I did some searching on HT but I did not see really see anything like this.

Basically my idea was to chop the factory ECU connectors off the factory wiring harness, and pick up some new connectors from somewhere like radio shack, this would allow you to make your own proprietary plug system for your cars ECU, after you had the car all wired up you could then use the plugs you removed from the harness to make yourself a conversion harness. I would like to see the look on the theives face when he sees that my ECU plugs in using 4 hot pink barbie corvette cell phone connectors.

I know it would be a HUGE PITA to do this, but you are basically making you car unstartabe to anybody that does not have your conversion harness. you could take your ECU and harness, or just the harness out when you parked the car somewhere you are worried about.

Am I correct in my thinking that without the ECU you could never start the car in any form?

 

Not a bad idea if you are not planning to sell your car. IF you do, make sure you include the wiring schemata.

My dad bought a cherry red 83 Porsche 911SC in mint condition with very low miles. Showroom perfect!! My dad decided to have a new sound system, radar system put in plus alarm with hidden kill switches everywhere. The installer called my dad back 1 day after he dropped the car off and said " Hey man ..... I can't install any of this **** ..... all the wire colors are the same!!"

Apparently, the owner before my dad had the whole car rewired from dome light to ignition using a single colored wire. This guy, I think, went alittle to far. No one could or wanted to work on the damn thing. The original seller was no where to be found. My dad was forced to pay big $$$ to get it wired back to factory specs.

Thats why I say, make sure you keep the schematic for the next owner.

-Nick

 

yeah

my friend did that

 

I have another idea kinda along the same lines. If you don't plan on modding your R beyond bolt ons you could just superglue the conectors to the ECU. So there would be no way for them to install a new ECU.

 

Its not bad for the car to be taking the Ecu in and out all the time?

 

No it is not bad at all.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Nick248 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Thats why I say, make sure you keep the schematic for the next owner.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Nothing like getting a car, and taking off the pannel and seeing a bird nest from the prev owner. Thanks for the tip nick

 

This may be a stupid question but what if your car was towed?

I had kill switches all over my 99 R and it still went missing...

 

A hidden relay in line with one of the wires (say, the line from the ECU to the starter motor) would have the same effect and be one hell of a lot easier to do.

And speaking as someone who tried to wire his own conversion harness, I would not underestimate the difficulty involved in this job. The harness connector pieces are custom units and don't play well with Radio Shack pieces. You might be able to get Kenji to do something for you, though.

 

You could also just take out the fuse for the starter...just a thought.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kruthles &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nothing like getting a car, and taking off the pannel and seeing a bird nest from the prev owner. Thanks for the tip nick </TD></TR></TABLE>

It took me 14 hours to remove an old hackjob security system in my car that just randomly decided not to let it start unless it wanted to.

to funky rewiring. But I think the subharness idea is great as long as it's not overdone.

 

just boot it and sleep easy.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Nick248 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Not a bad idea if you are not planning to sell your car. IF you do, make sure you include the wiring schemata.

My dad bought a cherry red 83 Porsche 911SC in mint condition with very low miles. Showroom perfect!! My dad decided to have a new sound system, radar system put in plus alarm with hidden kill switches everywhere. The installer called my dad back 1 day after he dropped the car off and said " Hey man ..... I can't install any of this **** ..... all the wire colors are the same!!"

Apparently, the owner before my dad had the whole car rewired from dome light to ignition using a single colored wire. This guy, I think, went alittle to far. No one could or wanted to work on the damn thing. The original seller was no where to be found. My dad was forced to pay big $$$ to get it wired back to factory specs.

Thats why I say, make sure you keep the schematic for the next owner.

-Nick</TD></TR></TABLE>

I was told that on some trucking manufacturers, in the past have used all the same color wires throughout there wiring harnesses, I would hate to diagnose a problem on one of them

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by v-attack &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I was told that on some trucking manufacturers, in the past have used all the same color wires throughout there wiring harnesses, I would hate to diagnose a problem on one of them </TD></TR></TABLE>

I could imagine, you could allmost tone it out like you would a telelphone system, some of the worst birdnests are inside the phone systems at the punch down block

Thanks for the input guys

 

yeah I thought about this too...
you could get a custom jumper harness made from someone like Kenji.
1) run your ecu into the harness which jumbles wires into the factory harness, but alter a few of the important wires locations in the factory harness.
2) easy to do and just remove your ecu and the custom jumper harness when you are worried about theft.


but I agree the kill switches are the best way to go.