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power door lock MES and Avital remotes problems

7K views 14 replies 4 participants last post by  crdnblu 
#1 ·
Has anyone installed MES power door lock actuators with the Avital remotes? I purchased my kits from A1 Electric in S Cal. I live in Maine and their tech help is not readily available. It appears that either actuator adjustment is super critical or I have a bad controller. This is a new installation in a 49 Ford Pick up. I am using heavily modified original latches.
 
#2 ·
My experience with power door locks, (ANY brand), is that they can be quite temperamental when used with with stock latches. If the stock latches have any resistance in their operation, the power solenoids will attempt to cycle, (lock/unlock); very frustrating!
I suggest trying the the operation with your linkage disconnected from your stock locks mechanism; if the solenoids now operate properly, this will prove the problem being in your stock latches. Your only recourse then becomes removal, & complete cleaning, & lubing of your stock lock mechanism, then hopefully, this will cure your problems.
 
#6 ·
Thank you for your response. I am using stock latches, heaviiy modified, which are not the bearclaw type. The motion required at both latches is very free, almost no friction. They do the unlock/lock cycle with or without the solonoids attached to the latches. Is it possible that there is not enough friction/resistance?
 
#3 ·
Hi,
If the MES kit has central locking connected, try disconnecting the purple and brown wires. These should be accessible at the relay module, or obviously at the door lock motors. The wires are for the central locking/unlocking switch contacts built in the motors. Now test the operation with the remote control. If they work well, the throw/stroke of the actuator may need to be adjusted... one of the switches may be operating when it shouldn't. This would be seen by the doors locking then immediately unlocking, or vice-versa.
Hope this makes sense.
Mark
 
#7 · (Edited)
Mark,
Thank you for your reply. I performed the test as you indicated. with the purple and brown wires disconnected at both solonoids, there is no change on the lock/unlock cycling.
For what it is worth, when I disconnect the brown and purple connections between the remote relay/black relay and the MES relay/blue relay, (which as I understand it is taking the black remote relay out of the circuit) and then touch in turn the brown and then the blue using the test lamp, the solonoids open when first the blue wire is touched and then close when the brown wire is touched, acting normally. Does this help in diagnosing the cycling problem?
See my previous post on disconnecting the solonoids from the latches. In short, no change in the cycling problem.
 
#4 ·
I agree 100% with Mark's assessment, however, older latch systems may have enough resistance in their operation to cause the lock/unlock problem, regardless of throw adjustment on the solenoids. That's why I suggested a thorough cleaning & lubing of your latches/lock assemblies.
The older Ford "striker" locks are particularly difficult to operate with power door lock systems, (and this is mentioned by some manufacturers in their literature). I don't know whether '49 Ford trucks had moved on to "bear-claw" systems, or still had a striker system similar to home locks.
 
#5 ·
On the system I used, it had a dual relay built into one, it was about useless. It was supposed to allow central lock/unlock. What it did was lock/unlock and sometimes relock, cycle every time a button was pushed, the key was turned in the door, after initial start up of the car and on shutdown. Factory guys were no help and kept sending me new relays, to no avail, I ended up scraping the fancy relay and used some good old fashioned relays, it doesn't unlock the pass door anymore, while unlocking the drivers door with the key, but the remotes work and I haven't gotten locked out one time since!
 
#12 ·
From your attached pic, I see a couple of potential issues. First, the lock assembly on the left looks to have a fair amount of mass, (levers?), for the solenoid to move. I would suggest disconnecting this assembly electrically to see what occurs, when you try a test, with just the right connected.

Secondly, the latch assembly, on the right, appears to have no manner of adjustment for solenoid stroke; with a direct connect link, you can't be sure what your solenoid wants for it to operate without reversing itself. (You usually see linkage rods that can be bent to "fine-tune" your solenoid stroke that your system is happy with.) [A longer mounting plate, with slotted solenoid mounting holes might be called for.]

A couple more close-up pics of your left, & right, assemblies might give us a bit more diagnostic info........
 
#14 ·
I had indicated in post #7 that a test with both solenoids disconnected there was no change in the cycling of the solenoids. Both doors are 5 wire solenoids.
Thanks for staying with me with your thoughts. This is my first time with power door locks so I am a newbie in this particular area. Please keep your thoughts coming!
 
#15 ·
Unfortunately, I've had the pleasure of doing about dozen systems over the years, from varied manufacturers, ALL of them having similar obstacles to overcome. At this point, I would suggest that you take several steps back, to a controlled frame of reference.

I would start by checking all your wires for continuity; then your connectors for a good, solid grip. (Most of those factory provided round brass connectors, [if you're using them], can stand a little "pinch" to snug them up. Where you installed any crimp connectors, give them a "pull" test to make sure they're snug. Finally, compare your wiring to the supplied installation diagram, one more time.

Then, I would test each solenoid by itself, independently, disconnected from any links or connection to your lock assemblies, with any wiring to the other solenoid disconnected as well. If one solenoid is "flaky", swap it side for side, to see if the problem follows the solenoid, or not, which would possibly point to the system "brain", and or relays. NOTE: To answer your previous question, the solenoids don't like operating against any excess resistance.

If all above tests well, then it's back to looking at your mechanical linkage connections; I'd be looking particularly @ your "bell-crank" double-lever linkage on the one assembly.
I know that it's frustrating to trouble-shoot these systems; it's a tedious process.....
 
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