Master battery kill switch

[Fiero88Formula]

Okay. I figured you guys would actually know a lot more about this than even other Fiero owners because so many of you guys straight line drag and likely require kill switches.

I'm wanting to wire a battery kill switch in my '88 Fiero. Here's the thing - I've been tracing a very strong parasitic battery drain. I managed to get it down some, but it's still putting a small unnecessary drain on the battery and I hate to admit but I just cannot find it, even after pulling fuses and tracing wires. I know slapping a "band-aid" on cars is typically a no-no, but I'd like to have this switch in anyway. Also would be cool for the security reason, plus I found the perfect spot to mount it where it's within reach but not bump-able by my hand (Chris, it's where the cigarette lighter goes. You remove it and that hole that's left leaves a perfect opening for a switch ).

I honestly do not know the correct way to mount the wiring to the switch. I've read that some people that mount switches don't realize that the alternator still puts out juice. Furthermore, different sources are even in two camps where one says mount to positive and the others say to negative.

All I want is a setup where when I turn the kill key off EVERYTHING deactivates - basically no juice is going ANYWHERE through the car. I don't care about radio memorization or anything like that. I personally feel like hooking it in-line into the negative cable would do the trick, but obviously it seems I'm not right.

Any insights you guys would have would be much appreciated. I'm really not that well inclined into how electrical works on cars...

[Vanmor]

The thing to remember is that heavy starter type cable would have to go to that switch. If you want to totally remove the battery fron the circuit, thats what it will take. I don't think you want heavy cable like that going up to your dash.

I think I know where your juice is going. I've seen it several times when you can't seem to track it down. Do you have a light in your glove box ? Or one under the rear hood or front trunk ? I bet you one of those lights are staying on when those doors are closed.

[critter]

Keep in mind that the battery to the location he's speaking of is roughly 4 feet. It's a Fiero after all.

I've not looked into remote kills so I'm no help. I'll look around tomorrow and post up if I find anything good.

[77TA]

Have you tried taking the wires loose form the alternator? They can drain your battery if the regulator starts to go ... I think you can buy a remote disconnect it is sort of like a ford starter solenoid and may be the same thing that you can use a small switch to energize to put power to the rest of the car. Only the switch bypasses the remote relay.

[Vanmor]

The battery may be only four feet from the dash, but you don't want a major power cable inside the car. You just don't. Anything that comes into the interior of the car needs to have a circuit breaker or fusible link. As in anything, you don't have to, it's just a good idea. In the old days of metal dashes, it might be doable. But with heavy cable pulling on the switch in a plastic dash ?

The Ford starter relay or solenoid is a temporary switch. It is not made to stay engaged all the time.

[Fiero88Formula]

As far as removing stuff I couldn't see, the Fiero has a trunk light in both trunks, a cigarette surround light, and small interior lights near the feet. I've removed all of the 194 bulbs in these sockets.

For the alternator, it only has one wire going into it for power. I'm guessing it self-grounds. It's a "new" remanned unit that I put on a while back (which is a REEEEAAALLLLL PITA by the way in these cars) and has maybe 200 miles on it. I know it's not uncommon to get a bad alternator from parts stores that have bad internal regulators. However, when I put this new alternator on I did receive less of a draw coming from my system.

The only other items that can draw power when the car is off is the headlight motor relay (which I've disconnected), the stereo (ditto), and the ECM (a new remanned NAPA unit).

I'm honestly not all too happy about having a switch in the car either, but like I said I'm really ignorant when it comes to electricals on a car. Like Chris said though the wiring wouldn't be that long at all. It's basically three feet from the battery to the firewall, and then maybe two feet to the switch. I hardly ever drive this car anymore (on a good week maybe once a week) and honestly get tired of pulling up to my destination and pulling battery cables. It gets a little annoying.

Guys that do Fiero kit cars seem to commonly run master kill switches, so I figured this would be an easy thing to do. However, their instructions are literally all over the place and I can't figure out who is actually right....

If it's really a bad idea I won't pursue it.

[critter]

So why not run a quick disconnect on the battery? You know, where you can simply raise the hatch, reach over to the battery and twist the knob?

LIke this:

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/777 ... de=FROOGLE

[77TA]

Check this artical out.
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/cc ... index.html