JYM

What are some good ways to make it harder to steal your FC, without installing a car alarm system?

I was thinking of taking out the EGI fuse and locking it in the glove compartment.. I've never tried cranking the car without the EGI fuse so I don't know if it will start up or not, but de-flooding the car requires removing the fuse and then putting it BACK in, so I figured it's essential to start and drive your car.

I know some people also install a switch inside the car to turn the fuel pump on/off (for de-flooding purposes) so if it's hidden, it would greatly hinder someone trying to steal your car.

Are there any other methods that are safe for your car in case someone tries to hot-wire it and drive it off? Obviously the best way is to prevent the car from even starting up, so the thief loses interest. However, I'm not looking for something elaborate like taking off the spark plugs or whatever. Just something I can do quickly without any tools, for when I'm in a "sketchy" neighborhood.

Prod

Broken driver's door handle.

AUGieDogie

iTrader: (4)

Hot start problem, prevents it being stolen at least half the time.

evl mnky

discontect the plug wires....if the theif doesnt know rotaries they'll never get that puzzle put together lol

toplessFC3Sman

iTrader: (1)

a high-voltage switch that switches current from the coils to either the spark plugs or to the ignition switch, so that if its not in the right position when you go to start the car, it zaps the crap outta you. Dont actually do this, itd probably fry all the electronics in the car as well, altho if thats the case, potential thieves arent going anywhere with it.

Just get a club or something, and hide the fuel pump switch. There are countless other switches that you could install to various other components that would keep the car from starting as well (power to ECU, ground to main relay, power to starter solenoid (and instead redirect this one to a buzzer or the horn or something nice and loud inside the car), power to the coils, injector signal wires, etc... and then install all these switches in a big bank in the center console, but mix up the positions they are supposed to be in to start, so some are pointed left, some right etc, just to **** with people. Then hide one other switch somewhere else.

your car would be a wiring nightmare tho, so make sure to make a diagram if you do it

Phearthe-Rx7

iTrader: (18)

I had a friend put a switch on his ignition wiring somehow, don't know exactly what he did, but he installed it in the center console, looks kinda neat and no power to the ignition with it flipped off, that ws a civic though, still sure it would work the same in a rex

TitaniumTT

I'll be rocking this little guy to the battery solenoid. No key means no battery power... except the memory circuits that are hard-wired


I use this on my boat though. No key mean no power to the engine but the memory circuits and the bilge pumps are hardwired through the breakers...


Just make sure you protect that stuff with breakers.

pfsantos

iTrader: (1)

The best alarm systems disable starter, fuel, and ignition.

Fuel cut-off swich.
Coil switch tapped as close to the ECU as possible
Starter switch tapped in close to the starter solenoid.

In case they tow your girl...
Engrave your initials in all parts that could be useful. They don't have to be visible, just know where they are. If someone parts out the car, you go packing and looking for them.

Cut off some fingers first to find out who else is involved, then have some fun.

Phearthe-Rx7

iTrader: (18)

haha

Enzainer

+2

wackaloo13

iTrader: (3)

put one of these in your car when you park it

speed_monkey

Just put in a fuel cut switch under the dash or something, prevents theft and is usefull if your 7 floods.

JYM

Isn't that the equivalent of just pulling out the EGI fuse? Although it does save you from opening your hood and replacing it all the time...

VacavilleFC

do i have the only working stock alarm???lol

JYM

I know it's a theft-deterrent alarm.. but does it actually cut power to the starter and prevent the car from starting? If it did, it should be called anti-theft alarm (not theft-deterrent). My alarm did not work when I tested it, by lowering the driver window and locking the car, then unlocking it through the window (although my security light on my center console flashes occasionally, so it's like a pretend alarm).

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

Search ..Big Black Guy Named Ben!..(Old time burglar alarm..Step away from the car ***** Fugga!..Hilarious!)..Serriously..wanna Cheap alarm?..get a Remote control for your FOG lights..have that hooked up to the starter wiring..make it Disconnect when you Press power..it cost about 15 bucks and it will **** anyone up that Wants to start it..yOu'll get Nothing,until you hit the remote again!

Soma

Get the Club Brake/Clutch Lock Anti-Theft Device. It prevents the brake or clutch pedal from being depressed. It is a biaatch to cut through, you either need an electric recipicle saw or a couple of hack saws and a lot of time on your hands. Available at Autozone, PepBoys, etc.

