Hi. Question. I have an 1984 Firebird Automatic all stock. carb so no fuel pump and no vats...... I would like to wire in a kill switch but have a few questions...most of which are what is the most accessible, best wire to cut into AND where have others placed there switches? guessing you don't want it too close to driver but not in the trunk as I can see that being a pain everytime you stop somewhere...

Thanks for any input...

 

Not to be mean or anything, butt...

I can think if very few MORE STOOOOPID things to deliberately do to an otherwise well-working car. The very name ought to be a clue as to why.

How can this EVER be A Good Idea? You're gonna cut into the car's MOST ESSENTIAL wiring, alternate-outsider-engineer some hack job in there that's DESTINED to fail WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY, and that's an IMPROVEMENT???? I know humans are illogical, and have been for as long as I've been assigned to this star-orbiting cinder, butt... this sort of thing just takes it to a whole new level.

No. Just, no. Don't destroy a car that way.

 

The classic would be to remove the coil to distributor wire and take it with you.

Alternatively, I guess you could copy what the factory did in '89 and put the starter wire on a relay.

People who really know what they're doing can steal your car in under a minute and a hidden switch won't stop them. The logical choice is to have an appropriate insurance policy and let the thieves be thieves.

If you really really want to stop someone from doing something, there will never be a replacement for the immediate threat of lethal force.

 

 

Two Questions:

-1. Is this for Security purposes or Safety purposes?
-2. What is your Budget for this Project?

 

Thanks for replies. All I am trying to do is drive the car more / enjoy it, however car thefts are up everywhere so trying to prevent it from getting stolen if I stop to get something to eat, go see a movie, etc....

Seems all those brake/wheel kits, etc. are easily defeated and I don't want to put some alarm system in. Just simply so if someone does get in they are delayed and run away if it cant start......not sure about everyone else but my 84 Trans am is showroom clean and I don't see any of them anymore in that condition....

 

I've had kill switches for decades and they never failed if done properly.

 

Pull coil wire.
pull a fuse in fuse box for ign system
use a small hidden gps tracker

 

Thats good idea on the fuse....the coil is integrated in the cap .....GPS tracker too...thanks for the ideas!

 

Why not a club for the steering wheel. It's a visual deterrent to the thieves.

 

thought of the club and brake locks, etc. but from what I hear its not much of a deterrent as easily defeated. I know if someone wants it, they will take it...just trying to do something that if someone couldn't start it for a few minutes they would give up...maybe that is wishful thinking.....

I just want to be able to quickly push a switch (or pull a fuse) instead of carrying around a bunch of locks...

 

Large purple (or yellow?) wire in the center console. Should be plugged into the shifter.

Disconnect battery.

Cut wire.

Install switch with a pigtail of approximately 6".

Drill small hole in ashtray.

Mount switch to ash tray.

Reconnect battery.

Close ash tray lid.

This is about as clean, hidden, and accessible as it gets. Plus it is easily reversed if someone wants to.

 

Yep exactly what I was looking for...thanks!

 

Can you keep an Apple air tag in the car? It won’t stop someone from stealing it but you’d know where the car went.

 

Yup you can, also helpful for your luggage when flying lol

 

If you do this... A High Amperage Switch must be used.

Otherwise use a Relay so that any switch can be used.

 

Yes, very important point!!

 

Years ago, I used to use the cigarette lighter as a kill switch. Push in, grounds out the ignition (coil.) Car will crank until the battery dies. Pull out, car starts.

 

There are no movies worth going out to see...

 

Don't do that. I'm serious. If it's not stolen then it's door dings or scratches, etc... Public parking is no place for a nice classic car.

I never take my car to a restaurant, or movies, or Walmart. It doesn't belong there.
And HELL TO THE NO for hotels. That's why I'll never go to a car gathering out of town.

 

Regarding convenient disabling switches, the best kind are hidden in plain sight, not the ones you try to conceal that can be easily found. Use a switch to enable a latching relay that closes a necessary circuit. The relay will fall open when you shut off the key switch.

If your car doesn't have cruise control then install a cruise control stalk and use the cruise button to enable a latching relay. Or fog light button, defrost button, overhead light switch. Some button that is native to the vehicle that nobody would really think of using for a different purpose.

And then you can also rig in secondary protection on top of the disabling switch, like having to press both clutch pedal and brake pedal at same time. Well, I guess that's a stupid idea, that's how I always start my car so it can't roll. But you can think of something better. The point is do something that's not noticeable, and avoid doing something obvious like reaching under the seat.

 

I was never going to share this...

But none of you guys have anyway to know which Third-Gens I have built for my Customers.

The original Cruise Control System no longer works...

So I use the Cruise Control Switch on the Multi-Function Lever as a hidden in plain sight "Theft Deterrent Switch".

I use a different System as a Safety "Kill Switch" that is approved by NHRA.

 

My cruise control is not functional and I would like to use it as an anti-theft switch like you described.

Where should I tap into the wires leading to the cruise control switch, and what wire color am I looking for?

I have a 1992 Camaro btw. Thanks.

 

91-92 Camaro's should have one Steering Column Connector with 5 Wires for the Wiper Motor: White, Grey, Green, Purple, and Pink.

Then a bunch of empty spaces for Terminals... Then 4 More Wires: Grey with Black Tracer, Blue, Grey, and Pink with Black Tracer.

The Grey Wire normally goes to the Brake Switch.
Cut it so it does not connect to the Brake Switch and use it as a positive Relay Trigger.

 

Been thinking about a kill switch here recently and gonna need to take the steering column apart again in the future, that seems it would be a good time to do this.
vorteciroc, is the wiring different with cruise control on the Firebirds?
The multi function lever has power coming from the GAUGES 10 amp fuse, is this sufficient?
What size relay would you recommend?

