ok guys well i am doin my engine swap and i need to wire my fuel pump to run without the computer so i cut the tan and white wire under the carpet in the back and i am running a wire from it to mmy fuse panel and i figured hell i'll put a switch in so wehn i go somewhere i can flip the switch and no1 can steal it. well my question is, where should i put this switch at so its hatrd to find but yet easy for my to sit in my car and flip it?? i was thinkin maybe in my ashtray sumtin but i dunno wut do u gusy think? thanks

 

I did this on my car, i have a key lock switch from a computer case under the gas flap on the back of the car. I just wired it inline with the pump. Try to put it outside the car somewhere.

btw i did this after my car was stolen last year, and i was lucky enough to get it back with minor damage.

 

i dont like the ashtray. If I were you, I'd put a lil push button toggle switch on the inside of the roof, under the headliner, so its covered. Just remember where is it. Easy to open/close (just push with 1 finger), and who would find it? What do you think?


Who cares what you think - I like it!!

 

Put a little key switch in the center console.
Or better yet, use one of the stock buttons on the dash, for example, the fog light switch.

 

I like the push button toggle under the headliner idea.
It's inconspicuous and I don't think anyone would ever look under a headliner for a switch.
I know i wouldn't.

 

Yeah, both Zepher's and Buck's ideas sound really good.
I'll probably put my switch (which will be just a regular toggle) either under my seat, or deep under my dash.

 

i remember a few years ago, i read an article in a magazine (wish i could give you more info on what one.....) where the toggle switch was the cigarette lighter. you just push in the lighter to close the connection and start your car. pull it out to open the connection and make it unmovable.

if you dont smoke, and have no excessories that would use the lighter, id go that rout. or the switch in the headliner, that sounds really nice and hard to find too

jon

 

I like the foglight idea if you don't use them. I wired my tach light up to it.

 

Just don't start your headliner on fire. Your insurance company will laugh you out of their claims office if you try to file a claim for your fire-ravaged vehicle after making a modification like that.

Wherever you place the switch, you need to remember that the wiring needs to be at least AWG12 to handle current of the fuel pump at 20A. You also need to install a switch that is rated for 20A continuous load at the correct voltage. A computer key switch is almost certainly too lightweight for that kind of duty, and may heat to dangerous levels. A tiny push-push switch is likely to be rated at only ½ amp continuous. Just be careful about rewiring the pump circuit, and select the right components, and it should be fine. To test the theory, replace the 20A fuel pump fuse with a 5A fuse and see how long it runs...

 

ok so i need a 20A fuse? and for the switch wut do the rating hjave to be? like how many volts and stuff. i have a red toggle switch that glows red and it says on the package max amperage-20A would sumtinliek this be fine

 

After you do it, dont tell anyone you have one, and dont tell them where its at either. Kinda ruins the purpose, IMO. Its nice when the car starts, dies, and doesnt restart again. If you do it right, you can make the fuel gauge read empty too so they think its out of gas

 

Id like to know how to do the fuel gauge thing...more details please??

 

If someone really wanted your car, all they'd need would be a tow truck or a flat-bed with a winch.

 

You could do what I did. Similar to the switch idea, but instead of a switch I fitted a headphone socket into the dash. The 1/4 inch kind. Wired it up the same as a switch, and then got a headphone plug and bridged the negative and positive wires together (keeping them short).

In effect, the plug completes the circuit. No-one will think twice about a small round socket in the dash, but the car won't run without the plug, which is nestled safely on my keyring, on the end of a chain.

Just an alternative

Si

 

ne1 think of cutting the reference pulse from the disty.? That will cut the engine for sure if the computer doesnt know its cranking. Thats what i was thinking of doing. Puting a small hidden switch that i can flip in case im parked in a bad area taht cuts the reference pulse. I kinda like it because one can still hear the fp priming so it will throw semi-experieced theives off.

 

Another idea would to do what a friend of mine did with his Corvette, he installed a hidden magnetic switch in his center console and when he wanted to protect the car he just passed a little superstrong magnet over the switch in a special direction that would disconnect it.

 

wired it to the starter so that when its off my key turns on the accessories, but car wont turn over.. mwahahahaha


edit: this is my 100th post!!! yeah!

 

Why not just wire up a relay instead of having all that juice going through the one switch where it could cause problems? Then you could probably use a small push button, right?

 

Why not just use the neutral safety switch wires. That way you don't have all that current running through it all the time like on a fuel pump. And those cheap *** toggle switches like to melt up real quick with any amount of decent voltage/amperage going through them for any amount of time.

Brad...

 

Now you're thinking. There are a lot of effective ways to install a kill switch other than to interrupt the fuel pump circuit. A relay would work, as long as it interrupts all power to the fuel pump. I.E., make sure the relay isn't bypassed by the auxilliary oil pressure switch - like in the factory wiring scheme.

