That was fun.

I have now installed this on my 1993 SR5 5 speed 4runner.

I have had a lot of experience with the Viper (DEI) remote starts but this is the first REMOTE START alarm I have done on a 5 speed and the price was right.

Tapping into the big wires (+12v, ignition 12V, Ignition 2 12v and starter) at the ignition switch takes some guts. Overall, it is a straight forward but long winded install.

I mounted the main unit down behind the radio with double sided foam tape and mounted the antenna for the remote on the windshield behind the mirror which required chasing a wire up the A pillar and under the headliner.

The only real challenges were tapping into the park brake switch (its way up by the firewall) and installing a relay to simulate the clutch start switch. I ran the wires to the siren, hood switch and tachometer connection (at diagnostic port on fuse box) through an existing grommet high on the PS firewall.

All works well and is neatly installed out of harms way. Install took about 2 hrs of prep Sunday and then about 4hrs last night as I removed pretty much the entire dash (DS, PS lower panels, glove box, radio, center console etc).
I am also a neat freak so about an hour at the end of the install was tidying up wires, adding split loom protector and making it look as factory as possible.

I now have remote locking which is nice (first DD vehicle I have owned since 1993 that did not have it) and the remote start is really nice for defrosting my truck after it sits all weekend at the ski resort. So far so good after a little hiccup...it needs to learn from the tach input what rpm idle is so after I had done that, she starts first time :

As it is a manual and to prevent accidental starts and potential runaways, you have to set the system each time you leave it if you want to remote start. It simple enough. Park, put it in neutral, set park brake and remove key. Engine will run until you open door, get out and then close the door.
System now set. This ensures vehicle in neutral, park brake on etc before you remote start.


So, on the project scale : (out of 5)

Cost : $
Quality of product : $$$
Ease of install : $$$$ ($ easy, $$$$$ hard)
Ease of use : $$$

David

 

what alarm system did you install?

Im a little weak on the remote start on a manual...how does the alarm brain know that the tranny is in neutral? I know you said you tapped into the ebrake switch and used a relay to bypass the clutch start switch... Where there any extra modules you had to hook up or can you just program the brain for that?

 

As far as I know it doesnt. It just assumes that with the shut down squence he mentioned it will remain in nutral.

 

I thought there was something you could do that would make it so that it would start unless in neutral? Like adding a ground on the shifter so that when it was in Neutral it completed the circuit allowing the truck to start?

I'm also weary of remote starters on 5 speeds.