Titan85

iTrader: (1)

Hey, I am trying to add the wiring for the hatch pop button (on the center console), but am not sure what I need. Do I need to but an addition for the pull down motor?

Also, I am trying to figure out how the rear cargo light works. Does it have a switch or is it activated when the hatch opens?

Thanks in advance for all the help

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

You need the switch, wiring, relay and hatch release solenoid. I'm attaching a picture of the solenoid. Don't forget to add the ground wire from the 10mm screw attaching the solenoid to the latch assy to the ground location on the body below the hatch pull-down unit.

Yours has a manual switch if equipped with an optional hatch light. It is easy to hook up it to turn on/off automatically by running a wire from the white wire with the small black connector in the hatch wiring loom to the negative of the hatch light (black with orange stripe wire).

Lon

Titan85

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for all the info. Just one more question about the light. My car did not originally have the hatch light so can I get the power for it from an existing wire near the pull down unit? I have the plug from another camaro, but don't know how to wire it in.

Thanks again

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

You can splice a wire to the red with white stripe wire which is hot at all times. It would be best to grab the wiring from another car. Early cars (through 1988 model year) have a manual switch. 1989-91 use the white wire from the pull-down wiring loom to supply the swiched ground to turn on/off the hatch light.

Lon

micali

iTrader: (1)

I have a unit from an 88 Irock, so I was told, and I have an 88 SC and the wiring is different. On the Irock unit I have a blue wire and a white wire coming from the motor, these wires have special clips on them. The orig wireing for my car has a red/white stripe wire that has one of those special clips on it.

I took the wiring from an 89 and hooked it up like I thought but nothing happened. I did notice that after I hooked up all the wires an I went to hook up the grounds I got a small spark. Didn't have the screw ready so I had to touch them to the body agian and this time no spark. Is there a fuse for the pull down unit? I really need a wiring diagram if anyone has one.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

89 model year if equipped with a hatch light will have no switch for the light. Here's how to wire the pull-down unit. Red/white stripe wire is +12v and connects to the blue wire. Connect the black wire with a small ring terminal on the end is ground and connects to the body below the pull-down unit. The white wire connects to a black with orange stripe wire to provide swithed ground to the hatch light. Yes there is a fuse for the pull-down unit in the fuse block.

Lon

micali

iTrader: (1)

tried that and blew the fuse agian. after I hook up the red/white wire to the blue wire and the black/orange to the white wire I have this plug, see 1st pic.

There's nothing to connect the two together so I jump the connection and I blow a fuse. The second pic is the two hooked up.
The light holder is factory but no power is going to it, I'll worry about that later.

micali

iTrader: (1)

The last pic, I don't think I have a wire to hook to it. I am wondering if this car didn't come equiped with a pull down unit but a trunk release setup.

I do have this thick black wire with no end on it that is back there but I am not sure it goes to the setup. The reason I say that is because I also have an orange wire laying back there with no end on it. Those two wires look like somone put them there becasue they are not in any kind of loom. They run adjacent to the factory wires.

What do you think?

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

That connector your holding is for the hatch light on a 1989-91 model year car. Don't jumper a wire in that connector. One lead is +12v, the other is switched ground. Guess what you'll get if you jumper them? Oh wait, you already found out, a blown fuse. Again, what plugs into that connector is the hatch light, however I also see you've already got a manual light switch for the hatch light (because your car is a 1988, not a 89). I can't tell from your pictures how the solenoid hatch release is wired. There is supposed to be a large gauge black wire. That wire is switched hot from the hatch release relay. The large black wire your trying to hook up is likely the one that is supposed to plug into the end of the hatch release solenoid. You're problem is the connector is missing from the end of the wire. I can supply it or you can get it from a Pick-a-Part yard. Whatever you do, do NOT connect it to ground. Test it with a multi-meter to confirm is it the switched hot wire I'm describing.

Lon

micali

iTrader: (1)

So, if it's switched hot means, when I hit the switch in the car it should be hot, correct? So if that's not the wire that comes from the switch I need one.

Do I need something plugged into that plug I am holding to get everything to work?
How can I wire it to see if all the mech. works?
I have a continuity tester, can I use that to test the release switch?

I've hooked everhthing up like you said, even putting that black wire to the solenoid switch. and nothing happend when I hit the switch.

Where is the relay?

micali

iTrader: (1)

Ok, the unit works. It pull the lid down twice but now it won't come back up when I unlocked it.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

Unplug your hatch light and plug it into that connector. If the connector is wired properly the hatch will light when the hatch is open and turn off when the hatch is closed.

Your pull-down may have stalled out before it reached the end of the down cycle. When this happens the pull-down unit needs to be re-set. Here's how: Press and hold down the small black switch that is in front of the latch. The unit should power down the remainder of the down cycle then you'll hear a CLICK which is the reversing switch tripping. Release the switch and the unit should power up until again you hear a CLICk which is the reversing switch again tripping to stop the up cycle.

On a Camaro the hatch release relay is located below the center console. It is attached to the transmission tunnel. On Firebird it is behind the switch on the dash.

Lon

micali

iTrader: (1)

Ok, I'll look for a switch. I noticed a black something on top of the unit. Not sure what you mean by the front.
I wanted to see if the solenoid works so I tried a hot wire to the trunk release solenoid and nothing happened. I assume it is bad also.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

Standing at the rear of the car facing the latch with the hatch open. The switch is in front of the latch (closer to you). It is attached with a single 7mm hex-head screw to the latch assy.

