Just finished adding a wireless remote locking system to my 85 XJS.
My car has internal locking switches on each door and the key for actuation on the outside. Luckily I have the original wiring schematic that came with the car because it is difficult to get the right information year by year… I have attached a photo of the relevant part of the wiring diagram.
Essentially there are orange/red and orange/green wires that run from the manual switches to the relays that lock and unlock the doors . They apply 12 volts to the relay coils as per the schematic item 260. These are available on either the drivers side or the passenger side by the lock or unlock relay.
Test them by prying the connector a few millimeters apart and touch the exposed connector steel with a wire attached to the battery positive. The locks should respond accordingly.
The radio remote system I bought applies a half second (or 3 second) switch from a relay on “lock” and “unlock”. The half second is good. Find a power supply for the unit and splice into the orange/red wire to unlock by applying 12 volts to the wire.
Splice into the orange/green wire and apply 12 volts to the wire to lock both doors.
Relatively easy in terms of the wiring needed …but fiddling around under the dash will test your neck muscles and flexibility…but the ability to lock and unlock at the push of a button is a big benefit.
Which system did you end up buying? An online search yields so many results its hard to know which would be of a reasonable quality.
Cheers,
Paul
89 XJ-S V12
Timing is everything…I just retrieved the box from the rubbish bin…photos attached.
I can’t vouch for the longevity of this system because it has only performed 12 -20 times under test…but the key fobs are nicely made and feel good to actuate.
All the systems look the same…with differing appearance to the key fobs…
If your jag has the “paddles” on the inside to lock and unlock the doors then the wiring diagram attached should be ok.(??)…”should”…
Remove the kick panel on the door post of the footwell on the drivers side…there is more room to mount the control box in and around the steering wheel…and you will see the connector with the orange\red and orange\green wire. Slide the connector apart a few millimeters and do the test I mentioned to make sure you have the circuit. I recommending wiring the unit on a bench to check the operation of the unit…especially the 0.5 second actuation versus the 3 second…this feature was not clear in any instructions…and I think is altered by the position of a small connector…the instructions were abysmal…but …I think the whole unit was only $30…ish…so if it doesn’t bench test nicely throw it away and get another type. If the box looks like mine it will provide the 0.5 sec pulse.
The point being that the wiring of the unit is quite straight forward…hopefully the unit will be good.
Thanks so much for the details! The '89 electrical guide I have for mine is pretty detailed and I’m not sure I could own this beast without it!
Given our current world situation; I’ve just finished cam cover gaskets and aluminum half moon seals, now working on trans mount and fluid/filter change. And now remote locks is getting added to the queue!
Hope everyone is staying healthy. Yes I’m staying home, and yes I still have to work every day (essential service).
Paul
89 XJ-S V12
Hi Paul
Just a point of clarification. I was adding a sketch of this mod to my XJS folder when I found that the orange/red and orange/green wires are used for BOTH the control wires to the relay AND the actual power wires to the solenoids.
I have just checked this and I have wired directly to the door lock solenoids. I removed the fuse from the supply to the door locks and my system still works. I pulsed the system several times in quick succession and the 15 amp fuse that came with the system blew…I have replaced the fuse with a 20 amp fuse and will see how it performs… I can’t be bothered messing around in there at the moment but I think it essentially means that the thermal overload is out of the loop and my 20 amp fuse will blow if there is a problem. I’ll put up with that and see how it works.
Regards
Matt
Hi Matt
How is your system holding up?
I think after studying the electrical diagram for this circuit in more detail, I might leave well enough alone for now. I’ve got some front stub axles to replace so that should keep me busy!
Thanks for your efforts, I’ve saved them for future reference!
Cheers,
Paul
There is a simple way of doing it by installing just one extra actuator, that usually comes with the kit or can be bought separately for $5, connected mechanically in “parallel” with the driver’s door lock system, i.e. the remote lock actuator will pull/push the locking rod, thus pulling/pushing the existing actuator and thus triggering the central locking, assuming of course that the original system works.
On plus the aftermarket actuator’s fittings correspond exactly with the Kiekert actuators (if you have these), so it can be very easily mounted at the same bracket.
Nevertheless, I also took Matt’s approach when I installed a remote locking system on my 87 SIII XJ, and went even further in the over-engineering process by installing four mini relays for the locks (because on the XJ they didn’t use relays), an other relay so the interior lights will come on when you unlock the car and an other three relays so the indicator lights will flash when you lock/unlock…
Hi Paul
Still running…about a week now so it’s “out of warranty” !!!
Good call to fix more important stuff…
Regards
Matt
Aristides
GREAT WORK!!! I don’t think you have “ over engineered” your system …I think you have “correctly engineered your system !!
Interesting that the XJ didn’t have relays on the actuators…when the XJS did have them…with a thermal overload device in the circuit because somebody thought that protection was required due to the current flowing in the circuit…and this in 1985…so you would think a relay would be a “ must have”…
I was contemplating flashing lights as feedback as you have done…but my neck muscles gave up with the door locks only!!!
Regards
Matt
Thanks Matt, I always try to do things as I imagine the factory would have done them.
The pre-Kiekert had relays but when they switched to the Kiekert system they did not.
Figuring out the flashing indicator lights circuit was the hardest part of all…
I had a Rover SD1 where the British Leyland designed central locking system had a chunky solenoid, a badly engineered linkage, and a mahoosive capacitor in each
door mechanism. No relays. No guesses for how long that system worked for.
I’d say until the smoke leaked out…??
Yeah, good old Lucas brand smoke, not the modern Chinese stuff. And screwdriver melting sparks if you didn’t safely discharge the capacitor.