Fitting A Boot Release Kit?

[butchlad 0]

I have a smooth boot, and am now scratching my head, trying to figure out how to fit the electric boot release solenoid.

 

It's a standard kit, where the solenoid pulls on a metal cable.

 

Anyone any ideas about the best way to fit this?

 

Advice would be much appreciated.

[Faz85 0]

Is that the eBay kit? I was thinking of doing the same with my tailgate. Isnt the release mechanism in the boot cable operated? Have a look behind the interior panel, but presumably it will need mounting somehow. Doesnt the kit come with instructions?

 

Regards

Faraz

[inferno 1]

hmmm i personally would of ripped a ford solaniod from a scrappy and fitted that, using self tapers or cable ties, and then riveting when installed correctly

[Paintguy 0]

Try sending a PM to M@tt. He's recently fitted something similar to his 205, and I think he's just about got it working properly

 

If I remember rightly though, it needed to work in a push direction, rather than pull. He welded a rod onto the existing part of the lock, then just had to work out some form of spring system to return it.

[M@tt 77]

You'll find that the lock works by having the tab part of the mechanism pressed down.

 

As your mechanism is a pull type i believe you will need to fabricate an L shaped lever similar to the one in the pic below this is the method that i used (and i nicked the idea from someone elses post) and then attach the cable to one end of the lever so that when you activate the solenoid it will pull the cable pulling the top part of the lever and cause the other part of it to press down on the tab.

 

I used a solenoid from a ford fiesta (bug eyed boot model) as it had a spring which returned the solenoid once it had been activated

 

 

this is mine

 

HTH

Edited September 30, 2006 by M@tt

[steve@cornwall 100]

I have a push-button remote opener on a 205 that appears to work off a central locking mech, will get some pics of it fitted tomorrow (if I can between it p!$$!ng down!)

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

I used the standard boot CL solinoid rotated 90 degreed to above the lock and then got a hold drilled in the release flap and a piece of wire coat hanger. Worked a treat for me.

[M@tt 77]

the standard boot release solenoid may work actually as iirc its pretty small, however i replaced all my central locking motors with an aftermarket kit from maplins as mine were all very tired but the replacements were quite big compared to the old boot one and so there wasn't room above the lock to position it.

[butchlad 0]

I have come up with a way of doing it, with the aftermarket kit, but I'm liking the idea of using the original solenoid.

 

Anyway, my plan would probably be good for people who aren't handy with a welder. The aim is to get the cable to push / pull down the tab on the lock. I used a 90 degree noodle from a mountain bike V-brake to route the cable through. The noodle is a 90 degree tube that is designed to have a cable running through it - an easy way to get the cable to pull from the bottom instead of the side. Covering the cable with the outer from the V-brake cable finishes the job.

 

However, there is the faff of routing the wires to the boot, so I think I'd rather use the original solenoid (nice idea).

 

What's the best way of operating the solenoid on demand, rather than it just coming on every time you open a door lock (central locking)?

 

Thanks again

[M@tt 77]

i fitted a button (again robbed from a bug eyed booted fiesta) as it has a nice little car boot symbol on it and fitted it into the coin tray in front of the gearstick.

You want to fit a relay though so that you can't open the boot with the engine on other wise you could fnd it opens as you drive along = instant spoiler

I also wired mine up to my immobiliser blipper s holding the button down for 3 secs also pops the boot

[boldy205 74]

the way i overcame it was to rotate the std. C/L solenoid 90 degs. so the 'ram' fires down towards the lever that opperates the boot catch. just need to extend the lever that opperates the boot catch so the solenoid can contact it.see where im coming from?? it for free to!!

Edited October 2, 2006 by boldy205

[butchlad 0]

I do mate, and I think that's the route I'm going to go with (nice plan). The mechanical side of it is fine, it's the wiring bit I'm a bit of a loser at.

 

Once the solenoid is inverted (and still linked to the central locking) it will open the boot every time I open my door (activating the central locking). I'm just wondering how it's best to use the original wiring and operate the solenoid on demand (by a switch), instead of it coming on automatically when the central locking is activated when I unlock the driver's door.

 

An idiot's guide would be great

 

Thanks again

[boldy205 74]

hi, sorry for the late reply. basicaly just disconnect original wires and tapr them up so well insulated(label them up so you know what they are in future!!) then route a cable from a live, to a inline fuse holder (available from maplins) to a non latching (as in push for on, then release for off) pushswitch (i mounted my switch on the underside of the dash below the R/H heater vent) running down the car (near the sills then up into roof) to the solinoid(the trickiest part is feeding the new wire through the rubber boot then down the side of the boot) then conect live to solinoid making sure polarity is correct then the other to earth(bare metal in the boot anywhere, put a bit of grease/paint over after to stop rot) so when u press the button Pop goes the boot! easy once you get started. PM me if u get stuck.

Matt.

[M@tt 77]

there is no need to run any new wiring as you can use the existing central locking wiring because you don't want the boot unlocking everytime you open the car.

Trace the boot solenoid wiring back to the fuseboard(i think) - defiantely comes down passenger side of the car under the carpet. then you can cut iit free from the rest of the central locking loom or unplug it if it does go into fuse board and wire it up to the live/button as necessary

[boldy205 74]

i may be wrong but is the central locking wired in (sort of) series, therefore the 'live' wire will not run directly to the fuse board. (i think commands run from the drivers door then to other door/boot, drivers door acts as a switch, not just a solanoid )

wiring up the way i mentioned previously will notopen the boot when the doors are opened, only when the switch is pushed.

Matt.

[M@tt 77]

yeah your right the live will run into the central locking motor controller which depending on the phase of car could either be a seperate little blackbox unit or the drivers door solenoid itself.

 

hang on this is what you want...

this is how i did mine, so you want to find a suitable relay, a permanent and switched live and utilise the existing wiring from the solenoid back down the car

 

[boldy205 74]

yea looks good, tho why a relay? i just ran a switched (off the ignition) through a fuse then to the switch.

Matt.

[M@tt 77]

i put the relay in so that the boot couldn't be opened accidently when the engine was running ie driving along.

 

My switch (easy push button) was in the coin tray infront of the gearstick so if there's my mobile or something in there with it it might press it.

 

so if your switch is somewhere where it wont get knocked or accidently pressed then you could leave out the relay. Relay was only a couple of quid from maplins iirc

 

oh and as boldy said if you take a new permanemt feed you should probably put a fuse in before the relay (i didn't) although if you find the permanent live wire coming from the fuseboard to the existing central locking control unit you could take a splice off that and that will already be fused via the fuseboard

Edited October 6, 2006 by M@tt

[Paintguy 0]

i put the relay in so that the boot couldn't be opened accidently when the engine was running ie driving along.

Good thinking Matt. I'd never have thought of that