came in the instructions. However, as I worked through the installation, I realized there isn’t much to photograph. So here are some installation tips that I came up with for anyone else attempting this project:
-Read the instructions. Every page. Read them over again, at least twenty times. Sleep on them, letting them absorb into your brain through osmosis. Then read them again.
-Make copies of the directions. Only one cut out template is included, and you have two doors. Also, the paper can get dirty/greasy/grimy/torn while working on your cars.
-Get familiar with your electrical compartment (http://dmctalk.com/showthread.php?t=5133)
-Get some good wire crimpers. Not the cheapo ones that most stores sell.
-Center punch before drilling! Drilling into metal isn’t easy, and your bit will slide around! The drilling needs to be precise.
-Use wiring option 1A
*Cut the wire on the door side of the connector instead of prying it out. The wire wasn’t prying out easily, and I didn’t want to damage the 25 year old plastic connector.
-Use blue colored wire from the doors to the electrical compartment. They will match the wires that connect to the relays.
-Label all your wires and relays. Differentiate your right and left doors. (I still haven’t done this)
-Bend the end of the rod on the actuator side so the rod won’t slide out (shown below, thanks Ken K!)
-Go one step at a time, checking your work. Don’t do everything at once.
I installed everything, and my driver’s door didn’t release. Passenger door works maybe 75% of the time. My driver’s door was also not locking and unlocking in harmony with the passenger door. I found the link rod that connects to the interior lock switch was bent, hitting the lower door panel. I bent it back into shape using the passenger door as a template. I’m happy to say I solved that problem on my own!
Ken K found that the door seals need to be lubricated so that the doors will release cleanly. He also found I needed to bend the end of the link rod on the actuator side even more than I had:
My driver’s door still only release 5% of the time. Possibly because the door seal looks like it was installed out of place compared the passenger side:
Driver’s side
Passenger side
My electrical compartment is a rat’s nest now. I have no idea how to straighten this up. The previously added relays the door lock actuators (which replace the solenoids), the newly added relays from the door launch actuators, and the keyless entry unit for the door launchers really fill the compartment:
Oh well, at least I lock, unlock, and sometimes open the door for my passenger. I might look into adding the trunk release someday, which would be nice in case I ever break my trunk release cable.
Supplies/Costs:
(Blue) 7 Butt Splice wire connectors: $0.99 at Home Depot
(Blue) 16 Gauge Automotive wire: $5.89 at Autozone
K2100DP-B Wings-A-LoftT Basic Remote Door Opening System: $199.95 at http://www.delorean-parts.com