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I have just managed to restart my engine after disconnecting everything to strip my donor.
So before I tidy up my wiring, now seems a good time to fit a simple engine immobiliser into the loom.
So far, the ones I've seen for sale seem to have a lot of extras i don't need.
( Remote door locking, electric window controls, boot release, etc. )
Therefore I'd be grateful for any suggestions for a simple car alarm / engine immobiliser system.
Although I could fit an all singing & dancing alarm with extra features disconnected if I had to.
if you are locating the battery in the rear just fit a hidden master switch to cut off all power coming to the front. With coil ignition and mechanical fuel pump set ups immobilizers can be by-passed too easily with a wire from the battery. A fuel tap in the fuel line is effective too if hidden.!!! Or do as Mr Bean did take the steering wheel off. Lol.
another quick and easy option is to put a hidden switch in the 12v feed to the coil. I did this with a key-switch for a bit of added security and hid it in the top of the side pocket I built in.
If the switch is off, the engine turns over but just doesn't fire. Prospective thieves will just think the car is old and difficult to start!
I am considering the cyclone V2 motorcycle alarms sells on the well known auction site.
They can immobilise a 20A circuit so should handle the job.
Can be fitted with stop start button too.
Pops
I fitted a modern immobiliser that came with a receiver loop and a couple of key-fob transponders. (about £30 from ebay). You have to put the fob transponder within 5cm of the (hidden) loop to disarm the system, and it automatically arms 30 seconds after the ingnition is switched off. I've connected it up to isolate the headlights as well as the ignition so I won't come back to a flat battery if someone messes with the light switch while it's parked up.
As for an alarm, I've got a siren linked to some hidden pressure pads with a key switch to arm and disarm it all, while a hidden tracker relays its location, speed and direction to my laptop via Google maps, and will send a text to my mobile phone if it moves when I'm not in it.
Although I'm fairly confident I've done all I can to ensure nobody steals it or that I can send my colleagues to recover it if it does go, I do worry that I've introduced so much modern wiring into the old loom it'll spontaneously burst into flames when it's all switched on together.
One problem with an all singing and dancing alarm is they do consume power. On a car that is not used every day, and possibly running a dynamo that can lead to blat flattery, poor starting or reduced battery life. I had all these problems on my Morris for over 10 years. Disconnected the alarm last year, and all those probs have gone.
I would go for the hidden switch to the coil. Cheap and effective. Oh yes a good steering wheel lock too.
N
