The alarm system came with a hood pin switch. However, I don't want to drill a big hole in the hood to mount it. Also I cannot find a good spot to mount it as the switch goes down about half an inch when the hood is down. I got a 1990 Accord LX Sedan.
So I would like to go with the mercury tilt switch. I just have a question, where do you mount the switch? Do you mount it on the hood under so when the hood is lifted, it grounds and trigger the alarm? Or do you mount it in the engine bay? I would imagine on/under the hood itself.
So one wire to ground and the other diode isolate to the alarm?

Thanks.

 

You would mount the sensor on the hood if your trying to moniter the hood. But if you park on a incline. The alarm would just bypass it. So either find a different type of hood pin like the euro models or use a magnet switch.

 

I would not use a mercury switch as parking on an include may affect it, installation dependent.

Use a magnetic switch like DEI 8600 (this is what I do). I have mine mounted beneath the wiper cowl, with the magnet placed into the corrugated section of the hood. Totally invisible and impervious to water. Not affected by incline and won't corrode. 100% trouble free.

This particular switch is also safe to use on your fuel filler door.

 

I try and avoid drilling holes. [to mount pin-switches] in customers cars, a much better way is to use a short piece of back brace, remove one of the bolts holding a fender on slip the brace under the fender where the bolt is and reinstall the bolt, you can then install the hood pin in one of the other holes in the back brace so the pin lines up with a part of the hood that will "open" the pin-switch when the hood is down.

The other advantage of doing it that way is the pin-switch never gets wet so it will last a lot longer.

Hint... install two (2) pin-switches, one on each side of the hood , it will prevent "peeling" [bending one side of the hood up]. 94

 

Thanks for all of the help guys. I have decided to stay with pin switch but I bought a European style for $4 from Ebay. It has an easier to install design which I am going to install toward the rear of the hood by the windshield. The black plastic cowl in the area is mounted to metal with plastic clips. I'll just remove one clip and mount it there. I was going to buy a straight back brace for the pin switch that came with the alarm but Home Depot wants $4 for the little bracket so I just bought a different stype pin switch. Another thing I had trouble mounting the siren. I wanted to mount it under the battery but my right angle drill won't fit in to make 2 holes for the bracket. So I mount it under the plastic stand for the battery. Problem now is the siren can only mount at 90-120 degrees to the bracket. So left the siren pointing down at 120 degrees instead of 180 degrees. The base of the siren is plastic so it cracked a little when I try to make it facing 180 degrees down. The best design for my need is the Scytek siren which give a 180 degrees siren mounting. I don't really know the diiference b/w the Crime Guard Psycho syren vs others but it's suppose to be different. I don't know what's the difference is.

Once again, thanks all of your help guys. You all are very nice and patient with me. I find that installing car alarms is not hard, but the hardest parts are mounting locations and running wires cleanly which takes most of the install time in the process. Just like every else when you mod a car.