My Long-Promised Push-Button Start walk-through.
03-02-05, 05:33 PM
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My Long-Promised Push-Button Start walk-through.
Switching over to a Push-Button start system is amazingly simple if you've got the basic soldering (or crimping) skills and an hour or two to play with.. the hardest part is getting the old key cylinder out. The way I have mine set up may not be the best if your electrical system is weak. I've got a brand new SilverRotor 3rd gen alternator waiting for installation, as well as brand new battery, so I don't think I will have any trouble.
Step 1: Remove the shroud covering the steering column, move the steering column to the lowest setting if you have adjustable height. I'm not going to document this step, if you can't operate a phillips head screwdriver, STOP NOW
Step 2: This step is the annoying one. 1st thing to do is remove the wires going the back of the key cylinder, by unscrewing the single phillips head screw at the top of the connector. This will allow the wires to fall away. Try not to cut any wires. You have to remove the key cylinder from the steering column, or else you'd still need your keys to unlock the steering wheel. I used my dremel to cut the brace that goes across the top of the column, and pried it apart enough to get the key cylinder away. They use break-away bolts to secure these, so it's no easy task.. It would have been easier if I had a small angle grinder, but the dremel came through once again
Step 3: This step is where you cut the wires coming out of the back of the cylinder. Cut them long enough that if you ever need to go back to cylinder you can. Do as I say, not as I did (my cylinder was broken, and I know I'll never sell the car)
Step 4: Wiring up the buttons/switches. I'm planning on putting my push button start in the hole where the key used to be inserted. You can put it where you'd like of course. I'd recommend following my wiring diagram down below, as it includes the wiring of the Starter button, and your Main switch (put this one in a convient spot, like right beside the button), and a hidden switch. If you hit the hidden switch, it won't allow the car to do anything more than crank. I'm putting mine right by the.... Hey! wait a minute! I'm not telling you. You'll have to figure this one out on your own, damn den of thieves!
I recommend somewhere up under the dash or the like, where it's convient to hit, but still completely hidden.
NOTE: Mazda was nice enough to label what every wire does coming out of the key cylinder, as you can see in the picture above. You may wish to verify that the wire colors are the same on your car (I don't see why not, but it will only take 30 seconds to double check).
NOTE: The L & E wires (the two smallest ones in the middle, black and red), will not be of help to you. It's merely a "key is inserted" contact, as far as I can determine. Just cap these off with tape or shrink wrap to prevent them from shorting out.
Wire up the car as follows:
Unfortunately, I don't have mine re-assembled yet, as I've been troubleshooting other things and wasn't worried about the looks yet. It definatly works well, and will look rather clean once done.
For switches and buttons, I just went to advanced Auto and bought a silver aluminum heavy duty push button for the start, and a standard rocker switch for the main on/off switch and a small toggle switch for the hidden one.
This looks great in my friends Focus that we had to install it in (his key cylinder jammed as they tend to do). Mine will look good, but I'm more worried about getting the car to run
Good luck, let me know how it turns out for you!
Step 1: Remove the shroud covering the steering column, move the steering column to the lowest setting if you have adjustable height. I'm not going to document this step, if you can't operate a phillips head screwdriver, STOP NOW
Step 2: This step is the annoying one. 1st thing to do is remove the wires going the back of the key cylinder, by unscrewing the single phillips head screw at the top of the connector. This will allow the wires to fall away. Try not to cut any wires. You have to remove the key cylinder from the steering column, or else you'd still need your keys to unlock the steering wheel. I used my dremel to cut the brace that goes across the top of the column, and pried it apart enough to get the key cylinder away. They use break-away bolts to secure these, so it's no easy task.. It would have been easier if I had a small angle grinder, but the dremel came through once again
Step 3: This step is where you cut the wires coming out of the back of the cylinder. Cut them long enough that if you ever need to go back to cylinder you can. Do as I say, not as I did
(my cylinder was broken, and I know I'll never sell the car) Step 4: Wiring up the buttons/switches. I'm planning on putting my push button start in the hole where the key used to be inserted. You can put it where you'd like of course. I'd recommend following my wiring diagram down below, as it includes the wiring of the Starter button, and your Main switch (put this one in a convient spot, like right beside the button), and a hidden switch. If you hit the hidden switch, it won't allow the car to do anything more than crank. I'm putting mine right by the.... Hey! wait a minute! I'm not telling you. You'll have to figure this one out on your own, damn den of thieves!
