with my batt in the truck im running 1/0 gauge welding cable to a cut off switch then to a NON FUSED distro block where the old battery used to be in the engine bay.

from the distro block i will run my starter wire ( 1/0 ga), my electric fan, msd box, and alternator charging wire (which also connects to the ECM...1991 TPI originally)
so when i cut off the switch nothing should have power in the engine bay, right?


MY QUESTIONS:

With this setup, will the motor stop running when i hit the switch?

Where should i place fuses? (my plans are on the msd box and fans since the alt wire has the fusible link attached and obviously not the starter)


now i just have to decide what to do with the grounds...

 

The factory uses the starter post as a distribution point (at least on my '86) so that's how I ran mine. Everything's out of sight that way.

I've heard stories that the alternator can keep the car running even with the main disconnect switch opened, but I can't confirm/deny that.

 

ive heard that too but with this setup the ECM power will be cut off when i hit the switch so i would only auume it would kill the motor...anyone else?

 

if your ECM is wired to your engine bay distrobution, and your alternator is wired to your engine bay distrobution; the ecm can run off of alternator power. your alternator is an electric generator being powered off of your gasoline engine. removing the battery while the engine is running will not change a thing. the engine will still run. the only way this would not be true is if your car was drawing more power while running then your alternator could supply. if that were true the battery would die all the time anyway.

in sumary: NO pulling the battery key will NOT shut off your engine. if you need a method of shutting off your engine in a hurry place a switch on the power wire going back to your fuel pump (assuming you have an electric fuel pump)

 

TTT

anyone else have anything to suggest that when the batt switch is off the car stops running???

 

well what i plan to do is run the alt charging wire (that normally goes to the + on the battery, or originally my distro block) directly to the kill switch in the rear. will be some extra work and more wire but this should do the trick...

correct?

 

yes that`ll do it...I was thinking of using a constant duty selonoid by the alternator / distrubution block to cut power from my 1 wire alternator.

 

nice...thanks!

 

Something like that wouldn't be legal for NHRA where the kill switch has to actually cut the electrical power.

 

I would reccomend getting a dual terminal disconnect switch that is setup for a magneto and a battery. Then you could cut the power from the alt and the battery at the same time with a single switch.

I was planning going with a single solenoid off of my 1 wire alt too.

of course if you could just kill the power going to your distributor no ignition and no fire equals engine shut off. But I think that's not legal either. Guess I need to go look at the NHRA rule book.

 

Well my 1 wire alt keeps charging even with the constant duty solenoid wired in, I tried a realy to cut the solenoid and still no dice, the alt back feeds the solenoid and keeps it lit...I`m planning on dropping in 2 gauge welding wire to run back to the switch (battery side) I really wanted to avoid it but hey it`s only a few #`s more.

 

I ended up running the alt charging wire to the kill switch so when I flip the switch it kills all the electrical power to the car and it cuts off he alternator charging. Kills the car like it should and is NHRA legal. Sweet.

I thought I had a problem with this (charging wire to the switch) because my volts were really screwy but it turns out my voltage regulator was bad ( I think).