YHO chronicles

[Elanlover]

I have a Kenwood double din system installed as part of my custom fascia project I did a few years ago. There a re plenty of aftermarket modules out there that can interface a stereo's remote control functions to a steering wheel control system including (hopefully) one that is custom programmed. PAC makes one as do several other vendors and you can program the heck out of them using single push or holding down of one button for two functions. The two stalks with the trip computer and cruise control buttons provide 5 button total. So, I figure on having, at least, control over vol up, vol down, source select, mute, track advance, etc.

[maz_r]

Ah - yes - I can see from your (fantastic!) dashboard topic that extra buttons would help out a great deal.

My Sony has an old fashioned volume knob which is pretty easy to adjust while driving, even for me; the track select buttons however are too small to find easily, so that was my main concern. Eyes on the road and all that...

[maz_r]

For info, just measured the resistance on the pot in the Omega wiper: low value = 690 ohms, high = 5k

[Elanlover]

Do you happen to have the par number on the wiper stalk? I'm trying to see if I can order a new one. Thanks! Also, the relay part number doesn't seem to match the supplier database. Possibly its one of the many other number shown on the other side of the module?

[maz_r]

Does this help? No guarantees though that it is correct...

There are no other part numbers on the relay at all

As for the stalk, the part number on the box it came in was marked 90494656

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[Elanlover]

Is this a Vauxhall part number or from an Opel? The wiper relay seems to be an Opel number. They're likely to work of course given the common ancestry (GM) but I'm dealing with a Vauxhall parts dealer and these numbers don't show up on his list. If they're from an Opel who do you order them from (as I might just go there). Thanks.

[maz_r]

Hi Blair

Ebay listing

Can't see Canada as a postage destination, let me know if you want me to get one for you (2 left at time of writing....); we'll sort something out

[Elanlover]

Excellent thanks. And the wiper stalk? I've got the indicator stalk with cruise control identified on eBay.

[maz_r]

Oh bother...my poor bank balance

Damn you Ebay....

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[maz_r]

So I was able to play today, and a lovely day it was too.

Therefore I was able to progress the intermittent wiper install.

Firstly, remove the lower cowl from the steering column (7 screws underneath on mine) and then drop it to it's lowest position.

Press in the clips top and bottom of the existing wiper stalk and draw it out sideways; the attached multipin plug will come with it. The unplug the stalk from the plug; they just pull apart.

The wire we are after is the orange/purple.

Cut this. I then put a male and female bullet crimp on to the cut ends, so that if it all went awry, I could just plug them together and rejoin the cut.

I was lucky enough to have a connector, with some short wiring, that fits directly onto the additional connector on the replacement stalk, and so was able to add a male and female bullets to the 2 relevant wires; if you don't have this connector, then you will need to cut off the plug and put the bullet connectors directly on the wires as they come out of the stalk. The wires needed (there are 5 in total) are black/white and black/yellow. Since we are just wiring in a potentiometer, it doesn't matter which way round it is connected. Ignore the black box connected to the other wires; that is to connect the switches on the end of the stalk to my stereo (which kinda worked; think I have an occasional short somewhere )

Plug the bullet connectors together.

Then put the multipin plug back onto the rear of the new stalk (as in 'reassembly is the reverse'). Slide the stalk back into the metal frame on the steering column until it clicks home and tidy up the wiring; it fits easily in the space available

OK - now onto the relay. The one we are after is the black one right in between the green, red and yellow:

Simply, pull it out and replace with our new one. Hold it this way in order to fit.

Having done this, happy to report it all works as expected; existing functions are unaffected (wash/wipe, slow and fast) except for the intermittent setting where the interval is controlled by the setting of the wheel on the stalk - a complete result. Item 8 ticked off the list

It is really simple to do; sounds much more complex than it actually is. All in all, about 30 minutes to achieve. If you want to try this yourself, normal caveats apply...

[GeoffSmith]

And no software necessary! Still can't understand why you prefer this rather than the programmable VW relay - if I could change my '09 Golf to the old system, I would.

[maz_r]

I know - zero software! I did have to go and tweak the program for the fan timer afterwards mind, just so reality balance was maintained

No idea why I prefer this either.. (insert obvious twiddling knobs joke here)

[Elanlover]

Anxiously awaiting a write up - worthy of making the wikiLEC too!

[maz_r]

Errr.... This *is* the write-up....

Where you expecting something more???

[Elanlover]

12 page manual, colour pictures, schematic.........you know - overkill! This looks dead simple as I suspected it might be. No further instructions required Just need to source a new wiper stalk with trip computer controls and I'm golden.

[maz_r]

Updated the to do list with another 4 items and a couple of 'completed' - foolishly, I was hoping the list would get shorter, not longer!

Regarding the completeds, the boot release is similar to most using the bike cable and solenoid mounted by the boot light method. SAAB switch mounted in the armrest tray - nothing remarkable that can't be found in other posts.

The aerial change (I hesitate to use the word 'upgrade') was made because YHO spends a lot of time under cover and I got fed up of unscrewing the standard mast. Finally found a short aerial with compact body that needs 8.5 inch clearance below the wing; it just fits. From these guys. And it has a black mast (there is a silver option) - not cheap, mind. After much jiggery pokery got it installed using some roof bolt washers (don't ask!) and secured the bottom of the mechanism to the rear bolt on the washer bottle. Best bit was that there was no bodywork modification required, so can revert to the original if required (although it wouldn't be a simple task). Glad I did it, but it took forever to tweak, fettle, wire and re-wire amid much unrepeatable language.

Finally, quick note to record that the garage bled the brakes and fiddled with the pads (they said they were glazed) and things are much better in that regard. They did ask if the pads were more race orientated as they seem to require warming up - might change them to some new road use ones anyway...

[maz_r]

Well, this is embarassing...

MOT due in a couple of weeks, so I ran through a few simple tests, just to make sure it won't fail on anything daft (lights/horn/washer jets etc) and while testing the hazard lights, although the relay was ticking, the indicator on the dash was flashing rather than the tell-tale on the switch itself. A quick check outside and the nearside indicators were going but nothing on the offside. All the indications (pun mostly intended) of a problem with the switch. Swapped the switch over and no change - hmmm. Next enquiry - is the switch socket loose? Remove switch again and give the socket a gentle poke (it was gentle, I promise) at which point it disappeared backwards into the void below the ashtray

How the heck was I going to get that back? Through the radio apperture - nope. Round the back of the dash from either footwell - yeah - right! Final solution - take the ashtray out (brute force and ignorance, I'm afraid to say) and hey presto - unfettered access to all sorts of goodies inside. Out with the superglue....!

(Don't suppose anyone has a spare ashtray inner? Mine is now showing signs of my impatience )

[dapinky]

(Don't suppose anyone has a spare ashtray inner? Mine is now showing signs of my impatience )

Chuck it away and fit a satnav there - much more use than an ashtray which never gets used!

[epipete]

Don't glue it back in, you never use the ashtray for its intended purpose anyway and it can sit in the hole quite tightly without any glue. This way you can keep all the Knicks-knacks in the ashtray as per normal and when you need them it just pulls out and you can open it up on your lap, this also allows the access to the rear of the dash.

Mine has been like this for 5yrs, partly because I toyed with putting a sat nav in the hole

Pete

[GeoffSmith]

(Don't suppose anyone has a spare ashtray inner? Mine is now showing signs of my impatience )

Chuck it away and fit a satnav there - much more use than an ashtray which never gets used!

I've got various nuts, bolts washers etc. in my ashtray!