I recommend somewhere up under the dash or the like, where it's convient to hit, but still completely hidden. NOTE: Mazda was nice enough to label what every wire does coming out of the key cylinder, as you can see in the picture above. You may wish to verify that the wire colors are the same on your car (I don't see why not, but it will only take 30 seconds to double check).
NOTE: The L & E wires (the two smallest ones in the middle, black and red), will not be of help to you. It's merely a "key is inserted" contact, as far as I can determine. Just cap these off with tape or shrink wrap to prevent them from shorting out.
Wire up the car as follows:
Unfortunately, I don't have mine re-assembled yet, as I've been troubleshooting other things and wasn't worried about the looks yet. It definatly works well, and will look rather clean once done.
For switches and buttons, I just went to advanced Auto and bought a silver aluminum heavy duty push button for the start, and a standard rocker switch for the main on/off switch and a small toggle switch for the hidden one.
This looks great in my friends Focus that we had to install it in (his key cylinder jammed as they tend to do). Mine will look good, but I'm more worried about getting the car to run
Good luck, let me know how it turns out for you!
03-02-05, 05:44 PM
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Wow... was better than I thought. I was somehow expecting some ghetto rig (knew better when i saw the sig, then recognised who it was). Looks pretty decent. Goodjob
03-02-05, 05:44 PM
#5
****, thats allor better then the drunken one someon else posted. also, imma run a fuel pump switch and then imma run a switch for the afm signal kill. lol. that should **** off any theives that try and still my ****. imma hide them all too, but in logical places where i can find them and reach them redily.
03-02-05, 05:47 PM
#6
so you tatally elimanted the use of just putting in a key and starting it? COOL!! best thing thats ever happened. now i can enter my car with a simple paper clip, and start my car by pushing a button. but i will have to hide the damn switches and buttons.
03-02-05, 05:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Kenteth
Wow... was better than I thought. I was somehow expecting some ghetto rig (knew better when i saw the sig, then recognised who it was). Looks pretty decent. Goodjob
Thanks to you, too, DduB.
rotorman85 - You can, or you cannot.. My setup can completely eliminate the fuel cut switch As the hidden switch is killing the Black/Yellow line, which is the one that you cut the fuel with anyway. If you're worried about having the hidden one be your fuel cut, then you can put a second switch on that Black/Yellow line, and make it as visible as you want.. Your call, I'm not going to bother.. Plus I have a new rebuild and cleaned injectors, I had BETTER not flood
SirCygnus - Yep, there's no need to use a key, including getting into the car in your case
This will completely remove the key cylinder, and the steering wheel lock. Just jump in, flip a switch or two, and press the starter.
Last edited by WonkoTheSane; 03-02-05 at 05:53 PM.
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03-02-05, 05:54 PM
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Originally Posted by SirCygnus
so how do you turn the car off? just flup the togle switch to close or something?
03-02-05, 06:39 PM
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Is this for a race car or something, because you would not want to tie together the 2nd ignition and accessory leads on a street car , as well as you want all the available juice when cranking a street car, so you would want the 2nd ignition and accessory leads disconnected when cranking.
For as street car this is a very poor design. Practical only for a race/track only car.
For as street car this is a very poor design. Practical only for a race/track only car.
03-02-05, 06:43 PM
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too me it doesnt seem like its worth the work. is putting the key in such a big inconvenience? or was there some different reason im missing? dont get me wrong i think its cool, but its probably costs atleast 30 bucks and like 3 hours of work....
03-02-05, 06:44 PM
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Noice! I'm deffinatley going to do this and run my switch in the same location as the key would go as well! This is bad *** because it loses the key all together when it comes to the ignition and I like that. THere was a guy I know that did it to his turbo charged miata but I didn't like the fact he had to put the key in first and then put the button in, it just kind of defeated the purpose. Thanks again.
