Topic: DIY: Power window 4 relay setup (w/pictures)

[lee01]

I finally took some time to make a little DIY on the 4 relay setup. I'm by no means a electricals guru, so feel free to share any errors that I could made or share your feedback on your work.
 
I will not make our sell theses kit simply because its somewhat easy to do and i'm not doing it for the money.
Just sharing my experience.

This DIY will keep your cost down and make it easy.

Bare in mind I no longer own a T/A, so I make this setup with my diagram and what's left in my brain lol

Ok, lets start:

1-What you need!
4x Bosh style relay and pigtail
8x female terminals
8x male terminals
1x 30amp fuse
some wire:
Red:10-12 gauge
Black: 14-16 gauge
Electrical tape
Solder iron
Optional:

- Big eye terminal and inline fuse if you are installing this setup directly to your battery
or male or female (can't remember exactly) if installing directly to your fuse box. (preferred)


2- The relay and wiring!
I decided to make a little bracket from some left over carbon fiber board I had.
These relay can be held together by snaping all the pigtails together, so it can save you little fabrication.
I bought my relay and pigtails on eBaY (seller id: install_depot )
Upon receiving my relay, I didn't like the color coordination of the pigtail, so using a sharp tool I made a few changed. (Thats a personal preference) You can keep the color configuration, just take good notes.
I also removed the wire from pin 87a. (middle), its not needed for this setup.



3- Ground!
First thing I did its to make the ground.
Take all 4 ground from the relay (85) and soldered them to one wire (14-16 gauge).
Then, use electrical tape or heat shrink tubing to protect your exposed wire.


4- Positive 12 volts!
Same as the ground, now take all 4 positive from the relay (87)
Now its a good time to measure your red wire depending if you are connecting this wire to your fuse box or battery. (if gooing directly to your battery, I suggest an inline 30 amp fuse to be installed)
Also, take a bigger gauge of wire like 12 or 10 gauge.


5- Identification!
Now, the basic and easy wiring is done.
I used 8x female terminals and crimped them on each end.
Also now its a good time to labelled each wire. This will make connections and troubleshooting easier.
Driver UP to window motor (30 on the relay)
Driver UP to switch (86 on the relay)
Driver Down to window motor (30 on the relay)
Driver Down to switch (86 on the relay)
Passenger UP to window motor (30 on the relay)
Passenger UP to switch (86 on the relay)
Passenger Down to window motor (30on the relay)
Passenger Down to switch (86 on the relay)
You can refer to my diagram



6- Your factory harness!
Now removed your center console and unplug your car battery.
Once your center console removed, you will have access to your power window harness.
Unwrap your wired, and your will see 5 wires.
4 of them will need to be cut.
The one that doesn't need to be uncut if typicaly either red w/white line or pink, its goes from your existing relay under the dash to the middle of your switch.
The power window color coded wires should be the same through the years.
Driver UP: Dark blue
Driver Down: Dark Brown
Passenger UP: Blue w/white line
Passenger Down: Light brown


7- Cutting and labeling
Now that you got access, cut your wire and labelled them.
Its a personal preference were to cut. Also extra lengh of wire may be needed.
I used my 8x male terminals and crimped them to the factory harness.


8- Assembly!
Now its time put connect everything.
Hopefully you labelled all your wires! This is easy when all the labels are made.
Simply connect them all.


9- almost done!
Yup....almost done!
Make sure all your connection are tape with electrical tape to avoid any electrical short!


10- Last little things!!

-Replace your circuit breaker in your fuse box (top left corner) with a 30amp fuse.

--Optional but for best result, install new ground from your window motors to the frame.
You need to remove your door panel to gain access to your motors.
It take a little more time, but adding new ground will help your motor.
Its optional, and up to you this step is done our not.
Use gauge size gauge like 10-12 ga. or ground strap for best result

Reconnect your battery and test your power windows setup.
If everything is plugged correctly, you will be very happy with the result!


Reference diagram:


The result:
Its my only video, and my power window were not brand new, they were old parts box thaught to be non-working.


My original setup in my 79 T/A.

[H8Rain]

This is a GREAT write up.  Thanks!

I do have a question for you please.  Is it really personal preference if you get the power from the fuse-box or directly from the battery or is one preferred choice over the other?  If I go directly to the battery do I still need to change the fuse in the fuse-box to a 30amp?

Thanks!!!!

[OrangeCrush79]

Thank you for detailing this project with pictures. This makes it easier to see how you make the connections. A lot of us in DIY Land are a little scared about cutting into expensive wire harnesses and /or frying them. I too want to know if its better to get power from the battery or connect power from the fuse block. I already bought the #10 gauge wire and a 30 amp fuse but that would require drilling a hole through the firewall, right?
                                                                                                                                          OrangeCrush79  (Jon W)

[BlackTransAm]

I did this to my sons TA for the locks and put remote lock unlock and trunk release on it
Cool post

[dpoltzer]

Thanks for the write up!  One more question though;  is the oriiginal GM relay under the dash still used with your set up, and if so, why?

Thanks again

[Angelo]

You don't need the old relay. Actually when GM switched to the new blade style fuse box in 1980 the Window Relay was no longer used, so depending on your year you may not even have a window relay. Learn more here: http://www.firebirdtransamparts.com/techinfo/powerwindows/power.htm

[OrangeCrush79]

Hello,
       I installed the power relay setup on my 1979 T/A  and it all went in fine. I installed the door glass and it goes up and down very well on the drivers side. I then moved over to the passenger side and for some reason, my window motor works intermintent. Sometimes it goes up and sometimes it will go down when I hit the switch. I checked the power with a test light and it seems to have power in the up/down switch positions. When I use an external power supply to the motor, it works fine - telling me its not the motor. Somehow, I'm not getting enough power to move the window motor through the exisiting wiring. I wired the power through the fusebox, replacing the circut breaker with a 30 amp fuse. But I did not eliminate the  exisiting relay - could this be my power problem?
      Next question - how do I eliminate the relay? Thanks in advance.....                        Jon Wiz

[OrangeCrush79]

Here is my follow up of my window problem. I found that the connector wire to the window motor on the passenger side was dirty and needed to be cleaned up. After using some sand paper and a shot of electronic cleaner on the metal ends, the problem went away. The passenger window goes up and down more consistently except it is slower than the drivers side. I was told that because the wiring to that side of the car is further away from fuse box, the slower window is common. All in all, the window motors still are better now than before and I'm happy with the way it turned out. Thanks for this project.   John

[hctsdj78ta]

Thanks for the great teach info in the power windows.. I just have one question regarding the diagram I do not have the original relay in my 78 T/A its missing.. the harness is there but nioo relay how do I bypass it using the diagram

[Angelo]

At the factory power window relay....

Connect pink wire to red with white stripe wire going to switches if you want the windows only to work when your key is in "RUN/ON". (Recommended)

Connect red orange with black stripe wire to red with white stripe wire going to switches if you want the windows to work all the time, keys or not. I don't recommend this, all one would have to do is snake a coat hanger under your door window, push the power window button down, and your window would come straight down.

[hctsdj78ta]

power window wires in my 78 are PINK  PINK w/ Black Stripe and Orange w/ Black stripe at the relay connection

[Angelo]

Pink is "run" , so that to what ever wire goes to the switches.

[ta78w72]

Pink is switched power.  Orange with a black stripe is always on power.

[Angelo]

Great tip ta78w72! I edited my reply #9 to say "orange" rather than "red". Sorry if I lead anyone astray.

[Marlin1977]

I'm having problems with my driver side window. it doesn't work. How do I check the motor or what fuse do I look for in the fuse box?