 

That is a Pink with a Black Tracer Wire.

If you use that wire to trigger a relay for the ignition...
The Relay will be triggered on anytime that Fuse has power.

Not a good plan.

I don't know what a 1991 Cruise Switch Connector looks like on a Firebird for certain, if it is not in the same connector as the Wiper wiring... then I don't recall.
Sorry.

 

Following the small Grey Wire (18AWG not the 14AWG) to the Brake pedal switch or clutch switch for disengaging cruise control...
Cut that wire at the disengaging switch and use it to trigger the relay.

Now the "ON" Position of the cruise switch will trigger the relay for the Ignition.

 

I finally got time to work on the car today. Tapping into the gray wire worked perfectly. Thanks for the help!

 

Change the car over from automatic to manual transmission.

 

best anti-theft there is right now, haha.

 

Using the cruise control switch, would this be considered positive logic since it requires the CC switch to move from N/O contact to a closed contact?
vorteciroc would you be able to provide a drawing?

 

Using a Normally Open Relay...

Use this Grey Wire as the Positive side (trigger) of the Relay Coil.
The other side of the Coil can be permanently Grounded.

Then pass your 12AWG Pink Ignition Wire through the Relay.

The Cruise Switch in the "OFF" Position prevents the Ignition Circuit from passing to your Engine Ignition coil/ Coils.
The "ON" Position will allow the Ignition Circuit to pass, and Ignition will occur.

I also like to use a Brake Pedal Switch as a secondary Theft Deterrent/ Relay Interrupt for the Cranking Circuit.

Now you have a 2-Step Theft Deterrent System.

Foot on the Brake to Crank the Starter Motor.
Cruise Switch "ON" for the Ignition to Operate.

 

In an effort to have a better understanding for myself, I am what my daughter the teacher calls a hands on /visual learner, and maybe help someone later I came up with a rudimentary drawing using a 4 pin 12 volt relay. Does this look ok, if not what needs to be changed?
What size relay would you suggest, 30-40 amp relay?
What size fuse should be used to protect the relay?

*drawing removed for revision*

 

Power into the Relay comes from the Ignition Switch.

Power Out of the Relay will go to your Ignition Coil/ Relays for Multiple Coils.

Fusing depends on the ignition system you are using.

A 10AWG Wire to a single Ignition Coil is fine with 30A of protection.

 

In my case I’m using a factory ignition setup.

 

In the Car, Locate the 12/10 AWG Pink Ignition Wire from the Ignition Switch.

Interrupt this Circuit with the Relay and fuse.

Trigger the Relay as we already discussed.

 

Cruise control kill switch Rev. 2

 

Really ?

So, a "kill switch" system ( on a fuel-injected car ) that simultaneously interrupts power to the Fuel Pump, Starter Solenoid, and ECM Power Input would not protect you from a "conventional car thief" ?

As for a "flatbed jockey" ( dragging the car up on a flatbed ), a hidden GPS tracker could "ruin his day", especially the kind that sends an alert to your cellphone, if the car moves ! He had better pray that the cops find him, before I do !

 

Most Vehicles prior to something like VATS...

Are going to use a Cordless-Drill and a Large Flat-Head Screwdriver.
Drill-Out the Lock-Cylinder and shove the Screwdriver in and turn the Lock-Cylinder.

If they did that with the 2 Bypass Circuits that I use...
They would first have to figure out which Circuits are not functioning.

If they somehow did...
They would have to have brought a bunch of 10AWG Wire with them...
Open the hood and run Wire from the Battery to the Ignition Coil and to the Starter Motor Solenoid.

Hopefully after all that Drilling, and Finding things under the hood to jump with Wires, they would get caught.

The only way that an EFI Engine is not going to start and run is by interrupting the signal for Injector Pulse.

This is actually the 3rd "Kill Switch Circuit" that I implement and was never going to discuss.

 

(1) No power to the Fuel Pump.
(2) No power to the Starter Solenoid.
(3) No power to Fuel Injectors.
(4) Keyed Hood Locks. https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pr...uct=3038%2D002

 

Not "Power" to Injectors... That is Easy.

I'm talking about the "Pulse"... It a Variable Frequency that Fires the Injectors.
Applying Power to the Injectors, does not work.

Think of applying power directly to something that requires a PWM Signal to operate...
It is NOT going to work.

 

Are you referring to this ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFRQ7aUWZsU

 

No.


Again, that is Injector Power.

The Injectors are controlled/ pulsed on the Negative side of the Circuit.
But you don't put a relay on the Negative Sides of the Injectors either... that won't work.

Just read up on GM Security Systems and Injector Pulse.
You'll understand it no problem.

 

We have a simple product which includes a relay and a button which interrupts the purple wire that goes to the starter. When someone tries to start the car it acts like a low battery. The button can go anywhere you can put a hole and the relay would mount near the shifter on an automatic or under the dash on a manual. Below is a link to the product and a Youtube video we made showing how it works.


Product page:
1982-92 Camaro/Firebird Starter Disable Device (screamingchicken.com)

 

Can your system be wired up so that the light on the switch does not come on, but everything else functions normally ?

I like "Stealth" !

 

Yes, that would also make an easier install with 2 less wires to connect. The light on the switch won't affect the function of the switch.

 

Which two wires are involved ?

Perhaps, you could also sell a verion without an illuminated switch ?

 

The button has 4 wires on it, 2 of those are for the button to light up. Those are the two wires that wouldn't be used. Let me know after you order and I can eliminate them if you want. That button is only available from the manufacturer with a light.

 

I always thought killswitches were kinda like this;

 

Nah that's ONLY a rule if you have to worry about your alternate Personality finding out that you have an alternate Personality.