Powered Trunk Release?

The Era of The Square Body Racing Comets
Post Reply
User avatar
kevinshi
Posts: 249
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:56 am
Location: Bellevue, WA

Powered Trunk Release?

Post by kevinshi »

Does anyone have (successful) experience installing a powered trunk release on a '65?

I have spent hours failing to get the Directed Electronics solution to work consistently... and then more hours failing to get the Scott Drake solution to work consistently.

In both cases the trunk sometimes releases and the other times not (when it fails I can hear the device clicking but it's not actually releasing).

There is some physics issue here I am not understanding... the behavior seems consistent between the two solutions... so it seem like it would be something common - maybe play in my lock cylinder, too much upward pressure from my seal, or something along those lines...
Last edited by kevinshi on Fri May 29, 2020 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks,
kevin
1965 Caliente Convertible
5H25A525287 (76DM6204L5416)

A/FX
Comet Central Member
Posts: 1094
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2004 8:07 pm
Location: S.E. Wisconsin

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by A/FX »

I installed the Scott Drake system in my ‘64 with no issues. Are you sure the latch and lower catch are adjusted correctly? Does the key make the latch work on the first twist of the key without hesitation? I did not use the lever switch that came with the latch, I use a momentary push button switch.
Jim
‘64 Cyclone/ Boss 302,quads,4spd, Winters 9”

Image

vicegrip
Posts: 402
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 12:12 pm

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by vicegrip »

the latch is too tight or not lined up correctly. New weather strip can cause the tightness.

barrys65cyclone
Posts: 606
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:54 pm
Location: maryland

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by barrys65cyclone »

the optional trunk release for 1965 Comet is vac operated I have one on my 1965 Cyclone and works perfect it will open trunk approx 5 times after engine shut off.

tomb22
Posts: 683
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2016 8:11 pm

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by tomb22 »

I installed one like the directed electronic one, but I switched the latch and the catch. The catch is now on the trunk lid. I also removed the key. So the only way into the trunk is with a fob. I did install an emergency cable that I can pull which is behind the rear bumper in case the battery goes dead which is in the trunk. It has worked great and here is a picture showing the latch mounted on the rear of the trunk with the directed electronic hooked up to it and the cable going down behind the bumper.

Image

tom
Image
tomb's 65

User avatar
kevinshi
Posts: 249
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:56 am
Location: Bellevue, WA

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by kevinshi »

A/FX wrote:
Thu May 28, 2020 11:35 pm
Are you sure the latch and lower catch are adjusted correctly? Does the key make the latch work on the first twist of the key without hesitation?
Simple answer: Yes (and yes). Longer answer: See below.
vicegrip wrote:
Fri May 29, 2020 8:55 am
the latch is too tight or not lined up correctly. New weather strip can cause the tightness.
Bingo. I believe weatherstrip (and associated latch friction) is a contributor... (I will shortly be starting a new thread on the '65 trunk weather strip...)

For troubleshooting purposes, I have removed the weatherstrip entirely. When I do this my gaps are really good with zero deck rattle (the bumpers are all fully engaged).

With the weatherstrip removed the Scott Drake system works great. However the Directed system is still inconsistent (Ton the one I am using looks EXACTLY like yours).

I suspect the issue is due to misbehavior by the lever on top of my latch. This is the lever Tom used to attach his solenoid in the above picture... and I reckon it was put there for use with the factory vac system.
barrys65cyclone wrote:
Fri May 29, 2020 3:50 pm
the optional trunk release for 1965 Comet is vac operated I have one on my 1965 Cyclone and works perfect it will open trunk approx 5 times after engine shut off.
(Barry am I correct that the tab is a lever pulled by your vacuum system?)

As I am sure Tom knows well, the Directed solenoid is "unarmed" when the internal plunger is "sucked" into the body. Applying 12v in this state will do (effectively) nothing (its sort of like trying to close an already closed door). Since there is no internal spring to reset the plunger, arming the solenoid requires some external force to gently pull the cable outward.

Like Tom, I have solenoid installed level - as such it is neutral to gravity (however mine is in the deck lid). As such it is left to my lever to provide the external force to pull the plunger outward and re-arm the solenoid. However when my latch is locked the lever is "loose" and "floppy" - it definitely is not providing this force.

As a result the plunger in my installation is kind of random. When I close the lid sometimes the plunger stays "sucked" into the housing leaving it disarmed. Other times the plunger rattles outward thereby armed.

Question: Is my latch malfunctioning? If one of you has an extra latch to compare... first lock it (like the deck is closed). Thereafter try to wiggle the lever - does it feel spring loaded? On mine it is totally lose - basically freely rattling back and forth.