03-02-05, 06:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Icemark
Is this for a race car or something, because you would not want to tie together the 2nd ignition and accessory leads on a street car , as well as you want all the available juice when cranking a street car, so you would want the 2nd ignition and accessory leads disconnected when cranking.
For as street car this is a very poor design. Practical only for a race/track only car.
For as street car this is a very poor design. Practical only for a race/track only car.
You could put a relay in to switch them, but it doesn't seem worth the effort when it seems to work fine.. I suppose if the electrical system was weak, it would be an issue, though...NOPR - I did it because my key cylinder was physically broken, it was getting rather hard to turn the key, didn't seem to want to unlock, and no amount of cleaning it seemed to help. And since it was giving me trouble already, and I wanted to make sure that wasn't part of my not-starting trouble I took it out. Then a few people wanted to know how I did it.
03-02-05, 07:16 PM
#17
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Originally Posted by WonkoTheSane
That's why I put the disclaimer in about having a properly functioning battery in You could put a relay in to switch them, but it doesn't seem worth the effort when it seems to work fine.. I suppose if the electrical system was weak, it would be an issue, though...
You could put a relay in to switch them, but it doesn't seem worth the effort when it seems to work fine.. I suppose if the electrical system was weak, it would be an issue, though...
03-02-05, 07:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Icemark
then why wouldn't you do it correctly if you are doing this in a street driven vehicle. Two $10 40/30 DPST relays would make it right:
I didn't include them in mine when I did it bceause I was patching the system together to remove another variable from my start problem.. When I saw it was working okay, I didn't think about it again Thanks for the critique
03-02-05, 07:27 PM
#19
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Originally Posted by WonkoTheSane
Looks like a good update. It probably would be a good idea to include those relays in the wiring I didn't include them in mine when I did it bceause I was patching the system together to remove another variable from my start problem.. When I saw it was working okay, I didn't think about it again
Thanks for the critique
I didn't include them in mine when I did it bceause I was patching the system together to remove another variable from my start problem.. When I saw it was working okay, I didn't think about it again Thanks for the critique
03-02-05, 07:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Icemark
well I would personally use relays instead of the switches as well, but that is because I have a hard time believeing that the switches will handle 40+ amps daily.
THEN I see where it could be a problem...But someone wouldn't honestly think that a 16Ga wire is going to hold the amperage that a 6 (8?) gauge wire (the stock wires going to the switch) would, right?
03-02-05, 08:20 PM
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Originally Posted by WonkoTheSane
That's why I put the disclaimer in about having a properly functioning battery in You could put a relay in to switch them, but it doesn't seem worth the effort when it seems to work fine.. I suppose if the electrical system was weak, it would be an issue, though...
NOPR - I did it because my key cylinder was physically broken, it was getting rather hard to turn the key, didn't seem to want to unlock, and no amount of cleaning it seemed to help. And since it was giving me trouble already, and I wanted to make sure that wasn't part of my not-starting trouble I took it out. Then a few people wanted to know how I did it.
You could put a relay in to switch them, but it doesn't seem worth the effort when it seems to work fine.. I suppose if the electrical system was weak, it would be an issue, though...NOPR - I did it because my key cylinder was physically broken, it was getting rather hard to turn the key, didn't seem to want to unlock, and no amount of cleaning it seemed to help. And since it was giving me trouble already, and I wanted to make sure that wasn't part of my not-starting trouble I took it out. Then a few people wanted to know how I did it.
03-02-05, 10:44 PM
#24
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good post man. exspechaly if someone ignition broke.
the differance in this then mine as some said was this you have to cut your stuff apart mine
https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/s4-starter-button-400688/
you dont have to cut anything and it can be returnd to compleatly stock. It uses a relay to handle the current or you will burn out the switch and makes car harder to steal. compleat buttons are ushaly only used on race cars. Like I said there is meany ways to do this and this is another way for evryones knowledge.
the differance in this then mine as some said was this you have to cut your stuff apart mine
https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/s4-starter-button-400688/
you dont have to cut anything and it can be returnd to compleatly stock. It uses a relay to handle the current or you will burn out the switch and makes car harder to steal. compleat buttons are ushaly only used on race cars. Like I said there is meany ways to do this and this is another way for evryones knowledge.