Lon

micali

iTrader: (1)

Found the switch, tried it and it didn't work. Left for church and when I returned it was up. So I shut the lid and it pulled it down, I unlocked it and it went up. I used some spray lub on the latch and the gliders so it was lubed. I went to shut it and it won't go down? What's up?

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

The contacts in the switch are bad. GM discontinued the switch. I sell new ones on my site. You'd need my TDS 207180 striker-sensing switch:http://www.top-downsolutions.com/pro...products_id=62

Lon

micali

iTrader: (1)

If I was to put direct power to the hatch release solenoid it should work if it's good, correct. If that will do it I'll give it a try.

micali

iTrader: (1)

We'll I found a complete pull down unit in an 87 Irock that was in excellent shape. I got it for $20. I'll sell my other one that I have. The motor works great but it will need a new switch.

micali

iTrader: (1)

I pulled the switch out of the newer unit and put it in mine and nothing changed. I put the old switch in the newer PDM and it just keeps pulling down and won't stop. Is there a way to make it stop? Is the switch causing this or is it broke too?
Why won't the older unit work anymore? What else can I check on to test it.
What parts do you replace when they get rebuilt? I would like to get this thing working agian without spending alot of money.
Can I test the reversing switch?

Bobby Suth

iTrader: (2)

old info helps.but im trying to figure out which fuse is fo that area of the car.I want to check it to make sure it's not my trouble

Bobby Suth

iTrader: (2)

I've tryed hooking the power up direct to the motor to run it down a ways and know I got 12v to the red/white wire.can't get anything to move.tried to difrent assemblys.either both have dead motors or ya cant just put power staight in????

BRG91

This is both body and wiring question about rear hatch. My 92 ttop Firebird has the electric closing latch. My 91 Firebird convertible has the striker latch non electric. This I learned from lonsal moderator on other post. Also 91.5 and 92 rear latch assembly is different configuration. Once I opened rear panel I saw the larger wiring plug on the left disconnected. I reconnected it and it just kept buzzing/whirring and nothing happened. So I have power and everything looks clean. Then I noticed that when taking the three main bolts out that someone had oblonged the bolt holes to lower the latch. It did not cure alignment being 1/4 inch higher when closed. Even though the hatch closes and unlocks with the key will the alignment being off cause station wagon CO2 and water issues ? I tried unscrewing the sliver motor from the white housing but that just exposed the inner windings and brushes of the motor. On a 92, what do I need to replace for latch to slide up and down and where does it come apart. Should I go Striker latch ? if so where do I get one. ?


91 and 92 mounting latch is different tan resin or something assembly layout. Thanks

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

The motor is fine, you just have a broken gear nut. Disassemble, clean the track and dried grease from the cavity that the gear nut resides in unscrew the old broken gear nut, lube the ID of the new gear nut and thread it onto the end of the latch assy, lube the OD of the gear nut and the cavity in the tan colored plastic body, reassemble.

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/hat...ull-down-units

I don't EVER recommend removing the cover of the motor. In fact the instructions that come with my aftermarket guides (86-early 91 style pull-down unit) says DO NOT REMOVE on the picture of the silver cover of the motor. Same applies to the 91.5-92. You may be able to hold the brushes retracted using string or fishing line while you replace the cover of the motor. If you manage to break a brush in the process the motor is now dead. Not available new, but I sell good used 91.5-92 motors.

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/hat...product_id=211

Again from the symptoms you describe, all you need to replace on the 92 is the gear nut. However, after installing the gear nut if you find that when you press on the hatch release button, if the latch assy cycles up without releasing the hatch hook, then immediately cycles back down, then either the small plastic lever that is on the backside of the latch assy is missing or broken OR the plastic ramp that this lever makes contact with is missing. How this 91.5-92 unit works, when you press the hatch release switch the motor is turned on and the latch assy goes up. Just before it reaches the end of the up cycle that small plastic lever makes contact with the ramp that is attached to the back side of the tan colored plastic frame. The lever then rotates 90 degrees to release the latch and the hatch hook is thrown free of the latch by the spring adjacent to the latch. This same 90 degrees of rotation of the latch is accomplished by the manual cable when you use your key to unlock the latch. It is common for that lever to break or fall off. If it is missing or broken you should replace the entire latch assy with a good used one. It is a PITA to try to replace only the lever because there is a rectangular push nut that is holding the back side of that lever in place. Also if the lever falls off, the small coil spring behind it will come off and it is an even bigger PITA to try and reassemble. I sell the used latch assy also.

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/hat...latch-assembly

Lon Salgren

BRG91

Thank you for such a detailed description and you were dead on. My gear nut was stripped in one spot like the worm gear of the motor drilled it. I found out, that I don't have the hatch release button on dash only the key release.
The black plastic wire connector is missing something, the ramp ? that you speak of. So the metal hook at the top of the latch works off the cable release. This explains why someone tried to bypass the electric system and freeze the hatch release latch in a set position and make it a slam latch style.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

From your description you have a early 91 model convertible which did have the same power pull-down unit as the coupes. But those convertibles of did not have a hatch (trunk) release button or solenoid release. Instead that button and circuit was diverted to activate the tonneau release solenoids. You can swap a solenoid release from a coupe (as I have) but you'll need to add the wiring and another button as well.

The later 91.5-92 convertibles had a slam latch attached instead of the tan-colored plastic framed pull-down the coupes of that same years had.

Lon Salgren