Kill Switch (EOC): Where did you install your activator? And what did you use? - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

myrefugeisintheLord · 12-10-2012, 12:26 AM

Lets get a compilation of some PICTURES!

And help others get some ideas for their setup. If you have a How To thread, or helpful post, it would be good to add a link to it.

Edit: Oh, and folks, if it's possible, to include what switch you used. There's so many out there! Maker's name, model number even if that's possible. Where you got it, etc.

Thank you guys/gals!!

MetroMPG · 12-10-2012, 03:29 PM

My kill switch is a momentary switch mounted on the gear shift. Here's why:

When I'm going to kill the engine, I'm often also going to coast for some distance, which means I'll be shifting into neutral to do it. Having the kill switch on the shifter means I can do both in one action - squeeze the momentary button while sliding into neutral.

Where's the shifter in your Rav4? I see it's an automatic, but I'm not sure if it's on the column or floor-mounted.

EDIT: have you researched whether it's OK (for the health of the transmission) to coast your car with the engine off? Usually the owner's manual will indicate if the car can be "flat towed" -- all 4 wheels on the ground -- in neutral. If so, it means the transmission is designed so it won't suffer potential damage from lack of lubrication while moving with the engine off.

myrefugeisintheLord · 12-10-2012, 04:45 PM

I can't EOC with RAVadoodle. No flat towing what-so-ever, from what I've found out.
I'm getting ready for my future CRX.

Looking at the picture of what I have to work with, it doesn't look like I could get wires and a button switch in the shifter...

I haven't been able to locate any pictures of older manuals with EOC kill switches in the shifter. That's why I wanted some pictures.

Knowing this kind of thread could help others have a good starting place too.

MetroMPG · 12-10-2012, 04:52 PM

Aha! I've seen mention of this future CRX... Very good.

Well, my kill switch isn't quite IN the shifter. It's inelegantly hose-clamped TO the shifter. On the Firefly/Metro it was a "temporary" test installation, oh about 6 or 7 years ago.

Same thing with the Insight: hose clamp.

I will say however, that I actually did take care to ergonomically orient/locate the switch in such a way that the button falls perfectly beneath my thumb when I place my hand on the shifter.

Also, I routed the wires down through the flexible boot at the base of the shifter, and underneath the plastic housing. So it's not as messy as it sounds, and you should be able to do the same. And of course, you could modify the shift knob in some way so you don't have to use a hose clamp if you don't want to.

myrefugeisintheLord · 12-10-2012, 05:03 PM

Pictures? Link?

MetroMPG · 12-10-2012, 05:07 PM

Unfortunately, no and no.

And I'm away, on the other side of the continent for a while, so I can't snap any for you at the moment. Sorry! Hopefully some others will chime in and be less useless than me!

Daox · 12-10-2012, 05:09 PM

This was the initial install of the kill switch on my Paseo. I later replaced the very low quality switch (which eventually started acting up) with something designed for a few more cycles. I couldn't find pictures of the new one. I will note that the electrical tape didn't hold more than a couple days in the hot summer. The newer switch was held to the shifter shaft via double sided tape and some zip ties through the mounting holes. It works great.

myrefugeisintheLord · 12-10-2012, 05:12 PM

You're not useless Darin! Quite the contrary.

Sometime when you get back, if you remember, could you snap some pictures?

If I'm getting this particular CRX in MT, I have to wait until the middle of Jan anyway.

But I'm trying to be ready with supplies in hand. Or at least some good idea.

myrefugeisintheLord · 12-10-2012, 05:17 PM

Daox, cool.

Pictures are SO great! Thanks!!

MetroMPG · 12-10-2012, 05:22 PM

I can snap pics of my kill switches when I get back. But it'll be after January!