VR Senator with LSx454

The power antenna you have isn't designed to work with your dashboard up/down switches. There may be a way to achieve this but it likely means bypassing (or at least re-wiring) the antenna's inbuilt relay etc. The aerial needs power to go up or down. The power feed needs to be constant 12V, not accessory. You can tap this in to the same 12V wire that keeps your radio stations and clock correct for the head unit.

The antenna works like this:
Earth
Constant 12V+
Trigger wire - when this receives 12V, the antenna goes up using power drawn through the Constant 12V. When the trigger wire loses power the Constant 12V lowers the antenna again.

I'd say what's happened is you have wired the Constant 12V to either accessory power or possibly to the antenna out of the H/U.

 

I wouldn't think its vr u have to get, it will be vr-vs that is compatible with the dash switch, I don't under stand why a normal aftermarket one that u buy wouldn't work with the dash switches ??

There is only a couple of wires to it a earth wire and a plug for radio correct???

I replaced myn years ago and it just worked, then had it out while painting car and put back in after I had completely forgotten how it went in but again it just worked


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I doubt it, just if you are picky with the up/down switch thing you may have to get creative with the wiring of it. Pretty sure 99% of people just let the head unit control up/down and leave it at that. Make sure you wire the signal wire to the correct output from the H/U, so it's only up when you select radio mode.

No, they don't work with the dash switches straight out of the box because power wise they just have 12V, Earth and Signal wires. Signal gets 12V, antenna goes all the way up. Signal gets no volts, antenna goes all the way down. End of story. All that up/down happens within the aftermarket antenna's own integral electrical jiggery. Need to get creative for those switches to work.

 

Yep cool, I just learnt something new

 

You still after these? One just came up on eBay on one of my automatic notifications

 

You could wire the aerial dash switch so that when you push UP it connects both the constant 12V and the trigger for the aerial therefore raising the aerial, but wire the DOWN so that it only connects the constant 12v therefore lowering the aerial. That way it loses power entirely and won't move up or down when you're not pressing the switch and you can leave it at any height.

You could also wire the Radio Antenna signal wire to do the same thing as the UP switch, so it automatically raises the aerial when you turn the radio on, however you will still need to use the DOWN switch when you turn the radio off. Of course this way the aerial will always go to full extension when the radio is on unless you use a far more complicated circuit which would take far too long for me to work out.

 

Good stuff mate, will be good to see its dyno sheet!!!!


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Cheers mate trust me if u ever pull it out to fit massive turbos or something, out from under Neath is the go

And it should make good power, 1 7/8 would be much more suited

Get that tig out again ay lol


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Only reason I was any help there is that I just did one in a VR Senator over Christmas so I had to figure out how they worked.

 

13/4" headers are tiny for 454cui. Needs atleast 2".

----500rwhp corn juiced & boosted ls1----

 

Making good headers is a pain in th ass!!!!!

If your are looking to do it yourself, may I suggest you do a bit of research on "expansion" headers and "venturi" type collectors.

----500rwhp corn juiced & boosted ls1----