Anyone know how easy anyone can get at our engines?

[samuraichamploo]

I have a fuel cut off switch inside the carpet next to my right knee.
Its the PERFECT spot because it wont shut off when the car is on, and If I have a passenger, he doesnt notice that I put my knee all the way to the carpet while I turn the key.
Its the best method I can think of. Just tap into the relay.. I guess a easier way would be to just use the foglight switch though

 

[wht93gtEd]

Well, when I did my 5spd swap I hooked the neutral start switch to a toggle switch hidden in my car. Instead of just connecting the 2 wires so the car starts, I put them on a mini-toggle switch, which is hidden but in my reach. Add that to my hidden ignition kill switch & I have double protection. So know I'll just really piss off the person attempting to steal my car, so they'll probably break something cause they're mad.

 

[Lynx331]

wow thanks for all the great responses so far guys, i never expected to find out this information from one this thread. Keep 'em comin. How do you guys feel about the good ol' car alarm? I was reading some magazine or something about an alarm for the car that once it goes off the car will not turn over until a pin number in inputed correctly. I think thats a bit much but it was still a pretty interesting read. But does anyone know how easy it is to start one of our cars once their under the hood? Its easy, so thats why Im looking to just keep them out of my hood. Period. Still havent figured out how im gona do that but yea. Then have an alarm so if someone breaks a window or gets a door open. I never thought of putting a kill switch in the car. Good ideas guys keep em comin.

 

[USU_Stang]

try having a classic mustang. You don't even have to monkey around "inside". Anyways, if you all are so worried about it just get an alarm, since I've seen about 500 alarms go off and not once was it for a theft. Has anyone here actually had anything taken or damaged from under their hood? Interior break ins are quite common comparitively, but even these don't really happen that much.

 

[ss93cobra]

Regarding alarms, both of my cars (mine & the wife's) have them. Most recently I've installed the bulldog alarm on hers. Kinda cheesy I know, but it's still Indiana. Anyway, it has the starter imobilizer if it isn't opened with the keyless entry transmitter. So, if you break in, it locks up and will not start. Kinda hard to drive off with it that way. I'm sure it can be bypassed in some fashion as well, but I'd like to think that most thieves wouldn't waste the time. Plus they have to get past the "rots" and then past the home security system to even get to the cars. Say a small prayer for all of us that what is ours will remain ours. Nobody likes to give money away too easily yet alone have somebody steal it.

 

[Michael Yount]

Take a look underneath at the cable pull mechanism. What you need to do is cover that mechanism up so that it can't be manipulated by hand from below. A simple piece of gutter flashing (cut with scissors), a drill and 4 pop rivets will have you in business. You can buy a part if you like - but you can deter most underhood thiefs with about $1's worth of thin aluminum and some labor on your part.

If they really want it, they'll get it. Most simply smash a window and pop the hood. It only takes a second, and they don't care what collateral damage gets done. And if they come with the right tow truck - it doesn't too much matter what you do. Again - they can break a window and in 30 seconds ebrakes are off, steering column locks are broken and wheels are straight - they're gone with it.

You want to deter the less professional thiefs. Park it someplace safe. Locked garage if you can. Well lit area if you can't. I've found a simple thing like a car cover does an amazing job of keeping folks away simply because it's so obvious someone's screwing around with it when they remove the cover. I remote mounted my battery in the trunk and put a ground cable disconnect switch inside the trunk. When I have to leave the car parked someplace I'm more concerned about, I disconnect the switch and take the disconnect key with me. They've got a good bit of work ahead of them to get battery power to the car.

Much as it pains me to have someone violate me and my property (I've had cars stolen and broken into) -- it's just a car. It can be replaced. It's certainly not worth risking your own safety over, nor is it worth taking someone else's life over. Now a couple of well placed shots to the knees.....

Lastly, this line - "I followed him in my grandmother's Volvo 240, could hardly keep up with the F-350 Powerstroke in the tow truck. " I can help you with that.

 

[larrendeuce]

I figure an alarm with a pager is as good and having the car parked in front of me, it goes off, I run out to see whats goin on with the car. If I see someone trying to take stuff, he's in for a world of hurt.

 

[matm347]

It's quite simple to stop people from getting your hood open this way.

Just pull your latch off...just two bolts(try and mark where it's positioned for alignment purposes) and get a plate of either aluminum or stainless at least 1/8" thick, or thinner if you can secure the bottom(weld/JB Weld).

I did this many years ago, a bud of mine took it a bit further and added some razor blades and a warning sign on them(that the bastard thief wouldn't see)

But recently, this mod was made pretty much useless by my oil cooler, there's no room to get your arm up there any more.


Also, someone pretty much said "so what if they pop your hood, everything is bolted". I know of some people that will have an intake off in under 15 minutes and have the guts to do it in an apartment complex with the owner in their apartment just a few feet away!
Alarms are OK, but my bud had some "buddies" of his show him just how good it was. They had his car running in about 30 seconds with the alarm going off down the road.

And just FYI, most stang thieves carry an extra coil wire, jumper wires, cap/rotor, fuel pump relay(under the seat) as well as a full tool set usually.

I have 4 different kill switches(fuel, CPU, spark, starter) 3 of which not even my family knows about and I could hand you the keys with no fear of you getting it started. But as stated above, they could just tow it, I am currently looking for wheel boots to help prevent this as well.

I've read an article where a guy's stang was stolen so many times he literally had to chain it to his homes foundation! Thieves are rat-bastards!!!

 

[RsStanG1987]

I have hood pins and somebody smashed my window and tried to pop the hood the realised it had pins then they stole my pins and my distributor boot. Why they would do this i dunno. They left my stereo and tach. I guess Michael is right that if somebody wants it bad enough they will take it.

 

[Michael Yount]

Like I also said earlier - you can slow the casual theifs down a lot if you can shut down the electrical system in a way where they've got no battery power. You won't find too many of them carrying spare batteries around with them. The pros will ultimately throw a set of dollies under it, or drag it onto a flat bed (the winch doesn't take no for an answer) and drive off with it if they want it bad enough.

So - carry good insurance too. Save your receipts and have your car professionally appraised.

 

[Skoobie]

were do you live