Here I am

Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) WTS light or negative input for remote start delay.

Attention: TDR Forum Junkies
To the point: Click this link and check out the Front Page News story(ies) where we are tracking the introduction of the 2025 Ram HD trucks.

Thanks, TDR Staff

2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Rear Leaf Springs

Status
Not open for further replies.
I figured I would start a new thread (seperate from acouple of remote start threads lately)



I have had a remote start on my truck, specifically an Ultra Start U1250TL. I think that Ultra Start is made by DEI as a lot of other "brands" are.

See below for truck info.



When it was installed I asked that it be run off the wait to start light instead of a timer. I was told that it cant be done that way, so it is currently on a 30sec delay for winter.



Well from the recent TDR threads and reading the install manual for the starter it seems that it can. There is actually a wire pre-attached for either + or - input from the grid heaters (glow plugs in the manual). There is no specific wiring info in the manual for diesels, other than which wire is prewired for the wait to start and how to change the default settings to diesel mode. The pre-wired wire was not attached to anything under the dash.



I have some quick ??? for those who have theirs run this way.

1)Starter can be set to detect either neg or positve input from wait to start. Would just grounding the wire work for the neg setting???



2) If using the positive, which is the way I would like, would I just find the wire going to the WAIT TO START light in the dash and t-tap it? The remote starter info says it will start when the 12v signal stops (light goes out).



3) Is there anything else I would need to know, if this works like above, it is entirely too easy! There has to be a catch like the wire from the light is in the most inaccessable place in the truck! :{



Thanks in advance. Hopefully I can get this up and running by the end of the night.



J-
 
OK lets make the question easier (or less confusing atleast).



I pulled the cluster out of my truck today to look for the wait to start wire. It is orange with black tracer and comes out of the right side plug behind the cluster pack. Sound right?



If I tap that wire and run it the "glow plug" input on my remote starter box, should work eh? Does the wire carry 12v?



The way it works, according to my shop manual is that the WTS light picks up 12v from the cluster circuit and is always hot, but does not light until the ECM sends that voltage to ground through the wire.



How could I test this with a test light or multi meter. Hot lead to the wire and then black to ground? not sure how it would work in a truck.



Thanks in advance and sorry for sounding confusing.



J-
 
mine was installed to the wait to start light. it also has a diode in it also. if its not in there it will drain the batteries I heard. I will try to find the wiring sheet for my truck and let you know.

Mark
 
Thanks WTFD,



Wonder why it would drain the batteries? Its my understanding that the WTS wire does not have juice to it unless the light is on. The light comes on when the ECM directs the juice to ground.



Thanks



J-
 
you might want to put a relay in there to keep the circuits isolated. it would also let you flip your input pulse from + to - if you had to.
 
Skneeland,



Thanks for the info. I am by no means a wiz when it comes to truck wiring. Why would I need/want to isolate the circuits from eachother with a relay?



Also I can switch the input from + to - with the starter control box, it can be set up either way. But why would I want to go with negative vs postive input pulse?



Thanks



J-
 
sometimes you can get feedback/crossover when using one circuit as a pulse for a piece of hardware. it can possibly have odd effects on either one. diodes also come in handy for such things (they function as an electronic check valve, allowing current to only go one way)



no benefit to my knowledge of using - over a + pulse if your electronics can switch itself. alot of stuff doesnt have that capability.
 
Make sure you use the light, and not the grid heater circuit. From what I can tell the third gen trucks can turn on the grid heaters while running to heat the air and make the emmisions system happy. I'm not sure what the remote starter would do when it sees a signal (from the grid heaters) and thinks it is a wait to start while it is already running. Probably nothing, but to be save just use the light.



The light only comes on prior to the start.
 
Bernie



Yeah I would tap the wire to the light in the back of the gauage cluster. The grids on the 2nd gen will fire up when ever the ECM deems nessecary. Alot of times mine will kick in while sitting at a red light, if it is really cold out.



Skneeland



Makes sense ref isolating the circuit. As for the diode I have NO knowledge on using them etc. What size/volt/amp etc (if they are made that way) would I need, etc. I assume that it would just go inline from the WTS light to the controller allow the flow from the light down instead of up to the light fromthe controller?



If anyone can think of anything else let me know as I am planning on wiring this up tommorow or thursday.



Thanks



J-
 
Anyone who has used a diode on the WTS light (which looks like u need on a 2001) can u either post a diaghram on where/how to install the diode, direction of voltage travel, type/size of diode etc.



Looks like I am getting closer to figuring this out.



Thanks



J-



pics would be great! but i figure this stuff is prob hidden deep in the dash etc.
 
Last edited:
What I heard from my installer was that the current (voltage?) on the WTS line was too low for the remote start systems to detect on the newer trucks so that is why they were using the timers instead.



I had an 01. 5 truck that was wired to the WTS light and it worked GREAT!



Keep us in the loop if you get this to work, as I want a remote start, but don't like the generic timer method... I'd much rather have it start in the summer quickly and wait in the winter for however long it needed to...
 
DG,

My truck is a 01. 5. Do u remember how it was wired on ur 01. 5? I know it can be done, just want to do it right.



Was it just tapped right off the light or was there a diode involved like some suggest?



Thanks



J-
 
Mine (if memory serves me correct) was tapped right off the wire/light. I think when I tested the circuit, it did not have juice until the ignition was on (with key) and then once it cycled the grid heater, the circuit went back to a 0 volt state...



My remote start had a wire port on it that once the + current dropped to 0, it would cause the remote start to crank.



Please keep in mind that I am recalling this from 4+ years ago though!



Good luck!
 
ttt



anyone else have experience/opinions on this.



It sounds like I may be able to just tap the WTS light wire with out a diode, etc and it will work. Sounds like others have run it that way with out problems.



ANyone else?



Thanks



J-
 
It Works!!!!!!!!!!

Got around to hooking up my remote starter to the WTS light today. It works like a charm. People at Ultra Start said there was no need for a diode or relay, so it is just tapped to the WTS driver wire in connector 126 on the firewall (runs from the ECM).



Hit the start WTS comes on for however long it needs, as the light goes out truck starts. Took all of about 5 minutes to tap the wire and run the line to the starter control box. About 1 dollar worth of parts. Cant believe that the installer said it couldnt be done!



Thanks for everyone that helped and contributed to this thread,



J-
 
I know this is an old post, but curious if anyone has a copy of the installation instructions for the autostart module. I would like to use it for the keyless entry feature, my truck is a manual anyway... Any help would be great.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top