Request for a tutorial on this DIY Immobilizer...

[MakDiesel]

**This may be a repost but I still have a request about it**

Most of us on here don't drive the type of cars that are "desirable" (I said most) to common car thieves or simple joyriders but theft of a vehicle is something I cannot tolerate. As my '89 CRX HF-Z1 project of the last 2 years is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, I can only imagine the outright fury of rage I would experience if one day I walk out from school/work/the Wendy's bathroom to find my multicolored and VTEC-E swapped baby princess gone w/ nothing but a small puddle of coolant left (I need to fix that soon) to remind me I should have done more to stop the inevitable; Idiots will steal cars that are worth the time and effort to steal. If it takes 30 sec. to pop the lock, jam the ignition and go then even a rusty Yugo is worth a shot. In comes my request; Some of us have seen the link below detailing a DIY Immobilizer but I have yet to see a detailed step by step tutorial w/ pics and material list (I need part #'s people!) Anyway, my skills (and this site in particular) have helped me install a '92-95 VX engine in my '89 CRX in which I performed 90% of the wiring myself but I cannot for the life of me read a schematic . I'm a visual learner, but a step 1,2,3,4....86 kind of guy. Will/has someone done this mod and can you please post it up in the DIY section w/ instructions written for beginners who can splice, solder, crimp and follow directions? My FrankenRex and I will thank you , Mak

DIY Immobilizer from ClubCivic.com

[Fourthbean]

I would be interested in an immobilizer for my car also. But it is probably just as easy to start from the engine compartment that it is to jam the ignition...

What wires on a basic ignition system are used to start a car? I guess there is the circuit for allowing the car to spark and then a circuit to complete for the starter to turn.

I should probably just go google this, but I am feeling very lazy today.

[MakDiesel]

no takers? A couple more weeks and the RexVex will be able to roll (on tires no less!) for the first time in 2 years. Once she runs under her own power, the immobilizer needs to go in. I'm not saying I won't try by using the link, but I'd like a better understanding of what goes where before I run into some inevitable time-consuming setback (corroded rear trailing arm bushings anyone?!) Mak

P.S. As addressed by Fourthbean, how would one also deter a thief from jacking your car if he/she were to get the hood open? With the immobilizer I want to install, the fuel pump is ALWAYS cut off until the reed switch is activated, so that would be enough for 9/10 of all attempts, right?

[skewbe]

The simplest thing to do is to hide/disguise a switch that will disable a necessary system. Be creative. I don't think anyone wants to spell out where they have hidden their security switches and how to bypass them

[DracoFelis]

Well, one option would be to just install the injector cutoff switch that some wanting to do "engine off coast" have talked about. Put the control wherever you like, but do NOT label it. Then just get in the habit of setting the switch to "off" after you stop the car.

Sure, it's total "security through obscurity" (and not even as obscure as some designs), but it is an extra hoop any potential car thief would have to jump through. And doing things this way, you get a "2 for 1". i.e. you get a useful extra control for your vehicle (the "kill switch" that makes EOC easier/safer), and a crude "immobilizer" as a bonus.

NOTE:
If you really want an "obscure" way to make an extra hoop for car thieves, the suggestion I read somewhere of hiding all the controls, and then activating the system via a strong (rare earth) magnet (that you have hidden, perhaps on your keychain) seemed to make a lot of sense to me. The idea with that "immobilizer", was that the "on switch" was really a magnetically controlled switch, so putting a strong magnet on a key spot on the dash (near the magnetic switch) allowed the car to turn on. And since you can hide strong magnets in other items, it can be less obvious what you have (and what you are doing), than just flipping an exposed switch...

[MakDiesel]

Originally Posted by DracoFelis

NOTE:
If you really want an "obscure" way to make an extra hoop for car thieves, the suggestion I read somewhere of hiding all the controls, and then activating the system via a strong (rare earth) magnet (that you have hidden, perhaps on your keychain) seemed to make a lot of sense to me.

The link in my first post is exactly that, a magnet operated switch, hidden in an empty key fob.

Another 'interesting' idea I had planned was to hide all needed switches to start/run the car under the dash somewhere but keep one big red pushbutton (w/ a clear cover so not to accidentally hit it) with the word 'start' above it but have it run to a concealed high-db air horn that when pressed continues to blare for 5 minutes straight. Inside that little car you either go def or crap yourself from the surprise, or both. Can you tell I hate theft?

[Bill in Houston]

If your Mom or Grandma ever drives your car, I know exactly which button she will push. :-)

Cool ideas as far as magnets and hidden switches. I thought it would be cool to "hide" the kill switch as the fog lights or some other switch in plain view on the dash. Of course, if you really had fog lights...

[mrmad]

Since my 90 HF was stolen a few months back, I put a kill switch in the car, cutting power to the ECU. I think a thief could find the switch if they looked hard enough, but at least they will have to look. PM me if you want details as to which wires I tapped on the ECU and where the switch is.

Also see this great security article on Team-Integra.net. It's written mainly for 3rd generation Integras, but most of it would be applicable to a Civic/CRX.

http://www.team-integra.net/forum/di...PagePosition=1

[MakDiesel]

I will definitely be rerouting the hood cable because it's easy insurance and if no one steps up to illustrate what I'm trying to do w/ the magnet/immobilizer, I'll just run two rockers to ECU and fuel pump. Thanks for the link Mrmad. Mak

[Gary Palmer]

Mak: Whatever you do, it's going to be more protected than if you didn't have anything done. If I get to a point where I have the time to do something more than what I already have, I would be happy to do a step by step along with the picture's.

My dilemma has been to many projects and not enough time or money.

My 89 Wagon has been sitting, waiting for me to get it back up and running. It had the screw holding the rotor, inside the distributor, come out. When it came out, it did something to the distributor electronics, I think. In turn, the electronics from the distributor did something to my ecu. However, in parallel, I think I may have a bad fuel pump, because I'm not getting any pressure, their. Unfortunately the fuel pump is wired so t hat it has a switch to shut it off, so I could do EOC. I have the dash all torn apart, because I was trying to run down wires, to try to figure out what in the world was wrong, or what I had done wrong.

I haven't had time to get back to it, so I've been driving other vehicles which we own, so that isn't an issue, but getting the mileage out of my Honda, really makes putting gas into something less effective, very exasperating.

I haven't previously worried to much about any sort of security, but after hearing about the frustration and pain that having a car stolen, causes, I am planning to implement something like this, in the future.

My feeling is that a switch for the fuel pump would eliminate 9/10 or better efforts to steal the car, just because it would take time for someone to run down the possibilities and that means exposure to people who are curious or so forth. I suspect a second switch probably it substantially higher, because now, even if they bypass one, they have to figure out that their are two and they have to figure out which two they are.

I do think the magnetic/reed switch offers even a higher level of protection, largely because someone wouldn't even be able to easily figure out that you had it.

When I get the time, I will probably add this implementation, and if I do, I would be glad to do a step by step, if anyone is still interested.