EOC: From Key to Killswitch - Shoulda done this long ago...
 

So for the last ~year (or however long I have been doing the hypermilage thing), I have been clicking my key back, waiting, clicking forward. This killed stereo, turn signals, vents, etc. as well as temporarily caused the odometer to stop reading.

Just the other day, I ran a set of wires from my dash, to a normally closed push-button momentary switch, and split into the ASD relay ground. When pressed, this kills both fuel injection and spark.

After driving around for the first day, I just can't believe I didn't do this earlier! My stereo stays on, odometer readings are now going to be more accurate, the odds of my engine re-starting when "clicking the key back" drastically drop (was always in a hurry to click it back on, sometimes engine didn't die all the way).

Just letting you guys know who HAVEN'T wired one up to do so. Now.

Woohoo! Another soul dragged over to our side of the Force:D

Yeah, the kill switch totally makes EOC much easier to do. I had the exact same experience when I first put mine in.

Is there a how to for the kill switch you used?

Mine, specifically, was a combination of internet research and applied knowledge of electrical engineering. It was a Dodge Neon (1st gen). I can do a write up for it, specifically, but each car has slightly different ways to do it.

Basically, when the key is off, it tells the computer to stop grounding the relay that keeps spark and fuel going to the engine, turning it off. I cut that wire and "extended" it into my cab, to a switch that always sends the signal, and back. This kept the ground going, just like stock, but when I push and hold the button, it clicks the relay off, turning power off to fuel injectors and spark coil pack, just like the ECU would do with the key off.

Or if you can find the camshaft position signal, cut that with NC switch.
If your car does'nt have cam sensor, then cut hall-sensor signal.
How-to is in the: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-how-4356.html

If you make a wright up I will add it to our wiki :) might help others do the same!

do you have gray or black key fob?

gray means you have chryslers sentry key system; it's an add-on system that turns off the engine via spark and fuel and normally operates a relay.

there might be a fuse in that system that can be used to turn off the spark and fuel; if there is, it will probably be in the fuse box under the hood.

or it was on my 99 tj

I am getting used to using my kill switch, Its pretty sweet to be coasting down the long steep hills in gear engine off with power steering / brakes and battery charging :)

Just another update on this. I have found myself doing FAR more EOC than before. I'm not sure if it's convenience, or what it is, exactly... but... I do it more now. I don't know how this has effected my MPG yet, but I'm hopeful.

Before, I had key places that I would EOC (typically to a stop or a far-away turn). It seems that if I would idle, I'm usually EOC now (unless I know I'll be needing the engine on within ~10 seconds or so).

So the rest of the electrics work. That's good.

But does the brake booster still work?
What about power steering?

Sort-of and No. The break booster retains vacuum for quite a long period of time. Then again, I rarely need to REALLY use the brakes... so for all I know, It's not working very well... I usually bump-start my engine before a stop and glide until then, so I guess I'll need to do some tests on that! ;)

As for Power Steering, without an engine turning the pump, it simply will require some good muscle... unless you are electric power steering (seems most newer cars are heading that way). For my car specifically, I converted my rack to a manual rack anyways, which is noticeably better than the lines looped.

gotta take the time to install that switch ... my elantra isn't as simple as hacking the key switch since my OEM mpg meter will be turned off if I do so.

So I did a little digging and found out there is a injector fuse in the engine compartment, so it should be quite easy to install some wires with a switch and an inline fuse in place of that regular "car fuse". Easily reversible and no wire cutting and such!!!

I totally agree with you in that I had the feeling of 'I should have done this a long time ago'. I just happened to replace my car last month and this was the first thing I did. What a difference!

I've had the kill switch in my civic for about 2 months now. Works nicely,

I converted it now so that you have to push the button to kill the engine, which it does via cutting power to the main Fuse for the main relay under the dash.

I used a relay switch to do this.

noob question whats EOC :o

Engine Off Coasting.
Coasting with engine off ;)

welcome
 

Welcome to the forum. No apologies necessary for being new, just a big welcome and all the help you can get.

