Richee3's Progress thread., Wilwood BBK installed. Options

[richee3]

Got a little bit done today. Started off easy and replaced the passenger side door striker for the chrome Lexus striker.



Moved on from that to swapping steering wheels. I started off last night by prepping everything for the PAC audio interface. I was intending to use the 7gc steering wheel, but that plan changed mid-swap today. I have a clockspring for both wheels. The 7gc wheel uses smaller plugs than a 6gc, so you can't use the 7gc clockspring on a 6gc. Due to using the e-shift buttons as audio controls, I almost have to use the appropriate clockspring to match the steering wheel. As luck would have it, the IS 300 clockspring is plug and play with a Celica. So the IS steering wheel and clockspring have been significantly cheaper than a 7gc wheel, plug and play in a 6gc, and no stupid perforated leather- so far that's three strikes against the 7gc wheel. No offense to anyone who does like the perforated leather, but I personally don't think it belongs on a steering wheel. There's nothing wrong with it but I don't have any other perforated leather anywhere else in the car so it doesn't match anything at all.

So, progress.




And more progress!



Terrible picture quality and even worse video quality, but just a little bit of proof that the e-shift buttons now function as audio controls. However, I ran into a huge catch. I'm working out the cruise control functions. I was able to get it to turn on properly by relocating a ground in the steering wheel. No further function though, I need to give the steering wheel swap guide another read to get that to work but it was low priority today. The bigger problem I ran into is the E-shift buttons only working with the key turned on accessory. They'll turn the volume up and down flawlessly all day with the key turned on accessory but when I turn the key to the on position, the PAC interface stops receiving a signal from the buttons. It has an LED that illuminates when I push a button, and it isn't acknowledging receiving a signal from the buttons at all. I tried bypassing the clockspring and ran a signal directly to the interface, but I had the same result. I'm left wondering if it's an issue with how the buttons originally worked in the IS 300 or an issue with the PAC interface and the resistor they had me solder in and not being the right resistance after the key is turned on. I'll have to go buy a multimeter tomorrow and see what I can figure out. I'm assuming it's an issue with the original function of the buttons and how they are being used now.

I'm sure it's something simple that the guys that are good with wiring could figure out almost immediately but I'm not one of those guys, so I'll do my best to figure it out.

[enderswift]

I'm jealous of those seats

[Keiri]

I'm jealous of those seats

As am I; those are the only cloth seats I'd have over leather.

[njccmd2002]

I want to know if the steering wheel mod work out.

[richee3]

I want to know if the steering wheel mod work out.

No change as of today. Still only works on accessory. I made a trip to Harbor Freight and bought a multimeter for $5.50. Astonishingly, it actually works. And it's currently still working. Anyway, I made a couple of small discoveries. I ruled out any issue with the IS300 shift buttons- they are working as they should. I have a constant 6 volts in my wires going to the interface, which drop to 3 volts for one of the shift buttons and 4 volts for the other when the key is on accessory and everything is working as it should. However, when I turn the key to on or start the engine, I have constant 6v and it switches to 7v/8v when I push the buttons. I can't figure out why the voltage increases with the key on but decreases with the key on accessory.

I have the IS300 steering wheel and clockspring. The clockspring is identical to the OEM clockspring but with the addition of the two pins for the shift wires. From the two pins on the clockspring, I've run my own two wires to the PAC interface. This means that the shift buttons and two wires are isolated from the rest of the car and unaffected by anything. These two wires meet up with the PAC interface, and that's where the voltage is coming from. So the interface itself is changing the voltage when the key is on as opposed to being turned on accessory. I can't figure out why it would do that, nor do I know what resistors to use to step it down. I'm working on figuring that out (translated: I'm begging people who I know will know how to figure it out) but I work the next four days so it'll be Thursday before I make any more progress.

[cheela]

should've went online to harbor freight, there was a coupon for a free multimeters with any purchase. LOL!

if you get this to work, I can see the price of lexus wheels jumping up.
I know nothing about wiring so sorry I can't help much.