The distributor pulse idea would work well, as well as any primary ignition circuit (higher current again), injector circuit, cranking circuit, or critical ECM circuits.

The headphone jack is quite clever. If I'm ever in Nottinham I'll be certain to have a foil gum wrapper with me when hunting maroon Camaros... The cigarette lighter idea is pretty cool, too. Those are just a couple of the endless posibilities.

 

You guys ever hear of reed switches? They're a normally-open switch, encased in glass. You can see the two "open" pieces of metal inside. When you bring a magnet near it, the magnet pulls the switch closed- similar to a relay, but without the built-in magnet. Take a reed switch, and use it to interrupt a circuit (like the neutral safety switch or the clutch switch). Hide the reed switch somewhere under the carpet under your seat. Take a small refrigerator magnet, and velcro it over the reed switch. Next time you park your car in a questionable neighborhood, take the magnet with you.

Something similar can be used for a car with shaved door handles. Hide the reed switch in the door window's outer belt weatherstrip. Put a magnet on your keychain, and when you want your driver's side door to pop open, slide the magnet over the hidden reed switch.

Oh, in fact, that's just what DartbyU was talking about.

 

si, could you draw up a schematic showing how you wired that plug? that is very clever. i'd like to know more about it.

if so, toss me an email at robertg@crusaderws6.com

 

Careful with those magnet switches. Just don't put them near the radio or ECM. I love the headliner idea

 

For your viewing pleasure. Sorry, I'm not much good at schematics. Gives you the idea though!

P.S. If anyone's reading this and thinking of nicking my car, this ain't the only security I have !

 

I'm putting my battery kill switch in my HORN betcha never thought of that.
I'm also doing a push button ignition.

 

No, but I did think of fitting a switched wire from the horn to the ignition. When active, the horn will sound when the ignition is on. Alarm for the tightwads!

Now how are you going about that one? If it's auto, like mine, won't that mean the car will turn over in drive, due to the linkage on the steering column?

 

my 71 camaro had a TH350 and a push button starter

 

If you wanted to get really sneaky, you could put a stripped down bathroom scale in your driver's seat, and rig it so that the circut is only closed when someone of your approximate weight is sitting there. Will also keep any family or friends from borrowing your baby.

 

That'd be great until you put some weight on! I can see the posts now...

"My car won't start on Christmas Day. It only happens after my Christmas dinner. WTF??"

 

As a sidenote to this post I would suggest the Anti-Theft kit that Grant sells if you have one of their wheels. I just installed mine today and I think it's one of the best ideas ever. Only a real professional is going to take the time to drag your car up onto a flat bed and steal it if it has no steering wheel.

I also want to add a kill switch for added insurance. Can someone explain how I could wire one into my neutral safety switch?? I think this might be my easiest option.
Also isn't there a way to wire one in easily if you have a MSD box?? I have a box that I will be installing in the near future and might put the switch there.

 

A 94 XR7 with the 302 and fully optioned that i test drove before i bought my bird had this nifty option in it.
I was in it, guy said to take it for a spin so i tried starting it (he had stayed in his office) and it wouldn't do anything.. after a bit i got out and the guy had been watching and came over to see me, told me to get back in the car and he got in as well..
on the dash there was this little circle and he told me to put his flat circle thinggy on the keychain on the circle when i put the key in it.. the circle on the dash looked very factory looking..
i did as he told me and the car started.. it was some anti-theift system.. i don't know if it was a ford option in cougars but i found it pretty nifty..
heavy car tho..

 

Well, I figure since noone has given any suggestions yet, I'd say somewhere right by the fuse panel. It's easy to reach but impossible to see. Try putting it in the recess of the dash so someone that's looking at the fuse box still wouldn't spot it immediately. They'd probably need a flashlight even during the day, too.

 

Has anyone seen the James Bond movie, From Russia With Love?
In particular, the trick briefcase? Here's my idea :

"Now pay attention 007. Turn the electric window switches 90 degrees before starting the car. If you don't, this CS gas canister will explode. In your face."

I expect there's a law about it though.

There's tons of places you could hide a switch. On the floor under the seat, in the glove compartment, the back of the steering wheel, the sun visor, the armrest on the door....

And there's nothing to stop you having more than one switch...

 

Yeah that would not be good. could you just imagine getting STUCK at the in-laws...

what about wiring a relay coil to the positive battery cable? when you push the button it engages a connecton to the battery until the circuit is broken (car turned off or dirvers door closed, etc.). no battery, no fuel or spark. you could locate the switch in just about any place you wanted. no one would have the faintest.

 

The only problem I can see there is you'd lose your radio's memory every day. Although having said that, a seperate wire to the batt would solve that problem.

 

I HIGHLY recommend the jet performance 6 chip combo, they include all different kinds of power or gas mileage chips, also, one of them prevents the car from being started