Hey guys, me and my buddy were rewiring his electrical kill switch in his spec miata and when cam time to test it, it didn't work. When you turn the key to the off position and take it out, the car remains running Makes you feel kind of scared and curious what would happen when you really need it.

Some info on the install:

There are 2 main connections. One coming from the battery and one continuing to the main feed. Then there are 4 spade connections on the bottom. On the top 2 spades, one is for the ground and the other is to the main feed wire. The bottom 2 spades, one is for the coil connection and the second is to the ignition.

Anyway's...any suggestions or methods of diagnosis would be greatly appreciated especially from you all who have experienced a similar dilema.

Thanks,

Safa

 

Kill switches are notorious for being pieces of ****. Did it ever work with the current wiring configuration? I know you said you were rewiring it but were you actually installing it?

 

The alternator is keeping the car running. You need a electrical cutoff switch that has 4 connections on it that includes the alternator (SCCA rule). The two big connections are for positive side for the battery, the two smaller connections are for the positive/hot side for the alternator. Not sure why it is connected to the ignition coil. Sounds like you need to redo some wiring. Hope that helps!

 

Actually the SCCA allows for an ignition kill in place of the alternator kill. My kill switch cuts the power to my MSD as its secondary circuit and I guarantee you that the alternator WON'T keep my car running when the MSD is dead.

He said the coil power is being killed with his switch. That should kill the motor assuming it is wired correctly.

 

I guess I was taking what an SCCA Chief Tech guy told me a little too far. He said since the rules state the switch is to be connected to the battery and is to cut all electrical sources except for the onboard fire extinguisher. Then went on to tell me the only way to do this is to connect to the battery and alternator. So, I stand corrected.

 

Drew me and my buddy were rewiring it because it was acting...like you said kill switches are known to be POS'

J28S ~ you're right the alternator is keeping the car running, we figured that much out. But what I'll do today is go and undo the ignition coil and wire one for the alternator and see if that works.

Any other suggestions would be great.

Thanks guys,

Safa

 

The alternator was keeping the car running because the kill switch wasn't shutting down the coil.

My guess is that the switch is probably bad.


Drew - Who had a kill switch go bad in 2 months

 

Drew...do you think then that I had it wired correctly? Since the kill switch isn't shutting down the coil (which I figured if that was shut off then the altenator would die as well) then that could simply be that I just have a bad Kill switch.

 

its really easy to check the kill switch.

use a multimeter and first check for continuity between the poles with the switch in the ON position. should indicate continuity (tone). then flip the switch to off. check the poles for continuity again. should indicate no continuity (no tone).

if you don't have a multimeter, you can use a test lite. go from pole to a good ground and see if you have the test lite light up...

good luck

 

Thanks guys, we got it working

 

That has been the interpretation I have heard. The rule requires all electrical circuits to be cut by the switch. By killing battery + ignition, the alternator circuit is live until the engine stops spinning.

But, many cars are wired the way Drew describes.