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Re: Kill Switches

To: WEmery7451@aol.com, fot@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Kill Switches
From: tom strange <tstrange@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2005 09:44:46 -0700 (PDT)
Typically the tech inspector will not be a problem.  What i have had most of 
them do, is keep my foot on the brake, kill the master, and let them see the 
brake lights go out.,,, engine off. 
  I also have 3 kill switches on my dash,  one on the fuel pump, and one on the 
primary lead on the coil.  In case of a tragedy, I dont want to wait for them 
to get there to kill the power, I want to have the option of killing them 
before the tragedy strikes (assuming I have the mental ability to do so at the 
time ;>)


WEmery7451@aol.com wrote:
Dear FOT,

I finally got around to going negative and installing an alternator on the 
TR-3. I fired up the engine in the garage and turned down the throttle linkage 
screw a little to keep it running, while I looked at the gages. All of a 
sudden the engine started winding up and I tripped the kill switch. The engine 
just kept right on roaring. In a panic I desperately screwed out the throttle 
shaft screw and got the engine shut down.

I then installed a Racer Parts Wholesale kill switch that I have had for some 
time. It has alternator cutoff poles. The arrangement that I have now is to 
break the battery ground cable and to break the one wire alternator lead. I 
have heard that a lot of racers using alternators do not hook up and 
alternator shut down because it may blow out the alternator or the MSD.

My plans are to not use the kill switch to shut down the engine unless it is 
Custard's Last Stand. If I am in the car, I can stall the engine. If the 
engine is turning slowly, the ignition switch shuts it off. The biggest threat 
is for some tech. inspector requiring me to demonstrate that the kill switch is 
working. I guess that I could protect the MSD by throwing down two switches 
to put the ignition into a conventional system, but the alternator could still 
blow out.

Any input or ideas would be appreciated. 


Tom

 http://www.fot-racing.com/spit/caption/tom_strange.htm  

#4 white spitfire

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