Today I got far enough along installing a trunk solenoid in my 2000
Camry Solara convertible to test it.

It works except for that it's not strong enough to open the trunk.

The cable has to bend 90 degrees. It seems to move easily in its
sheath. Is there any point i oiling it?

Any suggestions for a stronger one, and one that has a long enough
stroke? Maybe 3/4" or 1".

Mine looks justy like this one
http://www.amazon.com/Megatronix-TRM...trunk+solenoid
which they rate at 15 pounds. So I suppose this one, rated at 35
pounds ought to be enough, but even for $60 including shipping, they
don't list the stroke. ;(
http://www.amazon.com/Megatronix-Sha...trunk+solenoid

And the picture doesn't show a cable coming out of it. Just a
separate little stiff wire thing that mine came with too. That won't
work for me becaues I have to turn the cable 90 degrees. Does it
really have a cable anyhow?


Right now, I'm using one from Directed Electronics, which sells for
about 25 dollars, and it worked fine for 9 years in my '95 Lebaron,
and maybe for a fwe years in my '88.

With the Lebaron, the cable didn't have to bend, but with this car, I
have to bend it 90^, with a radius of curvature of 6 inches or so .
The cable slid totally easily in the coiled housing, which I got from
an old 10-speed gear shifter. (the previous one wasn't long enough.
Is there any point to oiling it?

Thanks.

(Worth noting that the one now sold at JCWhitney (where I bought mine,
9 or 12 years ago, a different one from what they're selling now,)
comes with instructions that said it has a 1 1/4" stroke, but both
comments said it was only 3/8". That's definitely not enough. Rarely
are comments so spot on and at the same time applicable to me.)