Tom: I see on your installation that you insulated nearly the entire cable with the supplied black rubber tubing. One thought I had was that perhaps that tubing was itself a sort of external spring that is supposed to pull the plunger back out... but my testing indicates otherwise. It also occurs to me that perhaps my solenoid is faulty - that maybe it is suppose to have some kind of internal spring that pushes the plunger back out. Bottom line: What force is casing your plunger to consistently reset to the armed position?
Thanks,
kevin
1965 Caliente Convertible
5H25A525287 (76DM6204L5416)

tomb22
Posts: 683
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2016 8:11 pm

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by tomb22 »

I checked out my setup and there is a spring inside the latch that resets it. So the spring on your unit is either broken or the mechanism is not loose enough for it to reset. When it resets it does pull the plunger back out. I was testing it by just moving the lever.
I used the tube to allow easy movement of the cable.
Hope this helps you.
tom
Image
tomb's 65

User avatar
kevinshi
Posts: 249
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:56 am
Location: Bellevue, WA

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by kevinshi »

tomb22 wrote:
Mon Jun 01, 2020 9:56 pm
I checked out my setup and there is a spring inside the latch that resets it. So the spring on your unit is either broken or the mechanism is not loose enough for it to reset. When it resets it does pull the plunger back out. I was testing it by just moving the lever.
I used the tube to allow easy movement of the cable.
Hope this helps you.
tom
Definitely helps, many thanks.

My latch does have one spring - it forces the latch open when the key is turned. What I do not have is a spring that would then "hold" the plunger in place. As a result my plunger will sometimes ricochet back into the chamber (thus disarming).

Is your system 100% reliable (as in you never (never ever) have to use the manual cable)?
Thanks,
kevin
1965 Caliente Convertible
5H25A525287 (76DM6204L5416)

tomb22
Posts: 683
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2016 8:11 pm

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by tomb22 »

My lever has an internal spring in the latch and the cable is tight from plunger to lever. So the lever pulls the plunger out when no voltage is applied. It always works. The manual cable is in case the battery goes dead which is in the trunk, but I can charge it from the front of the car. Try moving the lever and see if there is any spring tension. You could install a small spring to pull the lever back.
tom
Image
tomb's 65

User avatar
kevinshi
Posts: 249
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:56 am
Location: Bellevue, WA

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by kevinshi »

tomb22 wrote:
Tue Jun 02, 2020 7:59 pm
...So the lever pulls the plunger out when no voltage is applied. It always works... You could install a small spring to pull the lever back.
This implies very much that my latch is indeed broken. When in locked position and no 12v applied my latch does NOT pull the plunger out of the cylinder (as I believe you are saying is the case with yours).

Agreed that a small spring would likely sort my issue. Question: Am I understanding correctly that on your latch there are two spring actions? First is a spring that explodes upon key unlock. Second is a spring that holds the top lever in fully open. (I have only the first spring action on my latch).

Thanks a ton for helping me debug this!!!
Thanks,
kevin
1965 Caliente Convertible
5H25A525287 (76DM6204L5416)

tomb22
Posts: 683
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2016 8:11 pm

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by tomb22 »

Yes 2 springs. Does your lever move freely, because there is not much spring tension on it? When you turn the key to unlatch the trunk does it return with out doing it by hand?
tom
Image
tomb's 65

User avatar
kevinshi
Posts: 249
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:56 am
Location: Bellevue, WA

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by kevinshi »

tomb22 wrote:
Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:19 pm
Yes 2 springs... When you turn the key to unlatch the trunk does it return with out doing it by hand?
tom
Precisely the correct question! Answer: NO!

After I unlock (by turning key clockwise) the key does not return to middle on its own - it stays "stuck" rotated clockwise (at ~4 'oclock). I have to manually rotate it counter clockwise back to center. This has been a minor annoyance in the past because you can't remove the key w/out returning it to center... so I have always naturally done this on my own anyway. Until now it never occurred to me that this was a misbehavior...

Furthermore if I turn the key farther counter clockwise there is a good deal of (un-resisted) range: I can turn the key counter clockwise from center all the way around to ~7 'oclock. Again, if I then release the key it stays put - I have to manually return it to center.

My latch is busted, eh?
Thanks,
kevin
1965 Caliente Convertible
5H25A525287 (76DM6204L5416)

tomb22
Posts: 683
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2016 8:11 pm

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by tomb22 »

yup!!
Image
tomb's 65

User avatar
kevinshi
Posts: 249
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:56 am
Location: Bellevue, WA

Re: Powered Trunk Release?

Post by kevinshi »

tomb22 wrote:
Wed Jun 03, 2020 10:48 pm
yup!!
Just ordered a new one. If it still fails I will direct my hate mail your way. :-)
Thanks,
kevin
1965 Caliente Convertible
5H25A525287 (76DM6204L5416)

Post Reply