I have a 1997 E350 Ford Econoline with power locks and without factory remote unlock. I am trying to install a remote relay system.

I have opened the passenger side door and see six wires coming out of the switch:

Two Black

One Black / White - 12V+

One Red

One Brown

You do relize you posted an automotive question in a custom home theater forum?

But you also have someone who use to install these things 18 years ago.

You’ll need two 12vdc relays that has 5 terminals.

So 30, 85, 86, 87 and 87a.

Tape the two relays together with the screw holes along the same plane.

Create a wire harness with 4 push-on plugs all tied together. This one will be attached to 2 terminals on each relay. 85 and 87 on one, then 86 and 87 on the other. The remaining end of the harness goes to 12vdc+.

Here is a diagram of how to wire it up for the remaining wires.

[Link: the12volt.com]

Now the trick is, to know what wires to test in the Van. And which switch to use. I recall having to test the wires on the passenger side while someone else used the driver’s door switch. Or the other way around. It’s whatever Ford decided to do with that model.

KOT

I remember Ford using a 'master' switch and sometimes, we used to access the door lock wires below one of the dash speakers, but I don't know if they even put speakers in the dash anymore. It has been over 20 years since I did this.

Unplug the harness from the driver's door switch and see if the passenger door's switch still operates the locks. If it does, you 'll be accessing the wires at that side. If not, reverse the test.

Remember- if this vehicle is under warranty, cutting wires and installing relays will void it.

Being it's a 1997, I highly doubt it came with a 20+ year warranty.

Seem to remember it being a reversing polarity system like most of the early one's are. 2 relays and it should be done. I don't remember ever having to go into the door to get these wires, we always accessed them inside the vehicle.

that is false.

if you damage something by tapping into the wiring, then yes.  but just tapping into or cutting wires will not void your warranty.  there's a law on the books.   magnusson moss or something.

This thread takes me back. Oh, the good old days...

To the OP, I would say, at least back in the day, you would need a 451m...

[Link: ebay.com]

What I remember from the Fords is if the vehicle had keyless, it was negative trigger locks. If No keyless, then 5 wire (using the 451m)

Though I'm still foggy on what a "remote relay system" is. Is that a remote start? or a keyless entry system? Anyway, I remember pink/yellow and pink/green for locks.

Yeah, well, if I had seen that....

Well, to be fair, the site is called "Remote Central (locking?)"

;)

I can't believe you guys fell for this...It's actually shocking.

pretty sure that the spam links got added into the body of the post after the fact

Gotcha..I only saw it with the spam links and though everyone was losing their minds.

When I did car audio/security, people had warranty claims voided, but this practice may have changed in the 20+ years since. I would argue that if someone is technically competent to do this without damaging anything, the warranty should remain intact, especially in light of the bad work that has been done by "factory trained" service personnel.

You got the name of the act right, but I didn't see anything about installing aftermarket devices, which was/would be considered 'modification'. I guess it depends on whether someone pissed in the service manager's Wheaties and if the connections look like they were made with a chainsaw and a roll of duct tape (no offense intended).

[Link: en.wikipedia.org]

Oh. that made my day.
451M has everything neat in one box. Depending one what ford did in that E350. I don't ever recall working on one. Some other vehicles were just neg trigger to the factory relays.

The negatively triggered locks were great- very easy to connect.

Ford used polarity toggling, but with master and slave switches. Two wires for lock, two wires for unlock- as I remember, it required two relays with tab 30 going to the locks and 87a connected to the master switch side. Tab 87 connected to a 12V source.