Just a question cause I CBF making the car crank right now (long story..)

how much current does the starter solenoid pull upon being engaged?

how are you going to be doing this?

At a guess the solenoid itself would draw 5 to 10 amps. Once the metal bar inside it completes the circuit, the starter motor initially represents a dead short, about 300 amps for a fraction of a second, once spinning the engine it draws about 100 amps. Depends on the size of the starter motor, reduction gearing or not, electromagnets or permanent magnets etc.

Well a standard V6 magna starter motor.
Yeah just more curious on the Black/Yellow trigger wire to the solenoid.
Just running a killswitch on the starter motor trigger and wanted to know if it was a better idea to use a relay for it.

its unlikely it will be more then 10amp, so any switch, non relay based will be fine. its only a trigger, once started it requires no continuous power.

I put a simple trigger switch on the red/blue wires from the ignition to make a kill switch and they are 15amp rated i believe. Never caused a drama

My setup was a kill switch with button start not requiring the key, except that the stock immobiliser needed to be turned off from the keyfob (unlock the doors with the button)

Alternatively you could put the key in and turn to ON and then button start it without having to trip the kill switch prior to ignition.

I had a mate wire it up, who wasnt an auto sparkie so if you get the plans from somewhere it shouldnt be too hard

Excellent then. Just wanted to "double check" running alot of killswitch's ;)

in reality the starter wire is already on a relay. SO if the killswitch is in the cabin then find its trigger i guess. The short the wire runs the less chance of over heating the cores. You would only crank for 5 seconds anyways

Exactly, Just double checking didnt think it'd be over 30A but yeah....sweet.

to make it even harder for a would be thief Paul, on my older cars I also ran a pair or even three switches in series ;)
Or one switch on the + and one on the - to really F em up

Way ahead of you dude ;)

Yep, 15 amp switch should be adequate. Last owner of my car put one in, but I've forgotten where it is! lol

Could wire in the cig lighter as part of the fuel pump power circuit - no cig lighter, no fuel pumping = no workie. Just put a plastic placeholder one in!

Then put in a dummy switch and that'll keep em buggered!

Could wire in the cig lighter as part of the fuel pump power circuit - no cig lighter, no fuel pumping = no workie. Just put a plastic placeholder one in!

Then put in a dummy switch and that'll keep em buggered!


Err, wouldn't that heat up the lighter when ever the car is running? Also it would draw a load.

Tuffy, had another idea for an immob switch will chat to you about it later.

Err, wouldn't that heat up the lighter when ever the car is running? Also it would draw a load.

You'd could modify the cig lighter to not have the heating coil. Or alternatively have a phone charger in.

You'd could modify the cig lighter to not have the heating coil. Or alternatively have a phone charger in.

Phone chargers are ugly, a big blob of solder inside the lighter and wire in in series.

Err, wouldn't that heat up the lighter when ever the car is running? Also it would draw a load.

Tuffy, had another idea for an immob switch will chat to you about it later.

Please let me know asap.

If you don't mind the cost, check these out:

http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=LR8824&keywords=remote+relay&form=KEYWORD

How about a switch in the power to the fuel pump relay?

Way ahead of ya.....