i hope this is the correct forum for this thread.

does anybody know how much current the solenoid wire (for the starter) draws? i know the "ignition" fuse is 50amps, is that how much the starter (well less) draws? since my g/f's car got broke into last week, i'm thinking about making a kill switch (i don't really want to go the fuel pump route), and i have a few ideas. or does anybody here have a schematic that i can look at, to see what goes thru the "ignition" fuse?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9608276@N05/1471695817<-- pried out ignition switch

when they broke into the car, we were wondering what happened (ie, maybe somebody starteled them or what). anyway, after i got everything back together, it wouldn't start, and after everything was said and done, they had blown the "ignition" fuse (which i overlooked) under the hood (lucky for us). i think they blew it when they pried the ignition switch out, and it grounded out on the steering wheel tilt lock handle (link above). they actually broke into 6 other vehicles,had 1 attempted auto theft (our car), and 1 auto theft (95civic) overnight.

so, what i'm thinking about doing, is removing the ignition fuse, and moving it elsewhere (or put a kill switch for it somewhere). i also, want to put in a momentary switch, that you would have to depress while trying to start the car. anyway, i'm just trying to get some ideas,make it look clean, and inconspicuous. right now i don't have alot of money (due to not working), so i have more time (so to speak), than i do money. maybe down the road, i'll get a burglar alarm, but until then, i want to make it a pain in the butt for them to steal our vehicles.

a few years back i went with a friend down to the valley (border towns by mexico), and his mom's car had a fuse or something (it looked like an "ATO" fuse), that you had to put intothe connector before it would start. that was pretty cool, but i've never seen them around here where i'm at.

anyway, i'm just trying to run some ideas in my head. i know there are several things i can do to go about this (ie, fuel pump, ignition switch, starter solenoid, dist. power, etc.) thx, sos

 

Just make sure your wiring is not smaller than the starter solenoid wire and use a 30A fuse if you go that route.

These guys were amatures, anyone better would have pulled the car up onto a trailer and no matter what you do, the car will still be gone, but at least you can keep the riff raff from stealing it again.

 

well, i know we were lucky, i didn't notice the fuse until the 2nd day of me trying to work on that crap (not all at 1 time, more like off and on, and talking to mechanic friends, etc.). anyway, i did find a couple of things the police took as evidence, hopefully something will come out of it. somebody also broke into the office of our apartments the following night, so i'm hoping it's the same individual??!! anyway, i'm more worried about my car as it's in alot better shape than hers, although hershas a vtec motor. whatever i decide to do, will be done on both, i just have to hide it.

also, if they tried to trailer it, i'm sure somebody would have seen it (as we are in the very front of the complex), but you never know.

 

i would not recommend a starter kill switch. having a break in the starter/ignition wire in the steering column actually makes it EAISER it hotwire your car, for two reasons. One, the wire is aready cut, and its easy to simply short the relay to keep it open, and two, it makes it easier to identify which wires are the starter and ignition wires.

The most secure route would be the fuel pump. It is MUCH eaiser and safer to install than working with the thick, high current wires in the ignition harness. I have the same car as you (a 96, but theres virtually no difference) and I Installed a fuel pump kill switch. It was a breeze...
simply pop off the plastic piece covering the door sill on the passenger side, then pop off the plastic piece in front of the door sill (looks kinda like a triange.. next to where the passenger puts their feet). theres a bundle of wires running through there, simply cut off a portion of the elctrical tape surrounding them and splice the relay into the black/yellow wire in the bundle (thats the fuel pump). Theres TONS of room in that area to mount a relay, or switch, or basically anything you want. theres also a couple of empty screw holes that you can use to hold the relay in place or clean up with a wire brush and put a ground there.

Under the glove box above that area is also an excellent spot for the switch itself.


If you insist on tapping into the ignition or starter, (or using that momentary switch... i like that idea) tap into the starter wires that run under the hood, not the wires under the steering column. Its MUCH more discreet and really stops a theif in his tracks. A moderate knowledge of electrical systems and knowing how to use a multimeter are really all you need to do this. However with the high current flow through the multi-meter, your guna need some heavy duty wire and a heavy duty relay.

 

If you plan to do the momentary button, why not remove the start function from the key altogether? Mount the button to the side of the driver seat or underneath where you could reach it and make the button a starter button. Below is a link to a DIY to make the EP3 SI have a starter button from an S2000. This may be a good place to start finding info.

http://www.ephatch.com/resource/s2000/s2000.htm

 

i wouldnt recommend that, because then all they have to do is short the key sensor + ignition, then press the button. (although pushbutton starts are the shiznit, their not very secure, especially when their not factory installed)

I would say fuel pump kill switch + the momentary button that you have to press to start the engine.

theres a good writup here on how to really secure your car too:
http://honda-tech.com/zerothread/1794938

 

my point is that if they don't know that there is a start button, they may not be able to start the car. The ignition would look normal, but couldn't send power to the starter. With so much effort, why not get Lowjack?

 

lowjack is good, but they could drive the car away and have it chopped up in pieces before you even get a chance to track it.
plus its expensive. if you have time and not a lot of money ( like me ) i would go the former route.
but if you have money and not a lot of time, go with lojack.

 

I agree with the fuel pump kill switch. I've seen them done with push to lock, keyed switches with round keys like vending machines.

 

.i have done 2 on my kids cars 96 integra, 98 civ ex,, you need to locate the wire ( wiring harness ) from the main relay to fuel pump, ,, remove some plastic moldings , cur the wiring and install a toggle switch, run the wires below the carpet and install the switch in a place where no one would think of looking for it ,, It will be as nothing was ever done ,,everything will be hidden and out of the way .