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (8)

Dude...you have an rx-7. It's well know that they are hard enough to start with the key, much less without.

TehMonkay

iTrader: (-1)

You could wire a switch to the starter solenoid, so when you flip the switch, it instead turns on a relay to turn on like, 8electric fog horns at the same time..

JYM

Bah all the above listed are way too complicated.. I don't want to go out of my way to install something when I could just get a car alarm.

I think I'll just stick with the EGI fuse trick, hopefully if anyone tries to steal my car they'll only crank and it won't start, so they'll give up and try another one. Are there any better fuses I could pull?

TheDarkRacer

hehe not mine! well most of the time its pretty easy to start! Just instert key, turn for 5 or so seconds, then the car will sputter to life lol.... sorry just had to throw that in there.....

but you could keep a live animal in your car that would attack people! like goose....those things are evil!!!! PURE EVIL!!!!

clokker

iTrader: (2)

According to a cop buddy of mine...

It's highly unlikely a RX7 will get stolen, more often than not cars are broken into and things are taken- probably the stereo or anything you've left laying around (cellphone, iPod, crack, etc.).

The cars that actually get taken are late model high volume cars- Civics, Maximas and the like- cause they are easy to strip and sell parts from.
Who'd bother trying to sell parts off a RX...there's no easy, anonymous market. Here in Denver someone trying trying to move say a set of red fenders would stick out like a sore thumb, there aren't that many red FCs around (in fact, I never see any FCs driving around although there must be some).

The third (and least likely scenario) is your car is stolen for a joyride.
If your car is a manual trans you're almost guaranteed safe...most kids can't drive a stick these days. Even then, most joyride cars are recovered (but no guarantees about condition).

So it would seem the best "poor man's" method of keeping your car safe is just to actually be a poor man- don't install a nice stereo and don't leave $100 bills on the dash.

TitaniumTT

An alarm is only as good as the install.
case & point - buddy had an alarm in his car and the thing started going nuts about 2 hours before he had the thing schedualed to be wholesaled. He calls me in a panic, I go to his house, dis-arm the alarm, open the door - alarm goes CRAZY! I can't start the car, can't turn the alarm off etc etc. So I reach under the dash, find it, give a yank and the ziptie holding it there breaks and the alarm comes crashing down. I disconnect it and viola - alarm bypassed. I then had the courtesy to spend about 5 mintues with some dykes and electrical tape to remove any evidence there was an alarm. Moral - alarms are only as good as the installation.

Mine is bolted to where the ABS module should be next to where the factory ECU once was. Takes a few minutes to get to IFF you know where it is. While looking for it though I have a Hella air horn IN the cabin that starts blaring when the alarm is triggered. So you have ear splitting noise while looking for **** The radio and everything is bolted down, the windows are heavily tinted, and there are a few lights flashing. It's all a waste of time though becuase I can see my car from my desk and I rarely drive it for errands. At home my theft detterent is a house alarm and a 75lb German Shepard in training

The nice thing about alarms are the windows up, lock the doors, also chirps different if it was triggered. - Means look for door dings.... then again I always park in the last spot far far away from everyone in the corner on a diagnol.

NZConvertible

Never lock the glove box. If the thief breaks in it'll be one of the first places he looks. If it's locked he'll assume there's something in there worth taking, so he will force the lid open. Pretty much any method used to do this will require the entire dashboard to be replaced. Anything you think needs to be locked in the glove box should not be left in the car in the first place. If you're going to remove the EGI fuse (and it's a great idea, I do it myself), then simply take it with you. It's not like it's a hassle to carry around.

S4's have two EGI fuses. One powers the injectors and coils and the other powers the ECU (among other things). The S5 has one EGI fuse for all. Obviously with no injectors, coils or ECU the engine isn't going to run. That's why it's pulled out for deflooding.

You'd be surprised how hard it is to find a spot that's both hard for a thief to find and easy for you to reach. An experienced thief will have a good idea where to start looking for a switch, so you may only increase the amount of time required to steal the car. This may cause the thief to move on to easier pickings, or it may not...

sincere_

im from chicago and.... rx7 are stolen alot around here. 1st gens with a dent puller.... 2nd gens with tow trucks... sucks. Mines is garaged. I used to pull the relay, egi... and park my nissan and my sisters dodge really close to the bumpers so the tow trucks wouldnt touch it.
This is in chicago though... I stay by pulaski... and archer. so if youre from chicago u know why i used to do that.