• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Ignition kill-switch..how to

Dvipercop

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Washington D.C.
I searched that exact phrase and came up with several people saying they've done it, but no one really explains how. Does anyone know of a write-up somewhere or just have some good info on where to start/what wires to look for? I just put in a fuel pump kill switch the other day, but I'm lost when it comes to the ignition. Any ideas?
 
EcksJay, thanks for the article. Unfortunately I'm not as advanced at wiring as that article needs for one to be. :) Is there any way to wire in a simple switch that would interrupt the wire to the starter maybe? Or has that already been thought of and tossed out due to simplicity? I can get by to an extent with eletrical work, but nearly as much as I'd like...
 
The YELLOW wire from the ignition switch to the starter relay in the PDC(fuse in engine bay) controls the starter.

Cut it, and inconspicuously* install a switch inline with the YELLOW wire.


*but publish some pics
;)
 
Last edited:
Dvipercop said:
EcksJay, thanks for the article. Unfortunately I'm not as advanced at wiring as that article needs for one to be. :) Is there any way to wire in a simple switch that would interrupt the wire to the starter maybe? Or has that already been thought of and tossed out due to simplicity? I can get by to an extent with eletrical work, but nearly as much as I'd like...

LOL, sorry about that. ;)

Like Lou said, yellow wire. I've seen some setups in the last few years that were pretty cool. One used a magnetic proximity switch that required a permanent magnet to be placed in close proximity to the switch in order to 'disarm' the system. Can't remember where I saw the write-up, but I'll keep looking. :) The switch was so small it could be placed pretty much anywhere that was hollow and thin enough for the magnet to trigger it.
 
Yellow wire huh? I'll get to it tomorrow when theres daylight (no garage to work in...if there was I don't think I'd ever sleep). Would putting a simple on/off switch spliced in work? If so, what kinda amps and volts am I looking at? Don't want anything to burn/blow up.
 
Well I went out this morning and poked around near the engine bay fuse box. I found 2 seperate yellow wires. :( One of them is slightly larger than the other. Now the question is how do I figure out which is which, short of following them both back to wherever they go? Both of them ran along inside the large wiring loom that runs parallel to the firewall from the fuse box.
 
I believe the thinner one belongs to the Transmission Control Unit.
It also exists in the dash -- goes to TCU and PWR/CMFRT switch.

Grab/slice bigger YELLOW next the steering column ???
 
If I were to splice into the thicker yellow wire just before it enters the firewall, should I use a smaller gauge (IE 12-14 instead of 16) wire to do it? That way I could somewhat make up for the slightly longer wire length? And what amp/volt load am I looking at? I dont wanna burn up the switch.
 
-the smaller guage makes sense, but probably not at all necessary.
-the ign/YEL is only supplying power to the coil of the starter relay--probably not more than 100mA(guessing).


And, Yes, to your next question. :D
 
Last edited:
So a 12volt/15amp switch should be more than sufficient correct? Thanks for all the info by the way.
 
1. I thought that the color of the wire depends on your year: For example, (I BELIEVE) that my starter wire was brown ('87). Whatever the color, it will run up to your steering column into the ignition switch. Mine starter wire was one of the 4 "thick" wires going into the ignition switch. (Grab yourself one of them fancy clip-on current meeters and you will be able to test for yourself).

2. I (personally) went with a relay (not a direct switch). That starter can pull some current, and I would much rather pop in a new relay than deal with replacing a burnt out switch... but that is up to you. Remeber: Big and Strong Never Wrong.
 
my take on this was to actually splice into the CPS line. cant see from outside the rig and the switch could be mounted in out of the way, would be very easy to do and would defianate kill the system
 
But if I got a switch with a high enough volt/amp rating, shouldn't it be fine? I want something simple yet effective. The starter just seems to be the easiest way to go.
 
Back
Top