[richee3]

I bought my IS300 wheel for $50 and the clockspring was $25. All plug and play to the Celica. None of the cutting/splicing necessary for the 7th gen Celica wheel. The Rav4 airbag was $89, not the best bargain, but not bad. The cruise stalk needs some small work but not bad.

At this time, there will definitely not be a write up, how to, or any other details of how to get the audio controls to work. It has been a nightmare that I almost wish I hadn't started. But hey, it works half the time right now, so I will see it through and get it finished.

[njccmd2002]

im going over a few online threads about this issue....

the unit has a set up for radio, and for a car to be used?

because my question is on a real steering wheel control what happens....

just like the cruiser stalk. maybe the unit is waiting for some resistance? Never seen a steering wheel control from inside, but this could be somehting...



if you can go to the yard and get one of this, and measure the resistance of each button. im just throwing ideas..

the forum http://saabworld.net/f29/aftermarket-audio...int/index8.html

thye were taking on page 1 about adding a resistor too in one of the wires...

[njccmd2002]

anothing thing just tought of is are the buttons on the steering wheel isolated from the general ground? if they are grounded this could throw off the unit, but i bet the unit is expecting some resistance.

[richee3]

The inside of the wheel is easy. Each button has two wires, and one of the wires on each button is yellow. The yellow wire is ground. All four ground wires meet up and have a common ground in the clockspring. The buttons are simple buttons that ground out when you push them.



The wires on the two upshift buttons also meet up, as do the two wires from the downshift buttons. This way, only two wires have to go through the clockspring- one for both upshift buttons, one for both downshift buttons. That's why I can't set one side of the wheel to be volume controls and the other side to be track, like I had hoped.



The two farthest left pins, each with two wires, are the pins for the buttons. That plugs into the clockspring, then on the other side of the clockspring I have the two pins for the shift buttons that aren't used by the Celica's harness. That's where I added my own two wires that lead through the dash and into the PAC interface. Essentially, the shift buttons and my own two wires are totally isolated from the rest of the car up until they meet up with the interface. The interface is what provides literally all signal to and from the buttons. That's what is confusing me, why the interface provides one set of signals to the buttons with the key on ACC and a different set with the key on ON. I'll figure something out, after I do a lot of begging for help from electrical-savvy people.

[njccmd2002]

i would measure voltage with the multimeter to the + wire that feeds the unit, on "acc" and "on" to make sure there is no up and down when you flip the key.

[richee3]

I got the shift buttons completely working this afternoon. ACC, ON, and engine running, the shift buttons control the volume at any given time. Great success and a cool project. I didn't have time to get everything put back together but I'll get a video tomorrow.

[njccmd2002]

ok no you have to find more buttons to control track and mode... i will undertake this, not at the moment.. my hands are full. congrats..

[richee3]

Let me know when you do. I'd be glad to help out. I will absolutely not be writing up a how to... Too much of a PITA and nobody will really be doing it.

[richee3]

Edit to delete the old, crappy video and replace it with the new, slightly less crappy video.




And the video:

http://s228.photobucket.com/user/richee3/m...911d84.mp4.html

[richee3]

Well, nothing lasts forever. For anyone curious, your Celica will NOT fit in the trunk of a Highlander.








Good news is that the headlights survived! Although with broken tabs on all but the passenger side low beam. Already looking into getting it fixed. Shouldn't cost too much. The upper radiator support is bent, but that can be replaced. The hood got the worst of the damage, the bumper got some but isn't too bad. The tabs can be fixed. Gotta disassemble everything this weekend and check it out.

[njccmd2002]

it will buff out!

dibs on the muffler bearings! If you part it...

its a true loss, but at least you have an excuse to work on it.

[The_enD]

What is gonna happen to that hood?

[Box]

Probably be turned into beer cans. That or use it as garage art...I think it'd be cool if at this point you did a Castrol WRC theme with it and used it as decoration.

[mkernz22]

I've already inquired about the hood and bumper so.....