News:

Due to a technical issue, some recently uploaded pictures have been lost. We are investigating why this happened but the issue has been resolved so that future uploads should be safe.  You can also Modify your post (MORE...) and re-upload the pictures in your post.

Main Menu

Does anyone know what frequency the 80's garage door openers use?

Started by collector, December 17, 2016, 11:45:24 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

collector

I'm trying to figure out what frequency my 80's. Cadillac transmitter uses, so I can attach a unit to my garage door opener, like I did with my Lincoln's. Thanks

fellenzer

I'm far from an expert but I can share my experience with my '84 Seville. When I bought it, it had the original optional garage door opener installed. I discovered that version (one push button on one side and a three position switch on the other side) requires a special Cadillac receiver in the garage which connects to the hard wire button of the door opener. I've seen a couple of those receivers on eBay sell for around $50. Ultimately, rather than hassle with hooking up a Cadillac receiver, which would have cool factor, I decided to purchase a newer three button unit that fits the head unit in the car. It is programmable and is capable of using the rolling code technology of modern garage and gate openers. It doesn't have the extra chrome trim but looks just fine. I think it was $15 on eBay and simple to install. I'll dig up some pix.
Michael Fellenzer, #30007
Indianapolis, IN
1976 Eldorado Convertible
1976 Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham (EFI, ACRS)
1976 Coupe deVille (Astro/Cabriolet)
1984 Seville
1989 Fleetwood Coupe
1989 Sedan deVille
1992 Fleetwood
1992 Coupe deVille
1992 Sedan deVille
1993 Sixty Special (Ultra)
1994 Fleetwood Brougham
2015 SRX

fellenzer

Here's before and after.
Michael Fellenzer, #30007
Indianapolis, IN
1976 Eldorado Convertible
1976 Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham (EFI, ACRS)
1976 Coupe deVille (Astro/Cabriolet)
1984 Seville
1989 Fleetwood Coupe
1989 Sedan deVille
1992 Fleetwood
1992 Coupe deVille
1992 Sedan deVille
1993 Sixty Special (Ultra)
1994 Fleetwood Brougham
2015 SRX

collector

I bought one like yours and am going to program in then put the guts from the new one into the original and it will work like the homelink but look 100% original. Thanks for the advice and help. If I ever find the receiver Ill buy it and put in the original unit. I bought a spare one as well.

bcroe

They keep changing those over the decades, partly due to FCC allocations. 
I've seen 27MHZ, 390MHZ, 315 MHZ, 320MHZ, and no doubt some others. 
The rolling code types are more secure than anything earlier, just get a
receive-transmit pair, hook up to the garage push button, and program. 
Other receivers on other channels can stay.  Bruce Roe

collector

I built my own with an old unit face plate and a newer style rolling code unit. Now it works with all modern garage doors but looks totally original. Thank for your help guys.

dochawk

Quote from: bcroe on December 21, 2016, 04:39:45 PM
They keep changing those over the decades, partly due to FCC allocations.  \

That, and anything prior to the current system can be cracked by readily available devices in a matter of seconds . . .
1972 Eldorado convertible,  1997 Eldorado ETC (now awaiting parts swap from '95 donor), 1993 Fleetwood but no 1926 (yet)

fellenzer

Michael Fellenzer, #30007
Indianapolis, IN
1976 Eldorado Convertible
1976 Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham (EFI, ACRS)
1976 Coupe deVille (Astro/Cabriolet)
1984 Seville
1989 Fleetwood Coupe
1989 Sedan deVille
1992 Fleetwood
1992 Coupe deVille
1992 Sedan deVille
1993 Sixty Special (Ultra)
1994 Fleetwood Brougham
2015 SRX

dochawk

Quote from: fellenzer on January 02, 2017, 09:17:50 AM
Dochawk, did your wife get that Eldorado for Christmas?
waiting

We're still looking.  At the moment, the crisis is her van, which will go to a freshly driving daughter.   It shredded it's transmission without provocation on our Christmas visit, and is waiting for a new transmission (beyond rebuild with a destroyed planetary gear, and no used ones in the area with non-ridiculous mileage).

But we have our eye on one if we can get someone  3 hours a way to check the paint (freshly dealer rebuilt engine), and she's really opened the options by deciding that she *does* like them in black (*sigh*  would have had one months ago).

Of course every time she sees a mustang or truck, she wavers until the next pretty caddie.

It would also be easier if we didn't already have two white caddies; three would be ridiculous.  We've passed on a couple of nice ones for color . . .

1972 Eldorado convertible,  1997 Eldorado ETC (now awaiting parts swap from '95 donor), 1993 Fleetwood but no 1926 (yet)

dochawk

And as for here eldorado . . . a couple of hours ago we got her a '98 Mustang GT Convertible.

Heck, we had to have *something* around the house with a manual transmission (that also runs).

Now I get to mock her "Raider's car" (she's from San Diego and a Chargers fan).  I think it started life black, but got the sides & bumpers changed to silver.

And if you put those stupid 20" rims on a Caddy, we'd call it a "Ghettolac", but . . .

What the heck; it was $1,500, and she gets the mustang thing out of her system.

But now I need to join another club, I guess . . .
::)

We had what looked to be a nice blue metallic eldorado to look at, albeit three hours away, but it had been badly keyed. 

(But I'll still keep an eye out . . .)
1972 Eldorado convertible,  1997 Eldorado ETC (now awaiting parts swap from '95 donor), 1993 Fleetwood but no 1926 (yet)

fishnjim

Get the model # and call the garage door opener company and ask them.  It also might be listed on the cover in the fine print or in the opener manual.
Cadillac dealer would know what your car remote is capable to connect.   Usually in the owners manual.
'80s and prior til about late '90s are the non-rolling codes - ie, single code type.   Either dip switch or programmable.   eg: My '99 programmable garage opener does not connect to my '19 Cad remote, so I have to carry a remote just for one door, until it dies, all others are fine.

bcroe

The rolling code sets are far more secure.  I suspect they can be
broken too, using the (secret) algorithm used in programing the
receiver. These units have the advantage of being generally
available in sets, with varied number of buttons for multiple doors,
and additions possible.  I have 3 doors and more than twice that
number of controlling vehicles.

A couple problems with these.  First was the frequency which was
390 Mhz when I set up.  I must now resort to Evil Bay to get old
unit replacements.  The military might take over my channel but
have not yet in this remote area. 315 Mhz was the replacement, I
actually was able to retune a 315 to 390.   

The other issue is sensitivity.  My drives are in the hundreds of feet
long, and I would like to operate the door when it is in view.  The
broad band modulated osc transmitter does not lend it self to more
gain and range, and power is very low.  The receiver does have an
RF amp before the detector, but this is not enough at times even
right in front of the door. 

I solved the sensitivity problem by using a high gain antenna which
is a necessity for metal (Morton) buildings, and provides directivity
down the drive instead of 360 deg.  The 11 element ant design was
taken from the internet and dimensions scaled to 390 Mhz, range was
increased more than an order of magnitude.  This was actually too
much, so the 3rd one built was reduced to 6 elements to get range
about right.  Unfortunately, these ant would need to be completely
rebuilt for a shift to 315 Mhz.  Bruce Roe