At 05:44 PM 7/23/2013, Eric Wunrow wrote: >Anyone have quick-to-do ideas on how to disable an '84 Westy on the >road? Carborundum powder in the oil is a time-honored ploy, though modern full-flow oil filtration takes a lot of the sting out of it.
>I'm thinking: >1) Remove coil wire; If you do be sure to ground it with a clip lead or summat, unless you like replacing the electronics. >2) Remove fuel injector relays; There aren't any. But assuming you mean the ECU and fuel pump relays in the little box over the ignition coil, it's not really practical. For a start, you have to unpack the back to get to them. They're very tight in the sockets and not meant to be cycled in and out routinely. The fuel pump wire on the '84 has a single-position connector at the right-front of the engine. Pretty sure it's just a male-to-female 1/4" Faston spade terminal. You could make up a harness next time you get to a FLAPS with a toggle switch on a suitably long pigtail and bring that switch to a convenient location. Remember if you do that you're working with unfused power straight off the battery -- fusing the small red B+ lead coming off the supply post inside the connection box on the firewall *before* your engine harness smokes is a prudent thing to do. At the other end of the bus, the typical thing is to add a concealed toggle switch in the wire going back to the ignition coil + terminal, something you can reach from the driving position without being obvious. Getting slightly fancier, you could install a relay back in the connection box that would supply B+ to the engine harness only if alternator D+ were active, same way the fridge is controlled. To start the engine you'd have to press a concealed pushbutton up front while cranking. That would eliminate having to remember to flip the switch. >3) Hire a bad-ass dog with really bad breath. ;-) There is much to be said for dogs, even little ones. There's also discretion, and local knowledge. Some places the best protection is an unlocked door, since a locked one will only get you a smashed window. Truly the social contract is a wonderful thing. Yours, David |
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