hi I have a question regarding wiring in a kill switch on my 1953 chevy. i have seen kits to do this but also videos of people simply cutting the battery wire of the distributior inside the cab of the the vehicle and running the two cut ends via suitable lengths of extra wire to a toggle switch mounted somewhere inside the vehicle. just wanted to get peoples feedback on doing it either way. I want to make sure its done safely and im not gonna have a fire hazard on my hands.
Is this to shut the car off when it’s running or to make it hard to steal? if just looking to make it hard to steal you can cut the distributor wire, extend it with an appropriate gauge of wire and add a hidden switch.
I can see what you describe as one way. What is the other way? The under dash switch is easy to access. For you and others. Any suitable gauge wire will do. The trick is hiding or disguising it
Many Years ago my dad put a push button monetarily switch inside the cigarette lighter. You would push the cig lighter in and that would push and close the switch and make a circuit to the coil. When done driving you'd just pull the cig lighter back out to its normal position and the switch would open and no coil fire. Worked slick and all he had to do is drill a hole into the end of the cig lighter receptacle and mount the switch thru it. Of course back then about every car had a cigarette lighter..... ..
If someone was intent on stealing your car, they would find an easy workaround to just switching your distributer wire. Why don't you just use a "kill switch" that is intended for the battery itself? There is chatter on both sides of which pole to use. Either works, but switching the negative seems the more practical. It all works (using the proper gauge wire & terminals...and don't forget the amp rating of the switch, itself!) depending on your level of protection.
The switch I installed is in the starter wire from the ignition switch. That way the car doesn't even turn over. My switch is within easy reach, but not visible. No matter how you do it, whether it's to keep the car from being started, or to shut the car off, all you need is a good toggle switch. No need to pay good money for a kit. One of my cars has a 3 way toggle switch. Center position, no power to the starter. Flip it to one side, the circuit to the starter is restored and car will start with the key, flip it to the other side and a red LED flashes, but still no power to starter. People thinks it has an alarm. That switch is out of view also, but easy to reach.
You can kill a number of different ways. Main battery disconnect. Starter circuit. Ignition circuit, + or -. Fuel pump circuit (will run off gas in carb, then die). This can also be combined. However, this is as mentioned to stop the amateur or joy rider, not the scumbag who wants YOUR car. In that case, you need to add layers of protection between them and the car, layers between the car and the escape route, and finally tracking if they did get to it and get it out.
The best you can do is prevent easy access. If a thief wants it the will get it, however a few seconds could be enough. I've had both starter and ignition disconnects. The last time someone tried to steal my 59 ElCamino, they had the ignition switch out of the dash, but never found my switches. Luck goes so far, but 3 attempts and no succes is pretty lucky.
Apple tag pings off of nearby phones to give an approx location. it works with both android and Apple phones or laptops via "Find my" app. It's just a quarter sized nugget you hide in a hard to reach place. Hide Because it can be made to make a noise if it's found. You want to be able to get to it to change the battery about every two years. It lets you know when the battery will be dead. it I had a toy trailer I would def hide o e in the frame tube or something. And if you are worried about being tracked with this little thing. You do realize anywhere you are using internet. You are already being tracked. This just a back up your vehicles. kill switch is also just a back up. Put a chain on the hood too. Keep it behind a gate. So on and so on. that gps tag sounds fancy and junk and techy cool. I like the locking brakes. Apple tag 20.00 put on your phone find items list and done.
Definitely this, If someone wants the car bad enough they will take it whatever. I had a friend who was sat in his lounge watching TV, guys literally pulled up outside his house and dragged his car onto a truck and drove away with it never to be seen again, all in broad daylight. He only found out when he came out to go to he shops. Best you can do is have good insurance and give yourself the best chance of tracking the vehicle.
Im confused! This switch to earth: doesn't this create a dead short with all the problems this entails? I can see it preventing starting by jumping but if it is inadvertently left in the switched position and cranked, what happens? Chris
I had a reed switch (operated by a magnet), mounted behind a plastic part on the dash (A blank area where the factory tacho would have been.). This switched the power to a relay coil which in turn switched the starter solenoid. The operating magnet was a "dashboard saint" my Grandma had given me when I got my first car. When the Saint is in the right position (partially over the reed switch and the edge of the metal backing), I could start the car. I would just slide it over an inch when I parked it.
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