Here's a couple resources to get you started:

Glossary: SVOBoy has prepared a thread that tries to capture most of the acronyms like EOC that you already ran into. There are so many that I sometimes forget what ones mean that I already looked up before. Anyway, go to the top of this page, and under the header that says ecomodder in the funky font you will see a row of links for different parts of the website (Home, Forum, Blog, ...). The furthest to the right is Glossary and it will take you to SVOBoy's thread which identifies most of them or at least the long form of the words.

Then if you go to the 100+ Hypermiling Tips and/or 65 Efficiency Mods you will also find many of them explained relatively simply.

Then if you still hunger for more information another good tool is the search which can be found below "Home" (below the row of links mentioned) on the far left near but not at the top.

Cheers.

I added it to wiki in existing page :)
Engine kill switch - EcoModder


EDIT: I'm stupid, you meant a post before my instruction :D

By the way, NoD~, what's ASD relay?

Please clarify how these kill switches work? Do you hold the button down for the duration of the coast?

I hold the button until i see the battery icon(not charging). Usually takes 1-2sec until i can release.
When you want to start the car, release the clutch and instantly push it back, or else you will slow down too much.

But holding the button too long wont harm anything :)

ASD = Automatic Shutdown Relay (It's a Dodge thing); it's the relay that the ECU uses to "turn on" both fuel injectors and ignition system. W/o this relay, the car cranks over, but never starts (no fuel, no spark). When you turn the key back to kill the engine, like I did before the button, it ECU turned off this relay to kill the engine. So, the button basically mimics what the ECU does anyways by removing ground from the relay.

Just like you would with pulling the key back for a few seconds, then putting it back on (but not to the START, where the starter kicks in to get your engine going again), you hold the button for a few seconds. If I throw it in neutral and and it's idling at ~1K RPM, it only takes about 1-2 seconds until the engine reaches 0RPM. If I'm higher, like 3K RPM, it may take a bit longer, 2-3 seconds, because it has to drop quite a bit higher. Worse case scenario, you don't hold it long enough and the engine re-engages and will kick back up like you just started it. This happened a lot with the key, but has not happened once since I put the killswitch in.

Also, you have a bit of an "indicator" with the killswitch you wouldn't have had with the key. The key disables the cluster, which means you don't see the oil light kick on or check engine light turn off when the engine stops running (lol, not everybody will have the CEL though). With the kill switch, I just press and hold until the CEL turns off and the oil light kicks on. At that point, I know the engine is definitely off.

Sorry to dig up a 4 month old post!


NoD~ ,
I have a 2000 neon, which I know is a different body style than yours. I Currently have tapped into the blue wire from the ignition switch which still kills the dash. I was hoping to find a way to kill the engine without killing the dash. I was thinking of tying into the voltage to the coil pack or the fuel injectors. THEN...I stumbled across this post. I have since begun researching this ASD and am a bit confused. All the wiring diagrams I can find show 2 red/wht wires into teh ASD and a dark blu/yel and dk grn/org out of it. The dk blu/yel is the relay control voltage, but I see no ground wire in any of the diagrams. So, my question is if I splice my switch into the dk blu/yel wire this should work ...correct? Also, where did you locate the wire you tied into, under the dash or in the engine compartment? Any help would be appreciated.
Ottis

^^ Sorry for the delayed response...

There is a wire that goes from the computer to the ASD relay... that computer controls the ground. I can't remember the wire colors off the top of my head, not even sure if those same colors are on the 2nd gen neons (probably are). I'll have to go out and look and see what one I tapped into...

anyways, the way I found that and tapped it, is I actually torn apart my wiring harness from the ECU all the way back to under the fuse/relay box under the hook. I took the back of that box off and made sure of the wire. From there, you can cut the wire anywhere and connect your switch wiring. As long as the switch allows connection, it will act like it always has. When the switch is pressed, the relay "thinks" the car's computer told it to stop giving spark and fuel, shutting the engine off, which ultimately tells the computer to stop giving the ground to the relay, hence "killing" the engine.

I'll see if I can't find what wire that was for ya.

For those with 2006 or newer RAM trucks, Dodge replaced the ASD relay and integrated it into the TIPM(Totally Integrated Power Module). Guess it's a good thing I bought a bunch of relays...looks like I'll need them for an EOC switch.

Thanks for the response. I am going to splice the wire back together from the ignition switch and tap into the ASD wiring. I like the idea better, and then I will not lose my dash!