DIY Car Immobiliser system ???

Hi, was wondering if anyone is aware of or has practically tried
making a car immobiliser system in their backyard. I've heard of a
simple switch operated system, in a well concealed location around the
driving seat, that cuts off the current to the ignition when its in an
OFF state.

Off-the-shelf car immobiliser systems are relatively far too expensive
and just wanted to find out if someone's tried this (or a similar)
simple idea before?

I have a Vauxhall Astra Saloon 1993 (Petrol).

Regards

 

Connect a wire from the earthy side of your coil, through a switch, to an
earth point on the car. Hide the switch, or use a key-switch you can get
from Halfords.

Make sure you use the earthy side of the coil, when you close the switch it
supresses the spark. Don't attempt this with electronic ignition circuits.
That's what I use to do with my old ford, it worked for me YMMV

 

A better bet is to discourage the thieves from even trying with a large
steering wheel lock, the disc type is best. cheap immobilisers are on ebay,
but thieves of old cars won't be put off by that, this was proved to me a
few months ago, the car was still there but wrecked around the steering
column. I have never had an attempted theft on any of my vehicles with
steering locks on, but at least four on vehicles without.

mrcheerful

 

My preferred antitheft technique is something like this:

http://www.mico.com/literature/blocks.php3

Stomp on brake pedal, flick switch, all 4 wheels locked
rather positively!

 

He's already done that - he's got an Astra Saloon

 

LOL

Though it does in fact pose the problem that thieves know how easy it is to
nick an Astra so will give it a go anyway ... Fitting a hidden
switch/immobiliser isnt going to stop em breaking the doorlocks or smashing
a window to have a go at starting it. A more visible deterrent would be a
much better option.. Ie a steering/gearlever lock etc ..

A slightly bloodstained card on the dashboard with an appointment time
written on it for the local communicable disease clinic can deter the wary
too .. (well at least those who can read)

 

Not in my trousers () gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying :

I'd have thought it preferable to *encourage* 'em to nick it...

Indeed. All you're going to have is a wrecked, useless car parked outside
instead of there being no car.

Same outcome, just you get the hassle/expense of disposing of it.

 

<uk.rec.cars.maintenance , kaka_uet , >
<>

How about splicing the starter motor wire to a hidden switch .

They would get the ignition and no power to the starter .

I reckon most neds would be too lazy to push it - assuming there was
more than one .


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Any chance of getting my hands on a rough sketch/drawing ??? Am
pretty much of a novice when it comes to car maintenance, but am an
aspiring young lad

If getting a sketch won't be possible, would appreciate it if you can
point out which one would be the earthy side of the Ignition Coil
Cable? (I presume the Ignition Coil Cable is the connector between
the Distributor [where leads from all the spark plugs are brought in]
and the point X [don't know what this is ... but thats where the other
end of the Ignition Coil Cable goes])

Regards

 

Yes I'd agree with you but for that you are looking at spending around 80 quid.

Regards

 

Have a look here

http://www.kronjaeger.com/hv/hv/src/ign/

In the fist diagram, the earthy side is where the switch circuits connects
to on the primary coil. Do not touch the secondary which is the thick cable
going to the distributor.

If you pull the earthy side of the coil to earth, it can't generate a spark
when its switched. You can probably tell which is which with an AVO or a
tourch bulb. The one that lights up when you connect the bulb between the
car body and terminal is the live side (engine and ignition off for this)

 

The high currents would probably burn the switch out. The current is of the
order of 100Amps

 

Martin () gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying :

The switching current between leading from key to solenoid isn't anywhere
near that - switching the big wire from battery to starter would just be
silly.

 

the point is that the car is likely to be left alone , the steering lock
will easily transfer to your next vehicle too. eigthy quid is b all
compared to the cost of a broken window, smashed ign switch and cowlings,
which is the minimum a thief will do before discovering that there is an
immobiliser.

 

The best option, as mentioned before, is to have a visible deterrent such as
a steering lock... however ...

The cheapest option by far, (and just as effective as an immobiliser in my
view), is to have a nice bright sticker in the window saying "IMMOBILISER
FITTED". If a thief is going to have a go at nicking your car, he is going
to do the damage anyway so its irrelevent wether it really has an
immobiliser anyway. The key word is 'deterrent', you dont even want him to
'have a go' in the first place!

 

They don't take any notice of stickers. The last vehicle of mine to have an
attempt at theft was a non running sierra. It had immobiliser stickers, a
visible place for the immobiliser fob with a flashing light next to it.
They got in using a key, smashed the covers off and cut the wires to the ign
switch, damaged the steering lock, but of course found that the immobiliser
prevented anything from happening (it could not run even with the
immobiliser key in as the engine is borked) They then went away. If I had
had a nice big disclock on, then I am sure they would not have bothered to
even get in. My other cars, even my old metro have a disclock or stoplock
pro on them, none of those are touched no matter where they are left.
A loud alarm system can be a deterrent, but it will usually only go off once
damage has been done, wheras a visible physical deterrent avoids even that
damage.
Leaving a dog in the car does not work either as my relative found out, when
his car was left while he went into a shop, he returned to find the dog
being dragged away and a pykie asking him for 500 pounds or the dog would be
killed, while he watched. he eventually paid 300 pounds and got the dog
back. (rural Kent, within the last year)

mrcheerful (not a believer in immobilisers on older cars)

 

]]>
]> >
]> > the point is that the car is likely to be left alone , the steering lock
]> > will easily transfer to your next vehicle too. eigthy quid is b all
]> > compared to the cost of a broken window, smashed ign switch and
]cowlings,
]> > which is the minimum a thief will do before discovering that there is an
]> > immobiliser.
]> >
]> >
]>
]> The best option, as mentioned before, is to have a visible deterrent such
]as
]> a steering lock... however ...
]>
]> The cheapest option by far, (and just as effective as an immobiliser in my
]> view), is to have a nice bright sticker in the window saying "IMMOBILISER
]> FITTED". If a thief is going to have a go at nicking your car, he is
]going
]> to do the damage anyway so its irrelevent wether it really has an
]> immobiliser anyway. The key word is 'deterrent', you dont even want him to
]> 'have a go' in the first place!
]>
]>

]They don't take any notice of stickers. The last vehicle of mine to have an
]attempt at theft was a non running sierra. It had immobiliser stickers, a
]visible place for the immobiliser fob with a flashing light next to it.
]They got in using a key, smashed the covers off and cut the wires to the ign
]switch, damaged the steering lock, but of course found that the immobiliser
]prevented anything from happening (it could not run even with the
]immobiliser key in as the engine is borked) They then went away. If I had
]had a nice big disclock on, then I am sure they would not have bothered to
]even get in. My other cars, even my old metro have a disclock or stoplock

Bolt cutters to cut off the stearing wheel, and griplocks to steer the car
with.

 

Have you actually seen a disclock or ever cut off a steering wheel??

mrcheerful